16:20 Chepstow

Tuesday 25 October 2022

All12:5513:2514:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:50

Vickers.Bet Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:20 | Winning time: 5m 5.85s

Kalpaga¹⁹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 105

50/1

Glimmers of ability over hurdles in France and no great surprise that he struggled on debut for new connections in listed company at Cheltenham (20.2f, good) in April. Faced with a far more realistic assignment on this handicap bow but improvement is certainly needed.

Form: 645-

Buttsbury Lady⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 104

16/5

Bumper winner on debut at Uttoxeter in 2020 and shaped well when fourth in a handicap hurdle there (2½m, good) back from a lengthy absence last month. 1 lb lower now and will be a threat if jumping with greater fluency this time.

Form: 4436/2-4

Sarsen¹¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-12| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: A King| OR: 105

18/1

Positive enough start over hurdles when second in 6-runner maiden at Uttoxeter (15.8f, good) in June but failed to build on that upped to 20.2f at Perth later that month. In good hands but needs to take a big step forward now handicapping.

Form: 405-23

Kracquer¹⁶⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Jay Tidball⁽⁷⁾| T: A Ralph| OR: 102

50/1

Was returning from a 17-month absence when well held on hurdles debut at Ludlow and bettered that when third of 9 in a Bangor maiden (16.7f, good to firm) in May. Type to do better now handicapping but others preferred all the same.

Form: 96/3-3

Sermando^p,t¹⁴⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 102

15/2

Impressed when opening hurdles account at Huntingdon in January 2020. Largely struggled since and inauspicious start over fences when last seen in June but dangerous to write off given that he's slipped to a very attractive mark.

Form: F65P3-P

Of Corse I Can²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Adam Wedge| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 102

16/1

Runner-up in a point and promising start over hurdles when second of 6 in novice at Ffos Las in June. Well held both starts since and entirely possible that he'll be seen in a better light now pitched into a handicap.

Form: 462-286

Phoenix Risen²¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Rex Dingle| T: J Scott| OR: 98

20/1

Hans't cut a great deal of ice in a trio of start over hurdles and while he's another who could do better now making the switch to handicaps, there are several here with more compelling claims.

Form: 89766-

Shutupshirley³⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Harry Kimber⁽⁵⁾| T: R Walford| OR: 98

13/2

Surpassed juvenile form when finding only one too strong on handicap debut at Taunton in March 2021. Best to excuse effort over this C&D on sole appearance last season and worth a second look, for all that an 11-month absence is a concern.

Form: 4642/0-

Olympic Honour^p⁶⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Isabel Williams⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 95

9/2

Now 1 lb lower than for this latest success in this sphere and performed with credit in handicap hurdles at Worcester and Fakenham in May. Has made the frame both starts on the Flat since and entitled to have a say in the finish.

Form: 3035-32

Teddy The Knight²⁰⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: R T Dunne| T: A Wintle| OR: 95

12/1

Modest in bumpers and while there have been positives to glean from efforts in maiden company, improvement was not forthcoming when making his handicap debut over this C&D when last seen in April.

Form: 57/8446-

Steady Away⁹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Paul O'Brien| T: Claire Harris| OR: 94

12/1

Remains a maiden following 17 attempts in this sphere and he offered little on debut for this yard at Worcester in July.

Form: 474-UU4

Lord Bill¹⁸⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: G Harris| OR: 93WS

33/1

Edged out a decent type in Hermes Boy for second when chasing home easy winner Tarahumara in a 2m novice here April. Would have a serious chance if reproducing that form on this handicap debut but he failed to fire on final start of last season (undergone a wind op in the interim).

Form: 779928-

Born In Borris²¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Brendan Powell| T: J Tizzard| OR: 90

5/1

On a good mark judged on best of her novice form but last season was a washout and she now has plenty to prove.

Form: PP9880-

El Diablo^p¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: James Best| T: H Dickin| OR: 88

66/1

Winner of sole start between the flags last November and stepped up on initial non-completions in this sphere when fourth of 9 in 2m Southwell novice during the spring. However, has offered little switched to handicaps the last twice.

Form: 1PP4-P0

Optimistic Belief³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: N F Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: P Phelan| OR: 89

25/1

Fair winner on the Flat in Ireland but will need to leave previous hurdles efforts well behind now going down the handicap path in this sphere if he's to have a chance here.

Form: 5P6-

Prince Cleni¹⁰⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-8| J: Jack Tudor| T: Christian Williams| OR: 87

33/1

Offered something to work on when fifth in a Ludlow bumper on debut in April. However, didn't achieve much in a trio of maiden hurdles this summer and needs to raise his game now handicapping.

Form: 5-645

Pixie Loc^t¹⁹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: Ben Clarke| OR: 77

40/1

Landed a 4-runner Fontwell bumper on debut last September but well beaten both completed starts over hurdles.

Form: 176B9-

Non-Runners

Oxwich Bay²⁷

Weight: 12-0| Age: 10

T: Evan Williams J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Buttsbury Lady (16/5), Olympic Honour (9/2), Born In Borris (5/1), Oxwich Bay (11/2), Shutupshirley (13/2), Sermando (15/2), Steady Away (12/1), Teddy The Knight (12/1), Of Corse I Can (16/1), Sarsen (18/1), Phoenix Risen (20/1), Optimistic Belief (25/1), Prince Cleni (33/1), Lord Bill (33/1), Pixie Loc (40/1), Kracquer (50/1), Kalpaga (50/1), El Diablo (66/1)

Consistency certainly isn't SERMANDO's forte but this would be one of the easiest assignments he has faced to date and, now 12 lb below the mark off which he gained his sole success in this sphere, Jonjo O'Neill's charge is worth chancing in an open-looking race. Buttsbury Lady showed enough when returning from 16 months off at Uttoxeter to suggest that she retains plenty of ability and is feared most ahead of Olympic Honour.