15:40 Ffos Las

Thursday 22 December 2022

All12:4013:1013:4014:1014:4015:1015:40

Nadolig Llawen From dragonbet.co.uk Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:46 | Winning time: 4m 2.3s

Colonial Empire²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 98| D

6/4

Opened his account in this sphere in 4-runner handicap at Leicester (15.5f) 21 days ago. Up 4 lb but he's still weighted to follow up.

Form: 9P-5221

Mind Hunter^b²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: Robert Williams⁽³⁾| T: B J Llewellyn| OR: 89

16/1

Not proving the easiest to catch right this term, only fifth of 7 in handicap hurdle at Leicester (15.5f) 25 days ago. Others appeal more.

Form: 71-2645

Fiamette^p1²⁷⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: James Davies| T: Miss J S Davis| OR: 88

40/1

Fair maiden hurdler. Off 9 months since good fourth of 5 in juvenile hurdle (5/1) at Doncaster. Cheekpieces on 1st time and no forlorn hope.

Form: 644554-

Bensini²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: C Brace| T: R L Llewellyn| OR: 88

9/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. Ninth of 12 in novice hurdle (250/1) at Newbury (16.3f) 27 days ago. More required on his handicap debut.

Form: 4969

Howdy Partner^t1²⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Shane Quinlan⁽³⁾| T: Mrs N S Evans| OR: 87WS

50/1

Poor maiden under NH rules. Below-form sixth of 11 in novice hurdle at Chepstow (16f) 8 months ago. Tongue strap on now going into handicaps with lots to find.

Form: 65PU36-

Fou Diligence^b²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽³⁾| T: M Young| OR: 85| D

125/1

Very hard to win with and looked to completely lose his form for J.P.Dempsey in the spring. Fared no better in 4 outings for this yard.

Form: P0-7P78

Half The Freedom^p1³²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: K Brogan| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 83

9/2

Went backwards from his reappearance second when sixth of 13 in handicap hurdle (10/3) at Exeter (21.6f) 32 days ago. Cheekpieces are tried now and worth another chance.

Form: 0784-26

Watchoutitscookie³⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: David Noonan| T: N J Hawke| OR: 80

50/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Only fourteenth of 15 in novice hurdle at Exeter (16.7f, 400/1) 38 days ago. Can do better now going handicapping.

Form: 9-8670

Weaver's Answer⁴⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-8| J: Charlie Price⁽³⁾| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 78

12/1

Poor maiden hurdler. Tenth of 16 in novice hurdle at Hereford (16.2f, 150/1) 44 days ago. Makes handicap bow with others preferred.

Form: 5-060

The Wire Flyer^b³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: James Best| T: J L Flint| OR: 78| CD

22/1

C&D winner but pulled up in handicap hurdle (66/1) at Chepstow (19.4f) 34 days ago. Twelve runs since last success in 2021.

Form: 695U-0P

Mac Be Lucky³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 77

5/1

Off the mark at Sedgefield in May but well below par both runs since, seventh of 9 in handicap at Wincanton (19.8f) 35 days ago. Needs to get back on track

Form: 06P-147

Barrier Peaks^t1³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 77

20/1

100/1, ninth of 12 in novice hurdle at Lingfield (16f, soft) 37 days ago. Tongue strap on for handicap hurdle debut with a big step forward required.

Form: 27/5-909

My Granny Lily³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Tom Buckley⁽³⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 71

8/1

100/1, first form shown when third of 9 in handicap hurdle at Ludlow (21.2f) 31 days ago. No forlorn hope back down in trip.

Form: 07-03

Angus De Bull¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Benjamin Poste| T: R Potter| OR: 47

50/1

Is yet to show any worthwhile form, tenth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Taunton (16.5f, 66/1) 14 days ago.

Form: 00P-00

Non-Runners

Borak³⁸

Weight: 12-0| Age: 10

T: D Faulkner J: Ben Jones

Syr Maffos⁴⁴

Weight: 11-5| Age: 4

T: T Lacey J: R T Dunne

Tribal Commander²²

Weight: 10-11| Age: 6

T: Mrs S Leech J: S Bowen

Hoochygoochyman²²¹

Weight: 10-2| Age: 6

T: Simon Earle J: Harriet Tucker

Forecasts

Colonial Empire (6/4), Half The Freedom (9/2), Mac Be Lucky (5/1), My Granny Lily (8/1), Bensini (9/1), Weaver's Answer (12/1), Tribal Commander (14/1), Mind Hunter (16/1), Barrier Peaks (20/1), Syr Maffos (20/1), The Wire Flyer (22/1), Borak (33/1), Fiamette (40/1), Watchoutitscookie (50/1), Angus De Bull (50/1), Howdy Partner (50/1), Hoochygoochyman (66/1), Fou Diligence (125/1)

Not so competitive as the numbers suggest and COLONIAL EMPIRE is fancied to make light of a 4 lb rise for his Leicester success and go in again. Half The Freedom could emerge as the chief threat if shrugging off his below-par Exeter sixth, with handicap-debutant Watchoutitscookie another to consider.