15:27 Fontwell

Monday 26 December 2022

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Claire Hogben Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:29 | Winning time: 5m 11.35s

Mr Jack^p²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: B Roberts⁽⁵⁾| T: A Irvine| OR: 100

9/2

Shaped well when creditable third of 13 in handicap hurdle at this course (17.7f, good to soft) 20 days ago, travelling smoothly for long way. Shortlisted from same mark.

Form: 4485-63

Ma Belle Noire^t³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: H Fry| OR: 98

4/1

Settled better when creditable second of 9 in handicap hurdle at Ludlow (21.2f, heavy) 35 days ago. Still low mileage and enters calculations.

Form: 3442-52

Walkinthewoods³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Isabel Williams⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 95| BF

11/2

Off mark at Chepstow in October and ran even better in defeat when second of 8 in handicap hurdle (5/2) at Hereford (19.7f, soft) 33 days ago. Player again.

Form: 0254-12

Kenny George²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Fergus Gillard| T: Miss S West| OR: 92| CD

11/1

C&D winner produced a good effort when placed over 17.7f here on return hasn't shown much over this trip in a pair of starts since. Others more persuasive.

Form: P8P-334

Optimistic Belief⁶²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: N F Houlihan| T: P Phelan| OR: 91

11/1

Fair winner at 11f on Flat produced by far his best effort over hurdles when second of 17 on handicap debut at Chepstow (19.4f, good to soft, 25/1) 62 days ago. Respected.

Form: 5P6-2

Kay's Light^t1³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: J R Wildman⁽⁵⁾| T: P Henderson| OR: 90

50/1

Promise in her qualifying runs, shaping encouragingly from off the pace when fourth at Chepstow on penultimate outing. Failed to improve when sixth of 8 on handicap debut at Hereford (19.7f, soft) 33 days ago. Tongue strap on 1st time.

Form: F-346

Blue Shark¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Jamie Brace⁽⁶⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 88

5/2

Arrives seeking hat-trick after recent wins at Ffos Las and Newcastle. Form of first success is working out well and he quickened clear to score readily last time, so bold show expected.

Form: 547011

Kentford Swansong⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Daniel Sansom| T: J W Mullins| OR: 88

80/1

Promising debut over hurdles at Newton Abbot in the summer but she's shown very little since and is hard to fancy on handicap debut.

Form: 83-5360

My Ticketyboo³²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: Alex Edwards| T: C Gordon| OR: 82

8/1

Little sign of ability so far, jumping ponderously when eighth of 14 in handicap hurdle at Lingfield (19.5f, good to soft) 32 days ago. Hard to fancy.

Form: 6439-8

Ya Know Yaseff¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-6| J: Philip Armson⁽³⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 78

33/1

Successful sole start in Irish points. Failed to improve when eighth of 14 on handicap debut at Taunton (16.5f, good to soft, 22/1) 18 days ago. Remains on lowly mark but others make more appeal.

Form: 1-5078

Non-Runners

Eaton Lady⁴²

Weight: 10-9| Age: 6

T: G Brown J: Elizabeth Gale

Forecasts

Blue Shark (5/2), Ma Belle Noire (4/1), Mr Jack (9/2), Walkinthewoods (11/2), My Ticketyboo (8/1), Kenny George (11/1), Optimistic Belief (11/1), Ya Know Yaseff (33/1), Eaton Lady (33/1), Kay's Light (50/1), Kentford Swansong (80/1)

BLUE SHARK has looked a different proposition on his last 2 outings and is capable of defying an 8 lb rise to complete the hat-trick. The likes of Mr Jack and Ma Belle Noire are also of significant interest, with Walkinthewoods and Optimistic Belief also hard to rule out in a competitive event.