15:40 Leicester

Wednesday 28 December 2022

All12:1012:4513:2013:5514:3515:1015:40

Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:40 | Winning time: 5m 45.69s

Hillfinch²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 12-1| J: Caoilin Quinn⁽⁵⁾| T: S Edmunds| OR: 101| D

12/1

Showed plenty in bumpers and didn't need to improve to make her second hurdles start a winning one in February. Below par in handicaps since, though.

Form: 213-736

Lily's Gem^p,t³¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Benjamin Poste| T: R Potter| OR: 98| CD

22/1

Improved to win 7-runner handicap hurdle (11/1) at this C&D (soft) 31 days ago, driven out. Remains potentially well handicapped on old form, so can't be dismissed.

Form: 54P801

Cheng Gong^b⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: J M Quinlan| T: N B King| OR: 98

50/1

Unreliable type who has failed to fire on both starts this season and looks opposable in quite a competitive race.

Form: 3255-P0

Keplerian⁶⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 96| BF

7/2

Off 8 months/first run since leaving Nick Williams when creditable fifth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Chepstow (16f) 52 days ago. Back up in trip and not discounted.

Form: 09444-5

Stop The World³²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: R T Dunne| T: M Mullineaux| OR: 95

125/1

Pulled up for fourth start in a row in handicap chase at Doncaster (26f) 32 days ago. Back over hurdles now, but others preferred.

Form: 24UPPP

Blended Stealth²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 93| BF

9/2

2/1, good second of 6 in handicap hurdle at this course (15.5f, soft) 21 days ago, coming clear of the remainder. Back up in trip and worth a chance to go one better.

Form: 938-2P2

Big Bee Hive^p1,t⁶⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Miss J E Foster| OR: 93

66/1

Left previous form well behind when landing a 16-runner handicap hurdle at Clonmel (2m, soft) on final start for previous connections in March. 10 lb higher starting out for new yard and probably worth taking on.

Form: 00P01-V

After The Fox^p³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: David Noonan| T: Mrs J Williams| OR: 92

11/1

Scored at Chepstow in January but below that form since, sixth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Taunton (19f) 34 days ago. Cheekpieces refitted now so could bounce back.

Form: 1540-76

Gerolamo Cardano²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Kielan Woods| T: D J Jeffreys| OR: 90

11/2

Shaped as if in need of the run at Uttoxeter on return and can't be completely dismissed from further-reduced mark.

Form: 37320-7

Gaia Vallis³¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Jordan Nailor⁽³⁾| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 89| C

28/1

Scored a couple of times last season but below form when last seen 10 months ago, so hard to make a strong case for.

Form: F21145-

Sir Jack West^h,t⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Chris Ward⁽³⁾| T: Deborah Cole| OR: 88| CD

11/2

Bounced back to capitalise on a reduced mark with ease over C&D 44 days ago and, while it wasn't much of a race, he deserves respect given he's still potentially favourably handicapped on old form.

Form: 64-9P31

Ring The Moon^t,v²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 87| CD

28/1

Notched third chase success at Ffos Las in March and followed up in novice selling hurdle at Exeter 13 days later. Failed to fire over fences this season but step in right direction when third in a novice claimer at Ludlow last time.

Form: P11-0P3

Sindabella^v1³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Tom Buckley⁽³⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 86

13/2

Modest hurdler who wasn't discredited when second at Exeter last month. Needs to build on that but she's not without hope.

Form: 022P-62

Percy Veering^p²³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: C Gethings| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 85

40/1

Yet to show much and back hurdling after failing to complete twice over fences this term.

Form: 6806-FU

Richardson²⁰⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: Lee Edwards| T: J Groucott| OR: 78| D

28/1

Poor handicap hurdler who was disappointing over fences in the summer and makes little appeal back hurdling after 6 months off.

Form: 0/50-650

Big Picture^b³⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-6| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| OR: 78| D

20/1

Modest hurdler who didn't show a great deal starting out for this yard on the back of a long absence at Lingfield last month.

Form: U07/23-6

Non-Runners

Pawpaw¹⁵

Weight: 11-9| Age: 5

T: D G Bridgwater J: Jordan Nailor

Forecasts

Keplerian (7/2), Blended Stealth (9/2), Gerolamo Cardano (11/2), Sir Jack West (11/2), Sindabella (13/2), Pawpaw (8/1), After The Fox (11/1), Hillfinch (12/1), Big Picture (20/1), Lily's Gem (22/1), Richardson (28/1), Gaia Vallis (28/1), Ring The Moon (28/1), Percy Veering (40/1), Cheng Gong (50/1), Big Bee Hive (66/1), Stop The World (125/1)

BLENDED STEALTH isn't the most assured of jumpers but he was a good second here 3 weeks ago and he's worth chancing to go one better. Sir Jack West, a ready winner over C&D last time, is another to consider, while Gerolamo Cardano is worthy of interest having dropped a long way in the weights.