14:45 Musselburgh

Sunday 1 January 2023

All12:2513:0013:3514:1014:4515:20

Fitzdares Hogmaneigh Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:47 | Winning time: 3m 54.97s

Voix Du Reve^p³⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: Craig Nichol| T: I Jardine| OR: 133| D

10/1

Smart at best and cashed in on falling mark at Newcastle in March. Shaped as if needing the run on comeback at Aintree before running as well as entitled to in Fighting Fifth last time.

Form: 514-824

Homme Public^p1,t²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Toby Wynne⁽⁵⁾| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 132| D

3/1

Picked up where he'd left off last season when quickening clear at Wetherby in November (16f, good). Solid third off this mark at Sandown (soft) since and could still have a bigger performance in the locker back on less testing ground. Cheekpieces on for 1st time.

Form: 3661-13

Nayati²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-13| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 132| D

11/1

Has returned better than ever from a long lay-off, sprinting clear to record ready success at Bangor in November. Found out in better company at Sandown since, however,

Form: F3/1316

Al Zaraqaan²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Sean Quinlan| T: A Watson| OR: 127| CD

7/2

Smart at best on Flat and very much going the right way over hurdles, extending his winning sequence to 4 over C&D 27 days ago, leading 2 out and quickening clear soon after. Open to further improvement.

Form: 241111

First Impression²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Billy Garritty| T: J & S Quinn| OR: 123| D

4/1

Posted another good effort when second of 10 in handicap hurdle (10/3) at Huntingdon (15.8f, good to soft) 28 days ago. That form looks solid and another good run seems likely off the same mark.

Form: U323-42

Socialist Agenda^p,t²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Lewis Dobb⁽⁷⁾| T: L Morgan| OR: 122| CD

12/1

C&D winner who bounced back to form after 4 months off when 3 lengths second of 6 to Al Zaraqaan in handicap hurdle at this C&D (soft, 10/3) 27 days ago, though was well positioned in steadily-run affair. Cheekpieces back on. Needs more.

Form: 4118-82

Sizing Mauritius^t1⁹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Danny Burton⁽⁵⁾| T: S Drinkwater| OR: 122

18/1

Confirmed promise of hurdling debut under a no-nonsense ride when winning 14-runner maiden at Kilbeggan (15.1f) in April. Left Mrs J. Harrington for 28,000 gns after and possibly needed the run when second in a Sedgefield novice in September. Makes handicap debut in a first-time tongue strap.

Form: 0031-2

Collingham²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Charlie Maggs⁽¹⁰⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 121| BF| CD

10/1

C&D winner who got back on the scoresheet when landing 6-runner handicap at Wetherby on return in October. Another good shift when going down narrowly at Ayr next time before failing to stay upped in trip here (19.8f) latest. Return to 2m in his favour.

Form: 426-123

Thereisnodoubt^h,t³⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 117| D

14/1

Twelve runs since last win in 2020. Failed to build on the promise of his reappearance when fourth at Catterick (19.3f) 34 days ago but his mark continues to ease. Not ruled out.

Form: 2266-54

Cuban Cigar^t1⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Alan Doyle⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 105| DWS

25/1

Consistent sort who wasn't ideally placed when third of 8 in C&D handicap (soft) 41 days ago. This is tougher, though. Has had a wind op and has tongue strap on for 1st time.

Form: 514-323

Non-Runners

Parisencore³⁶

Weight: 11-5| Age: 7

T: N G Richards J: Danny McMenamin

Forecasts

Homme Public (3/1), Al Zaraqaan (7/2), First Impression (4/1), Parisencore (8/1), Collingham (10/1), Voix Du Reve (10/1), Nayati (11/1), Socialist Agenda (12/1), Thereisnodoubt (14/1), Sizing Mauritius (18/1), Cuban Cigar (25/1)

HOMME PUBLIC ran a solid race at Sandown last month and still may have a bigger effort in the locker now returned to less testing ground given how well he quickened up at Wetherby on his penultimate start, so he makes plenty of appeal. Al Zaraqaan is on a roll and must be taken seriously, with First Impression also feared.