16:10 Lingfield

Tuesday 31 January 2023

All13:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:10

Sky Sports Racing HD Virgin 535 Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:10 | Winning time: 5m 56.93s

Jet Smart^p1³²

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 110

12/1

£80,000 purchase after finishing second in an Irish point in March. Has shown ability in 3 starts over hurdles at around 2½m, and very much appeals as the type to improve now moving up in trip for this handicap debut. Cheekpieces enlisted.

Form: 2-544

Gerico Ville³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: J E Moore| T: C Gordon| OR: 110

11/2

Related to plenty of winners and placed twice in maidens over 19.5f here last season. Best effort since switched to handicaps when a close third at Fakenham (23.4f, soft) on New Year's Day but more will be needed if he's to go 2 places better this time.

Form: 523F-43

Spike Jones^t³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Danny Burton⁽⁵⁾| T: S Drinkwater| OR: 110

4/1

Breakthrough win over hurdles came at Catterick in March and proved better than ever with the hood left off to record a second success in this sphere at Fontwell (25.8f, soft) on Boxing Day, a soundly-run affair suiting him well. Up just 3 lb and should be in the mix again.

Form: 331-331

Learntalot^t1⁵⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| OR: 109WS

9/2

Showed fair form when in the frame all 3 starts over hurdles last term, and stepped up on Wetherby reappearance effort when second in a 7-runner handicap upped to 3m (soft) there at the start of December. Since undergone a wind op and sports a first-time tongue strap.

Form: 432-52

Has Troke^p³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Kielan Woods| T: A M Hales| OR: 103

6/1

Bumper winner in France who came good over hurdles in a 19f Fontwell novice last February. Best run in handicaps when runner-up here (19.5f, good to soft) in December but failed to build on that next time and stamina to prove now upped in trip.

Form: 164-927

Hurricane Vichi^t1³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Harry Reed| T: M F Harris| OR: 102| BF

14/1

Runner-up sole start between the flags and made a winning Rules debut in a Ffos Las bumper last spring. Shaped fairly well initially in this sphere but proved disappointing upped to 23.4f on handicap debut at Fakenham last time. Tongue strap added.

Form: 21-4348

William Philo³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Kimber⁽³⁾| T: R Walford| OR: 96

11/4

Gained breakthrough win in Fontwell handicap hurdle last term. Tried over the larger obstacles first 2 starts of this season without success but fine second back in this sphere at Uttoxeter (23.3f, heavy) on New Year's Eve. High on the shortlist.

Form: 913-5F2

Gold Clermont⁴¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Caoilin Quinn⁽⁵⁾| T: A Irvine| OR: 94

20/1

Rather in and out for Tom Lacey and while she appeared to take a step forward on her second outing for this stable when third over C&D in November, her subsequent display (again over this C&D) was less encouraging.

Form: P5P-533

Fiamette^p⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: James Davies| T: Miss J S Davis| OR: 84

40/1

Fair maiden hurdler who might have needed her first outing in 9 months when fading into sixth at Ffos Las in December. Being dropped 4 lb since can only help but others make more appeal all the same.

Form: 44554-6

Non-Runners

Golden Cosmos³²

Weight: 12-0| Age: 7

T: Dr R D P Newland J: Luke Scott

Forecasts

William Philo (11/4), Spike Jones (4/1), Learntalot (9/2), Gerico Ville (11/2), Has Troke (6/1), Golden Cosmos (8/1), Jet Smart (12/1), Hurricane Vichi (14/1), Gold Clermont (20/1), Fiamette (40/1)

Preference is for WILLIAM PHILO, who appreciated the return to hurdles when finding just one too good at Uttoxeter and this low-mileage 6-y-o probably has more to offer. Learntalot has undergone wind surgery since hitting the crossbar at Wetherby almost 2 months ago and he will be a threat if able to build on that effort. With improvement likely now pitched into a handicap, Jet Smart is also of interest and Spike Jones, a winner at Fontwell on Boxing Day, is another to consider.