17:20 Ascot

Sunday 2 April 2023

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:20

Ascot Shop Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 17:20 | Winning time: 5m 10.61s

Espoir De Romay^p1⁴⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 138

16/1

Below form over fences last season and shaped as if needing his reappearance at Exeter 49 days ago. Potentially well treated if he can build on that.

Form: 1F/33P-5

J'Ai Froid^v³⁵⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Adam Wedge| T: L Morgan| OR: 138| C

40/1

Progressive hurdler earlier in his career but latest run was sub-par and he's not been seen for 11 months. Something to prove.

Form: 12/3548-

Ballybegg³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 132

18/1

Last 2 wins gained over 2½m at Uttoxeter, bouncing back to form with a bang to comfortably see off 10 rivals in February. Pulled up at Chepstow since, though.

Form: PP-P71P

Jerrash⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Caoilin Quinn⁽⁵⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 132| CD

11/2

Back on track following 11 months off when successful at Plumpton (25f) in January but failed to back it up at Haydock 43 days ago.

Form: 1310-1P

Gentleman At Arms^p,t¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: C Gethings| T: S Edmunds| OR: 132

16/1

Ended last season with a second in Grade 1 novice hurdle at Aintree (3m, good). Hasn't scaled the same heights this time round, including over fences, and others are more persuasive.

Form: 2-70349

Certainly Red⁵⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: Rex Dingle| T: Mrs L Richards| OR: 132

15/2

Reliable sort who has taken his form up a level over fencin recent weeks, completing a hat-trick at Wincanton a couple of months ago. Looks interesting back over hurdles.

Form: 41-B111

Sir Psycho^p²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Angus Cheleda⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 130

16/1

Won 3 times as a juvenile hurdler in 2019/20 season. Very lightly raced since and suffered a nasty experience when switched to fences on return from 2 years off at Bangor, falling heavily before crashing through a wing when loose. Has underperformed twice over hurdles since.

Form: 559/F33

Shantou Express⁷⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 128

25/1

Dual hurdles winner last spring. Had another unsuccessful spell over fences in the summer/autumn and ran respectably back hurdling at Cheltenham in December. Pulled up at Kempton since, though.

Form: 23F35P

Top Of The Bill^p³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Jordan Nailor| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 125

10/1

Dual winner this term and shaped as if still in form at Chepstow last time. Likely to give another good account for all that he's not entirely straightforward.

Form: 4-21415

Clay Rogers^t²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| OR: 124

14/1

Landed a brace of small-field events in the summer of 2021 and overcame a 17-month absence and notable market weakness to complete the hat-trick with a fair amount in hand switched to a handicap at Southwell in January. Disappointed since, though.

Form: 3211-16

Fifty Ball¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: N F Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 123| CD

17/2

Cashed in off reduced mark over C&D on final start last season but hasn't been firing this season.

Form: 021-P00

Rocky Man⁶⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 123| BF

9/1

French Flat winner who upped his game to open his hurdling account at the fourth attempt in a handicap at Wetherby in October. Even better effort when runner-up there since and probably best excused (seemed amiss) latest effort.

Form: 267-12P

Ivaldi³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 122| BF

7/2

Unexposed sort who fell early on his Kemoton handicap debut on Boxing Day and shaped better than the result when fourth of 12 over 3m at Ascot next time. Again not seen to best advantage back at Kempton latest, and too soon to be writing off.

Form: 1-42F45

Hasty Parisian^p²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Harry Reed| T: M F Harris| OR: 111

14/1

Did well as a juvenile last season, winning at Sandown and made the frame on several occasions, too. Performed with credit when third at Doncaster last time and every chance he'll go well again.

Form: 4-54633

Non-Runners

Lord Accord¹⁷

Weight: 11-6| Age: 8

T: N P Mulholland J: Adrian Heskin

Forecasts

Ivaldi (7/2), Jerrash (11/2), Certainly Red (15/2), Fifty Ball (17/2), Rocky Man (9/1), Top Of The Bill (10/1), Hasty Parisian (14/1), Clay Rogers (14/1), Espoir De Romay (16/1), Sir Psycho (16/1), Gentleman At Arms (16/1), Ballybegg (18/1), Shantou Express (25/1), Lord Accord (25/1), J'Ai Froid (40/1)

ROCKY MAN was on the up prior to seeming amiss last time, so he's worth a chance too resume progress and land this at the possible expense of Hasty Parisian, who is on a handy mark. Certainly Red is a big player if he can reproduce his recent chasing form back over the smaller obstacles.