14:30 Plumpton

Sunday 9 April 2023

All13:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:25

South Downs Cider Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:31 | Winning time: 4m 16.8s

Hector Jaguen^b⁵^{(ex 7)}

Age: 6| Weight: 12-3| J: Caoilin Quinn⁽⁵⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 96

7/4

Came good in 5-runner Fontwell handicap 5 days ago. That was a weak race but this is little better and he's much respected under a 7 lb penalty.

Form: 4033U1

Elmount^t¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 12-1| J: Jay Tidball⁽⁷⁾| T: A Ralph| OR: 101

5/1

Irish import who struck at the third time of asking for new connections when making all in 2m Catterick handicap chase in February. Went off too hard when 15 lengths third at Warwick since.

Form: 8-53613

Extraordinary Man²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: Brendan Powell| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 99WS

9/1

Fair maiden over hurdles (twice placed during 2021/22) who probably ran to a similar level sent chasing after 12 weeks off when second in 3-runner affair at Leicester in February. Could only manage a remote fourth at Stratford since. Has undergone wind surgery since then.

Form: 94U-524

Albert Van Ornum^p¹²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Luke Scott⁽⁷⁾| T: P Butler| OR: 87

50/1

Fair winner on the Flat in France but largely struggled over hurdles for Gary Moore and fared no better switched to fences at Lingfield in Decmeber. Has changed yard ahead of this first outing for 4 months.

Form: 3P-PP4P

Pleasure Garden⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Tom Cannon| T: K Jewell| OR: 81

17/2

Fair 4-time winner at up to 2m on the Flat for Sir Mark Prescott but well beaten over hurdles for current yard, including on handicap debut latest. Remains to be seen whether a switch to fences improves matters.

Form: P/4-59

Agent Saonois^p,t¹³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Bryan Carver| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 73

11/2

Opened hurdles account when scoring over 2m at Uttoxeter during the summer and similar form whern placed on 2 of his 4 starts over fences. Jumped left when third at Taunton on latest outing in November and this return to a left-handed track ought to suit. Player.

Form: 752U83

Harry The Norseman^p⁶⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Lily Pinchin⁽³⁾| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 70WS

10/3

Winning hurdler for Paul Webber and also scored on the Flat for Louise Allan last year. Attracted market support but ran poorly in Southwell handicap hurdle on yard debut in February. Switches to fences now with cheekpieces refitted.

Form: 65PP-66

Clondaw Robin^p²⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-2| J: Philip Armson⁽³⁾| T: A Irvine| OR: 69

50/1

Yet to score over fences and pulled up here on latest start 4 weeks ago. Not hard to look elsewhere.

Form: 43865P

Checkitsme^b,t¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Cynthia Woods| OR: 68

125/1

Won a Leicester claiming hurdle for Milton Harris last winter. Placed twice later in that campaign but has offered little in 5 outings this term, tailed off when refusing on recent Warwick chase debut.

Form: P-8PP7R

Non-Runners

Mordred³⁴

Weight: 11-12| Age: 7

T: M F Harris J: Mitchell Bastyan

Forecasts

Hector Jaguen (7/4), Harry The Norseman (10/3), Mordred (4/1), Elmount (5/1), Agent Saonois (11/2), Pleasure Garden (17/2), Extraordinary Man (9/1), Clondaw Robin (50/1), Albert Van Ornum (50/1), Checkitsme (125/1)

With a return to a left-handed track likely to suit it might be worth chancing AGENT SAONOIS to make a winning return from a break for the Neil Mulholland team. Last week's Fontwell scorer Hector Jaguen rates an obvious threat, while Mordred also merits respect on the back of his Southwell third.