16:50 Plumpton

Sunday 9 April 2023

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

William Hill Epic Value Novices' Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 16:50 | Winning time: 4m 52.0s

Love Is Golden¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: N F Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 125

5/2

Fairly useful handicapper on Flat who joined new yard for 40,000 gns in October. Has impressed in winning two of his three starts over hurdles, readily making all in a novice at Newbury on latest, and might have been let in lightly off 125.

Form: 131

Kaleb^p1⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: J M Quinlan| T: Miss A Murphy| OR: 125

33/1

Fakenham maiden winner (at 2m) in October who showed further improvement when second of 7 on his handicap debut at Kempton in January. Blundered/unseated at Huntingdon but was well held tackling a more competitive handicap at Ascot last time. Cheekpieces on for 1st time.

Form: 3142U0

Churchills Boy²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: James Davies| T: N J Gifford| OR: 118| CD

10/3

Bumper winner last season and already a dual winner in this sphere. Didn'tn seem right at Sandown last time but could bounce back.

Form: 11-P11P

Hall Lane⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 117

22/1

Mount Nelson gelding. Showed ability in a Kempton bumper on debut last spring and defied market weakness to make winning hurdles debut at Wetherby (19.7f) in October. Back on track at Warwick last time and could up his game for a switch to handicaps.

Form: 5-186

Bold Reaction⁶¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Paul O'Brien| T: N J Henderson| OR: 115

4/1

Irish point scorer who won the second of 2 bumper starts. Encouragement on two of his three hurdles outings to date and looks a likely improver now handicapping after a two-month break.

Form: 121-352

Last Of A Legend^t⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Ben Bromley⁽⁵⁾| T: H Fry| OR: 110| CD

8/1

Scored at Bangor in July and resumed winning ways over C&D 41 days ago. Has a good attitude and is likely to go well again.

Form: 221P41

Bashers Reflection^t²³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Harry Bannister| T: B I Case| OR: 109

6/1

Has improved since sent handicapping, winning at Warwick (19f) on New Year's Eve and Fakenham 23 days ago. Plenty to spare on latter occasion and likely to be on the premises.

Form: 461241

Baddesley^v1⁵⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: Bryony Frost| T: C Gordon| OR: 107| CD

14/1

Off the mark over hurdles at the seventh attempt when making virtually all over C&D in November. Poor efforts next two starts and, although third on chasing debut at Kempton last time, others make more appeal.

Form: 4315P3

Cherry Cola¹⁷²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Caoilin Quinn⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss S West| OR: 102| BF

16/1

Fair Flat performer who fared better than previously in this sphere when runner-up over C&D in September. Only sixth at Fontwell next time but return to this track will help after 172 days off.

Form: U398/26

Non-Runners

Tightenourbelts¹⁷

Weight: 11-13| Age: 6

T: Miss E C Lavelle J: Thomas Bellamy

El Muchacho¹⁵

Weight: 11-10| Age: 6

T: M F Harris J: Bradley Harris

Godot⁵⁴

Weight: 10-3| Age: 6

T: A Irvine J: Brendan Powell

Forecasts

Love Is Golden (5/2), Churchills Boy (10/3), Bold Reaction (4/1), Tightenourbelts (4/1), Bashers Reflection (6/1), Last Of A Legend (8/1), Baddesley (14/1), El Muchacho (14/1), Cherry Cola (16/1), Godot (20/1), Hall Lane (22/1), Kaleb (33/1)

LOVE IS GOLDEN has taken well to hurdling and, having doubled his tally in ready fashion at Newbury last time, he looks potentially well treated off an opening mark of 125. Tightenourbelts is open to improvement and Bold Reaction also looks the type to do better now handicapping.