14:15 Exeter

Tuesday 11 April 2023

All13:1513:4514:1514:4515:1515:4516:15

City Of Exeter Challenge Cup Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:15 | Winning time: 4m 14.8s

Midnight Ginger¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: J Martin⁽⁷⁾| T: Andrew Martin| OR: 119| BF| D

13/2

Likeable mare who added to her tally in 2m Newbury handicap on New Year's Eve. Shaped as though in reasonable nick both outings since and just 1 lb above that winning mark.

Form: 1-23153

Gyenyame³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: Brendan Powell| T: J Tizzard| OR: 118

4/1

Fair Flat winner for Andrew Balding who bagged 2m handicaps at Kempton and Ffos Las last summer. Acquired for 42,000gns after and he cranked it up a notch over hurdles with a dominant win in maiden company from the front at Wincanton a month ago. More to come in handicaps.

Form: U31

Gentle Connections¹⁶⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 117| D

11/1

Won 4 maiden/novice events between April and June last year. Not up to graded level at Chepstow in October and ran poorly back in calmer waters there later in the month. Returns from a break with something to prove minus cheekpieces.

Form: 1-1116P

Le Patron²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 116| BF

4/1

Winner in France and shaped well when second on stable debut in December. Failed to build on that twice since at Plumpton but it's still early days and yard in superb form.

Form: F3-2233

General Medrano⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 116

9/1

Showed promise both starts in bumpers and much improved over hurdles when winning a Fontwell maiden in February, easing clear. Respectable third under a penalty later that month and now goes handicapping.

Form: 3/38413

Maclaine⁹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: D A Jacob| T: O Sherwood| OR: 113WS

7/2

Made most of a good opportunity to get off the mark in a Fontwell novice (17.7f) in November. Ran below that level switched to a handicap at Doncaster next time and has since had a breathing operation/break.

Form: 453-15

Platinumcard^t¹⁵¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Jack Tudor| T: D Pipe| OR: 113

66/1

Ayr winner (16f) a year ago starting out for Gordon Elliott but more miss than hit for that yard after and made a low-key stable debut fitted with cheekpieces in November.

Form: 12-8240

Kincardine^p1⁵⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 112WS

7/1

Landed 2m Newbury maiden hurdle last February before backing it up with good second over 2m4f there later in spring. However, stopped quickly both starts in handicaps this winter and hopes rest on a breathing op doing the trick. Headgear also on.

Form: 3P12-PP

Bannister^t¹⁶⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 111| D

28/1

Dual 2m winner of Worcester handicaps in the summer but ended 2022 in disappointing fashion and his jumping is now a concern.

Form: 612145

Jolly Nellerie²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 117| BF| D

33/1

Showed fairly useful form on all 3 starts over hurdles in France last summer, winning a juvenile at Aix-Les-Bains in between a pair of runner-up efforts. Stopped as though amiss on British debut 3 weeks ago but turned out quite quickly switched to a handicap.

Form: 2122

Gregor¹⁰⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Lorcan Williams| T: J Scott| OR: 106

25/1

Fairly promising as a novice in 2021 but off 16 months and little promise all 3 starts in handicaps to end 2022 for Dan Skelton.

Form: 212-P6P

Haloa Mail²⁷⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Harry Kimber⁽³⁾| T: Miss J Du Plessis| OR: 98

28/1

Caused an upset in 9-runner maiden at Newton Abbot in July. Off the track since but retains potential at this level.

Form: 6-31

Saintemilion^t¹⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 10-5| J: Bryony Frost| T: J D Frost| OR: 96| C| D

150/1

Last of 6 in handicap hurdle at this course (18.5f, soft, 80/1) 16 days ago on return from 2 years off. This will reveal more.

Form: 24476/6

Forecasts

Maclaine (7/2), Gyenyame (4/1), Le Patron (4/1), Midnight Ginger (13/2), Kincardine (7/1), General Medrano (9/1), Gentle Connections (11/1), Gregor (25/1), Bannister (28/1), Haloa Mail (28/1), Jolly Nellerie (33/1), Platinumcard (66/1), Saintemilion (150/1)

GYENYAME took a while to come to hand on the level but he needed just 3 attempts to get off the mark over hurdles, value for extra to boot at Wincanton last month and on that evidence, this opening mark should be within range. Le Patron and Midnight Ginger head the opposition.