16:55 Taunton

Thursday 13 April 2023

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:25

Invest Southwest Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:55 | Winning time: 4m 7.0s

Forever Des Long^t1⁵²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: David Noonan| T: Miss C Dyson| OR: 98

125/1

Market Rasen winner for Philip Hobbs last spring but ended his time with that yard on a low note and well held all 3 starts for present connections. Tongue strap applied.

Form: 12-5400

Robinsville¹⁰²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Brendan Powell| T: J Tizzard| OR: 96

9/2

Out of an unraced sister to connections' top-class hurdler/chaser Thistlecrack but hasn't shaped with much promise in maiden/novice company so far. Still, he's worth a second look in the betting now pitched into a handicap.

Form: 7-059

Noble Savage¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Jordan Nailor| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 96

12/1

Got back on track when second of 5 in handicap at Wincanton (21.4f) last month, first past the post but demoted for hanging left and hampering the runner-up. However, he wasn't in the same form there recently and now drops back in trip.

Form: 457-6D7

Gavin^h,t¹⁷⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Charlie Hammond| T: Joe Ponting| OR: 94| D

28/1

More miss than hit on the Flat during the summer and it was a similar story returned to this sphere during the autumn. Needs to bounce back from a break here.

Form: 26-F550

Ho Que Oui^p¹¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Gearoid Harney⁽⁷⁾| T: Alexandra Dunn| OR: 91

50/1

Fair hurdler in France and produced her best effort for this yard when scoring over fences at Ffos Las in October. Disappointing since, though, and it's hard to know what to expect of her now back over hurdles.

Form: 613557

Faerie Cutlass²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 90

12/1

Has hinted at promise in a bumper and in a trio of novice events in this sphere. Can be expected to improve now that she ventures down the handicap route and it'll be interesting to see what the market has to say.

Form: 7657

Phoenix Risen^p⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: David Prichard⁽⁵⁾| T: J Scott| OR: 89

10/3

Produced his best effort to date by some way when third of 14 in first-time cheekpieces over 19f here last month. Likely to be in the mix off the same mark with this drop in trip a potentially good move.

Form: 766-0P3

Secret Potion^p³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: James Davies| T: C J Down| OR: 87| D

18/1

Went close on the Flat in November but has failed to fire both starts in this sphere for present yard, including over 19f here last time. Others are more appealing.

Form: P5P20-5

Syr Maffos^b1¹⁰³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Stan Sheppard| T: T Lacey| OR: 86

7/1

Yet to trouble the judge but it's still early days and he's now 10 lb lower in the weights compared to when making his handicap debut at Uttoxeter in September. Worth a second look with first-time blinkers enlisted.

Form: 73-3085

Nordy Lordy⁸⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 79

14/1

Winner of sole start between the flags but hasn't shown much under Rules so far and big step forward needed now pitched into a handicap.

Form: 0780

Tuscan Rose²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-6| J: Bryan Carver| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 78

12/1

Little to shout about in a bumper/3 starts over hurdles to date, and she's another who needs to improve considerably now making the switch to handicap company.

Form: 0065

Gorcombe Moonshine^p³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: Angus Cheleda⁽⁵⁾| T: R Walford| OR: 75

4/1

Remains a maiden following 10 attempts in this sphere but latest third in a 15-runner Exeter handicap (16.7f) was one of his better efforts. Ridden a bit too aggressively on that occasion and he's a player off the same mark.

Form: 652663

Presgrave^t³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Bryony Frost| T: J D Frost| OR: 72

10/1

Solid third of 15 over 19f here in November but has failed to back that effort up in 2 subsequent starts, and record in this sphere stands at 0-14.

Form: P64307

La Referi^h¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Tom Buckley⁽³⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 65

125/1

Looks very limited judged on what she's shown over hurdles to date and she's a long way out of the weights for this handicap debut.

Form: P06

Non-Runners

Man Of The Sea¹⁶⁰

Weight: 12-0| Age: 7

T: N P Mulholland J: Joe Anderson

Sassified⁶⁵

Weight: 11-0| Age: 5

T: P Hobbs & J White J: M G Nolan

Ghyll Manor¹⁰⁴

Weight: 10-2| Age: 4

T: D J Jeffreys J: Max Kendrick

Forecasts

Phoenix Risen (10/3), Gorcombe Moonshine (4/1), Robinsville (9/2), Man Of The Sea (5/1), Syr Maffos (7/1), Presgrave (10/1), Noble Savage (12/1), Faerie Cutlass (12/1), Tuscan Rose (12/1), Sassified (14/1), Nordy Lordy (14/1), Ghyll Manor (14/1), Secret Potion (18/1), Gavin (28/1), Ho Que Oui (50/1), La Referi (125/1), Forever Des Long (125/1)

Solid options are thin on the ground and while FAERIE CUTLASS can hardly be considered as such following 3 low-key efforts in novice company, she very much appeals as the type to raise her game now handicapping off a realistic opening mark. If able to build on his latest improved effort here, Phoenix Risen should have a big role to play, while Gorcombe Moonshine and Syr Maffos are others to consider.