16:00 Ffos Las

Tuesday 25 April 2023

All13:4014:1514:5015:2516:0016:3517:10

KP Tyres Llanelli Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:00 | Winning time: 5m 0.39s

Message Personnel^p1¹¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 12-1| J: Bridget Andrews| T: D Skelton| OR: 121WS

28/1

Hurdles winner in France and runner-up twice from 3 starts on these shores last term. Absent since poor reappearance/handicap bow at Uttoxeter on New Year's Eve (that was his first run following a wind op and since undergone another) but that was surely too bad to be true. Cheekpieces applied.

Form: 41522-P

Bumpy Johnson^p,t¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Jack Tudor| T: D Pipe| OR: 120| CD

9/2

Fontwell bumper winner who opened his hurdles account following a second breathing op over C&D in February. Decent efforts in defeat at Doncaster and Exeter since, particularly at the latter course where he was just touched off, but more needed if he's to defy this career-high mark.

Form: 4-44142

Mr Muldoon^p³⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Charlie Hammond| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 120

16/1

Left tame reappearance well behind when landing a 19.5f handicap hurdle at Chepstow in January. However, his profile during the last couple of years has become increasingly patchy and he was never in the hunt back in this sphere at Haydock last time.

Form: 6-P12P7

No No Tonic^b,t²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Fergus Gillard⁽³⁾| T: Mark Gillard| OR: 118| D

18/1

Likeable mare who was in good order during the winter, scoring twice at Wincanton and also runner-up on 2 occasions at Chepstow in February. However, form has taken a turn for the worse recently and she needs to bounce back.

Form: 9122P4

King Of Brazil³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: G Sheehan| T: Katy Price| OR: 113

4/1

Modest form in bumpers but much better signs over hurdles, confirming debut promise when landing 2m novice at Warwick last month. Didn't do a great deal wrong when third of 12 under a penalty upped to 20.5f at Newbury since and may have more to offer now handicapping.

Form: 5/4313

Stans The Man⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Ella Pickard| OR: 112

3/1

Bumper winner on yard debut in October and got on top close home when opening hurdles account at Fontwell (19f, soft) in January. Well beaten on handicap bow at Sandown since but that was a much hotter race than this and returning to a left-handed track will probably be in his favour here.

Form: 4-17319

Val Dancer³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Alex Edwards| T: Mrs M Rowley| OR: 111| D

9/1

Runner-up in a bumper and made second hurdles start a winning one at Bangor (19.6f. heavy) in November. No real impact in 3 subsequent starts, though, and while his heavy handicap debut defeat at Plumpton can probably be attributed to the step up to 25f, he now needs to get back on track.

Form: 251544

Republican^p³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Brendan Powell| T: O Sherwood| OR: 109| D

17/2

Snapped a long losing run when edging home in front in a 4-runner Hereford handicap (19.7f, good) in February. Wasn't in the same form on soft ground at Southwell next time but would have an each-way chance granted quicker conditions here.

Form: 4-74414

Big Ambitions⁶⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 106

4/1

Brother to smart hurdler/chaser Death Duty. Encouraging start over hurdles when second in 17-runner Wetherby novice (2m, soft) last month and while he was beaten a fair way when third upped to 19.5f at Lingfield next time, improvement may well be forthcoming now pitched into a handicap.

Form: 8423

Non-Runners

Sabbathical³

Weight: 10-4| Age: 8

T: Evan Williams J: Adam Wedge

Forecasts

Stans The Man (3/1), Sabbathical (7/2), Big Ambitions (4/1), King Of Brazil (4/1), Bumpy Johnson (9/2), Republican (17/2), Val Dancer (9/1), Mr Muldoon (16/1), No No Tonic (18/1), Message Personnel (28/1)

BIG AMBITIONS chased home a decent novice in Etalon on his hurdles debut at Wetherby and again showed promise at Lingfield next time. The 5-y-o appeals as the type to take a step forward now going down the handicap route off what may well turn out to be a handy opening mark. King of Brazil is also unexposed in this sphere and is next on the list ahead of Stans The Man, who will find this more palatable than the valuable Sandown handicap he contested last month.