14:15 Plumpton

Sunday 14 May 2023

All13:4514:1514:4515:1515:5016:2016:50

Lulu And Peter Mendoza Memorial Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:16 | Winning time: 5m 59.0s

Sandalwood^b1³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Tom Buckley⁽³⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 96

5/1

Good second of 10 in handicap hurdle (9/1) at Taunton (23.9f, good to soft) 31 days ago, just holding on (impeded runner-up and subsequently disqualified). Blinkers replace cheekpieces. Player.

Form: 2/U875D-

Brown Bullet^h²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Caoilin Quinn⁽⁵⁾| T: A Irvine| OR: 93| C

11/1

Course winner. Latest win in hurdle here in March. 66/1, thirteenth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (20.2f, good) 24 days ago. Up in trip. Not taken lightly in this less exacting company.

Form: 373130-

Hello Sunshine^t²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Rex Dingle| T: George Baker| OR: 90

9/2

17/2, first run since leaving Paul Webber when creditable third of 11 in handicap hurdle at this course (20.5f, soft) 21 days ago. Up in trip. Needs considering.

Form: P38/FP3-

Monty's Award²¹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-8| J: N F Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: A Irvine| OR: 90| D

11/1

16/1, eighth of 11 in handicap hurdle at this course (20.5f, soft) 21 days ago. Back up in trip. Can give a good account if shrugging off latest effort.

Form: 311238-

Barrowmount²³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: M G Nolan| T: J W Mullins| OR: 88

9/1

22/1, good third of 18 in handicap hurdle at Exeter (23.1f, good to soft) 23 days ago, running on. Heading back in the right direction recently so he's one for the shortlist.

Form: 87P8F3-

Perfect Man^p,t¹⁶

Age: 12| Weight: 11-0| J: S Bowen| T: R Potter| OR: 82

3/1

Creditable fourth of 13 in handicap hurdle (9/2) at Southwell (24.3f, good to soft) 16 days ago. Twenty three runs since last win in 2020, though.

Form: 765464-

Counteract^p1⁷⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Charlie Hammond| T: Miss S Smith| OR: 79| C

20/1

6/1, pulled up in handicap chase at Huntingdon (23.6f, good to soft) 70 days ago, tailed off when pulled up 2 out. Switches to hurdles with cheekpieces on for 1st time. Plenty to find on form.

Form: 8P/463P-

Strictlyasoldier³⁰⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Jack Tudor| T: Christian Williams| OR: 78

40/1

Lightly-raced maiden under NH rules. Sixth of 9 in novice hurdle at Newton Abbot (18.5f, good, 100/1). Off 10 months. Significantly up in trip for his handicap hurdle debut. No forlorn hope.

Form: 9/876-

Hatchet Jack²³

Age: 11| Weight: 10-9| J: Freddie Gordon⁽⁷⁾| T: C Gordon| OR: 77

7/2

Remains a maiden after 22 NH runs. First run since leaving Paul Henderson when creditable second of 4 in handicap hurdle at Fontwell (25.8f, good to firm, 5/2) 23 days ago. Merits consideration.

Form: FUPP12-

Churchtown Glen¹⁸⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 10-5| J: James Davies| T: Miss M P Bryant| OR: 73

66/1

One win from 32 NH runs. 10/1, pulled up in handicap chase at Fakenham (24.2f, good to soft) 180 days ago, behind before halfway. Switches to hurdles with lots to prove.

Form: 2/3454P-

Lawtop Legend^b³⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 10-5| J: Cillin Leonard⁽⁵⁾| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 73| CD

28/1

C&D winner but off 19 months before being pulled up in handicap chases at Fakenham and Sedgefield this spring. Reverts to hurdles and needs it to spark a resurgence.

Form: 4331/PP-

Pour Une Raison^p¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Brendan Powell| T: N R Mitchell| OR: 69

50/1

Dual handicap hurdle winner in 2020/21 but has struggled for form since.

Form: P644PP-

Forecasts

Perfect Man (3/1), Hatchet Jack (7/2), Hello Sunshine (9/2), Sandalwood (5/1), Barrowmount (9/1), Brown Bullet (11/1), Monty's Award (11/1), Counteract (20/1), Lawtop Legend (28/1), Strictlyasoldier (40/1), Pour Une Raison (50/1), Churchtown Glen (66/1)

SANDALWOOD took a big step forward when landing a Taunton handicap last month only to lose the race in the stewards' room but he can gain compensation here with blinkers now replacing cheekpieces. Hello Sunshine got back on track on his first run for George Baker with a recent third here and is next on the list now stepping up in trip. Exeter third Barrowmount and handicap debutant Strictlyasoldier complete the shortlist.