14:10 Uttoxeter

Friday 28 July 2023

All13:3514:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0417:05

Brit Direct Handicap Hurdle (Div 1)

Off time: 14:10 | Winning time: 3m 52.40s

Demi Sang^t²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Joe Williamson⁽⁵⁾| T: Sara Ender| OR: 99| D

22/1

Scored twice for this yard during 2021/22 campaign but not at the same level in 2 starts for Micky Hammond last summer. Back with Sara Ender and almost certainly needed the run on last month's return to action. This will reveal more with a tongue strap back on.

Form: 154/35-0

Theonlywayiswessex⁷⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 97WS

15/2

Fair form on Flat for this yard winning brace of AW handicaps in early 2023. Little to get excited about over hurdles but he's not yet exposed and has had a breathing op.

Form: 45/25-

Lightening Company⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: R P McLernon| T: B Haslam| OR: 95

3/1

Pretty useful Flat winner but nowhere near that level over hurdles so far, including when switched to handicap company at Hexham last month. Too soon to write off in this sphere but hard to be confident about.

Form: 4/3-0

Good Impression¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Ben Jones| T: B J Llewellyn| OR: 88| CD

15/2

Back on track when landing 11-runner handicap at Newton Abbot in June. Safely held both starts on the level but better expected returned to timber.

Form: 355-741

A Shining Moon^p³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Tom Midgley⁽³⁾| T: P T Midgley| OR: 86

10/1

Took advantage of a much-reduced Flat mark to get off the mark in first-time headgear at Pontefract in May. Collared close home back hurdling at Hexham a month ago and he's now of extreme interest.

Form: 28/508-3

Silver Atom^p1,t¹⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Lorcan Williams| T: B Pauling| OR: 84WS

9/1

Lightly-raced maiden who ran his best race to date when fifth of 17 on handicap debut at Doncaster (16.6f) in January. Couple of heavy defeats soon after but he's been given a break/wind operation.

Form: 55756P-

Colonel Lesley³³²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Beau Morgan⁽⁵⁾| T: B Barr| OR: 81| D

11/2

Back from a break and cashed in on a career-low mark in gritty fashion at Stratford in August. Followed up 12 days later at Newton Abbot but off since and has moved yards.

Form: 408/P11-

George Mallory²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: S Bowen| T: C & A Pogson| OR: 76

11/4

Yet to strike over hurdles following 15 attempts but he has hit the crossbar on a trio of occasions, latterly at Southwell 3 weeks ago. Merit is established but he can make his presence felt.

Form: 2P5-242

African Sun^p⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Cillin Leonard⁽⁵⁾| T: Joanne Thomason-Murphy| OR: 70| CD

40/1

Won over C&D last summer but has rarely threatened since and makes limited appeal given errant jumping.

Form: P63-P85

Non-Runners

Grizabella¹⁷

Weight: 11-11| Age: 4

T: J J Hanlon J: Non Runner

Reams Of Love⁴⁴

Weight: 11-7| Age: 5

T: D J Jeffreys J: Non Runner

Cawthorne Cracker¹⁶³

Weight: 10-2| Age: 4

T: O Greenall & J Guerriero J: Toby Wynne

Forecasts

George Mallory (11/4), Lightening Company (3/1), Colonel Lesley (11/2), Good Impression (15/2), Theonlywayiswessex (15/2), Grizabella (15/2), Silver Atom (9/1), A Shining Moon (10/1), Reams Of Love (14/1), Cawthorne Cracker (16/1), Demi Sang (22/1), African Sun (40/1)

Having won on the level in May, A SHINING MOON looked to have the race won back hurdling at Hexham, only to be collared late. That performance suggests he's up to landing a race such as this, with Theonlywayiswessex and Colonel Lesley, on return for a new yard, feared most.