15:40 Hereford

Tuesday 24 October 2023

All14:1014:4015:1015:4016:1016:4017:15

Go Racing With Vickers.Bet Racing Club Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:46 | Winning time: 5m 24.94s

Izzy's Grey⁵³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: C Gethings| T: J Candlish| OR: 96

15/2

Showed ability, for all that he was beaten a fair way, when third on debut at Bangor in August. Made a real race of it with a long odds-on shot in a 4-runner Fontwell novice (21.8f, good) the following month and each-way player now pitched into a handicap.

Form: 32

Churchman¹⁰⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: J J Burke| T: A Ralph| OR: 94

40/1

Showed some encouragement when debut seventh in 2m Ludlow novice hurdle but has twice failed to build on it in similar company at Bangor and Stratford. Improvement needed now handicapping.

Form: 2/307-66

Archie Macdart⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Joe Anderson⁽⁵⁾| T: Joe Ponting| OR: 95

12/1

Placed on a couple of occasions in novice company, most notably when runner-up ar Stratford in August. However, unseated rider at the first on last week's handicap debut over C&D and others make more appeal.

Form: 34-P24U

Came From Nothing^h1³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 93

15/2

Signs of ability in bumpers and maiden hurdles prior to an inauspicious handicap debut display upped to 23.3f at Uttoxeter (soft) last month. It's too soon to write this 5-y-o off and interesting to see if he can get back on track down in trip on better ground here with a hood enlisted.

Form: 88-465P

My Gift To You^t⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Tom Cannon| T: James Owen| OR: 87| BF

5/2

Form has taken off since joining this yard, winning handicap hurdle and chases around 2½m in July/August. Has remained in good form since, runner-up in this sphere the last twice, but it could be that the handicapper now has his measure.

Form: P-61123

Wot You Wearing^t²²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Sean Houlihan| T: R Stephens| OR: 81

6/1

Fair in bumpers and left previous hurdles form when narrowly prevailing upped to 23.3f on handicap debut at Uttoxeter last month. Perhaps lack of stamina was what beat him at Newton Abbot (26.5f, soft) next time, but there are others with more attractive profiles in any case.

Form: 236-915

Shesupincourt¹⁹²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Benjamin Poste| T: R Potter| OR: 80| BF

11/1

Remains a maiden following 15 attempts over hurdles, but she has found just one too good on 6 of her last 8 starts. Shaped as though still in good form tried in cheekpieces (discarded here) when last seen Newcastle (23.7f, good to soft) in April and she's not without each-way hope.

Form: 252223-

Mactavish⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Stan Sheppard| T: M Sheppard| OR: 80

11/4

Came close to shedding his maiden tag when finishing well for third in the 23.3f Uttoxeter handicap won by Wot You Wearing in September. Creditable third off this mark over C&D last week and should be in the mix.

Form: 0P6363

Stargazer Belle^h³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-4| J: Harry Bannister| T: B I Case| OR: 79

25/1

Showed little in bumpers and while she showed signs of ability switched to hurdles during the spring, there wasn't much encouragement to take from her reappearance/handicap debut display at Worcester.

Form: 0055-48

Non-Runners

Montregard¹⁸⁰

Weight: 12-0| Age: 4

T: T Lacey J: Stan Sheppard

State Of Honor²⁴⁰

Weight: 11-0| Age: 6

T: Tim Vaughan J: Alan Johns

Forecasts

Montregard (2/1), My Gift To You (5/2), Mactavish (11/4), State Of Honor (11/4), Wot You Wearing (6/1), Izzy's Grey (15/2), Came From Nothing (15/2), Shesupincourt (11/1), Archie Macdart (12/1), Stargazer Belle (25/1), Churchman (40/1)

There should be plenty more to come from MONTREGARD, who landed the odds in a Warwick maiden during the spring and is likely to relish this stiffer test now moving into handicap company. State of Honor was all set to make a successful handicap debut over C&D when last seen 8 months ago and will be a threat if none the worse for that tumble. Mactavish is third choice ahead of My Gift To You.