John & Paddy Sheehan Memorial Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:45 | Winning time: 4m 7.3s

Klitschko^h²⁷⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 120| D

2/1

Impressive winner of sole bumper start and made it third time lucky over hurdles when landing a Plumpton maiden (2m, good) on final run of last season. Didn't exactly win that race in the manner one would typically expect of an odds-on shot, but he's armed with potential now handicapping.

Form: 1321-

Zambezi Fix³²

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Robert Williams⁽³⁾| T: B J Llewellyn| OR: 120| D

7/1

Notched second success in this sphere when landing a Chepstow handicap (2m, good to soft) off this mark in February. Reappearance third of 12 over the same C&D was respectable and he's generally consistent, but perhaps vulnerable against some younger, less exposed rivals here.

Form: 21364-3

Celtic Art^p1¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Rex Dingle| T: J Scott| OR: 117

18/1

Useful winner on Flat and has made an encouraging start to his hurdle career, winning maiden/novice events at Wincanton at the beginning of the year. However, hasn't shown much switched to handicaps since and needs the first-time cheekpieces to help him get back on track.

Form: 311P-P

Despereaux³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: David Noonan| T: Mrs J Williams| OR: 115| D

10/3

Off the mark at Huntingdon on his second start before defying a penalty at Taunton in March. Shaped as though the run was needed when third on return in a 5-runner Chepstow handicap (2m, heavy) and should come on for that, but improvement will be needed if he's to play a leading role here.

Form: R1310-3

Swinging London^p,t²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| OR: 115| D

8/1

Made winning debut for this yard in a Fakenham maiden in February 2022 and placed 3 times off slightly higher marks than this in the second half of last season. Below par tried in cheekpieces (retained) at Newton Abbot in May, though, and he was safely held back from a break on the Flat last month.

Form: P6322-4

He's A Latchico⁸⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 101

11/4

Good strike rate on the Flat and duly left novice form behind switched to handicaps in this sphere during the summer, scoring twice at up to 19f on good/good to firm at Fontwell. Up 9 lb for latest win, but remains open to improvement and bold show likely, provided the ground isn't on the slow side.

Form: 55-811

Non-Runners

Hidden Beauty²⁸⁰

Weight: 11-8| Age: 6

T: F O'Brien J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Klitschko (2/1), He's A Latchico (11/4), Despereaux (10/3), Hidden Beauty (9/2), Zambezi Fix (7/1), Swinging London (8/1), Celtic Art (18/1)

It's probably fair to say that KLITSCHKO was a shade disappointing on the whole in his three runs over hurdles last season, given the impression he created when winning a bumper at Huntingdon on debut. However, there's a strong sense that there's much better to come from this 5-y-o, particularly now that he ventures down the handicap route off a potentially handy opening mark. The hat-trick seeking He's A Latchico is the obvious threat.