12:40 Exeter

Monday 20 November 2023

All12:1012:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:3016:00

Devon Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:40 | Winning time: 6m 7.00s

Raddon Top^p²²³

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: James Turner⁽⁷⁾| T: C J Down| OR: 110| CD

5/1

Landed hat-trick of handicap hurdles here at the start of 2022 and added a course chase success early this year. Ended last season with a couple of below-par runs but on a workable mark back hurdling on reappearance. Considered.

Form: 315PP8-

Lucky So And So¹⁹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Gearoid Harney⁽⁵⁾| T: Nicky Martin| OR: 108

10/3

Promise in 3 novice hurdles at the start of 2022. Pulled up on Warwick handicap debut 9 months later but did win in the pointing field this spring. Defienitely one of the more interesting runners.

Form: 4/P311-2

Ballinslea Bridge²¹⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 11-8| J: Conor Ring| T: H Dickin| OR: 104

66/1

Won a Market Rasen handicap chase last December. Failed to complete on 4 of his 5 subsequent starts last season but he did finish second at Wincanton when he did get round. Reverts to hurdles on reappearance.

Form: 1UP2FP-

Caspers Court³²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Tom Buckley| T: K Woollacott| OR: 98| C

10/1

Won back to back around 21f at Wincanton and Exeter at the start of 2023 but has failed to hit the same heights since. Well handicapped again but whether he's in good enough form to capitalise remains to be seen.

Form: 17-9857

College Oak²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: William Featherstone⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 95

33/1

Has struggled since a handicap hurdle win at Stratford in summer 2022, faring no better back hurdling here last time.

Form: 164-730

Lady Wilberry¹⁸⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Harry Kimber| T: Claire Hitch| OR: 95

11/1

Runner-up in handicap chases for Keiran Burke in the spring. Reverts to hurdles for new yard after 6 months off.

Form: 33342-2

Karakoram^p,t¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: Joe Anderson| T: G Harris| OR: 89| C

13/2

Seemed well suited by the step up to 3m when resuming winning ways at Taunton in March. Not in the same form since, including 2 starts this term, but back on a winning mark so dangerous to dismiss.

Form: 4160-87

Moonlight Artist²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Freddie Gingell⁽³⁾| T: J Tizzard| OR: 89

9/4

Failing to improve for a switch to handicap company over 18.5f here last month but it is still very early days for this 5-y-o from an in-form yard and perhaps the step up in trip will unlock some improvement.

Form: 03564-0

Elfride^t¹⁷⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Oscar Palmer⁽⁷⁾| T: R T Phillips| OR: 76| D

8/1

Improved to win a 23f Uttoxeter handicap in May. Unseated back there later in the month. Has to race from 8 lb out of handicap here but still no surprise were he to have a say.

Form: 5465-1U

Menapian^b³³⁴

Age: 12| Weight: 10-2| J: Alice Stevens⁽³⁾| T: Mrs H R J Nelmes| OR: 70

80/1

Poor maiden hurdler who got back on track when third at Taunton in first-time blinkers last December but off since a lesser run back there later that month.

Form: 2/34P30-

Forecasts

Moonlight Artist (9/4), Lucky So And So (10/3), Raddon Top (5/1), Karakoram (13/2), Elfride (8/1), Caspers Court (10/1), Lady Wilberry (11/1), College Oak (33/1), Ballinslea Bridge (66/1), Menapian (80/1)

In a contest where few arrive with compelling claims a chance is taken on the fitness of RADDON TOP who knows where the winning post is over hurdles here and was also successful over fences at this venue off a higher mark last season. Moonlight Artist has a much less-exposed profile than most of these and that earns him a place on the shortlist along with Lucky So And So.