14:30 Ascot

Friday 22 December 2023

All12:4513:2013:5514:3015:0515:40

WB Wealth Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:30 | Winning time: 3m 44.93s

Bad²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 12-2| J: Beau Morgan⁽⁵⁾| T: B Pauling| OR: 122

5/2

Winner in France. Better than the result in 2 strong juvenile handicap hurdles for this yard in the spring and all the better for his reappearance when second in Gerry Feilden at Newbury (2m, good to soft) 3 weeks ago. Big player with Beau Morgan taking 5 lb off.

Form: 2106-32

Douglas Dc⁵²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: Lily Pinchin| T: A W Carroll| OR: 119| D

125/1

Fairly useful hurdler in Ireland. Below that level on chase debut in August and down the field on the Flat at the Curragh since. Has left Gordon Elliott. Probably best watched on yard debut.

Form: 3F67-97

Mardoof^t²⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: Sean Houlihan| T: M Hunt| OR: 119| BF| D

40/1

Fair maiden on Flat who took well to hurdling last season, notably winning 13-runner Taunton maiden (16.5f, soft) in March. Makes his handicap debut and reappearance in a warm race so perhaps best watched this time.

Form: 733213-

Jaramillo²⁰³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: James Bowen| T: W Greatrex| OR: 114

33/1

Unreliable individual who came in last of 8 in Flat handicap at Doncaster when last seen in June. Needs to hit the ground running back over hurdles.

Form: 23031-P

Poncho²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: N F Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 113| D

18/1

Plumpton novice winner last winter but well held on Newbury handicap debut in March. Fell there on final start and suffered a similar fate on C&D return (beaten at the time) 4 weeks ago. Others are more obvious.

Form: 3216F-F

Toonagh Warrior²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Charlie Hammond| T: S Edmunds| OR: 109| D

7/1

Little better than modest in bumpers in Ireland but going the right way over hurdles, building on his Warwick stable debut second when going one better in 5-runner novice at Wetherby (2m, heavy) last month. Unexposed now moving into his first handicap.

Form: 460321

Immortal⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 109| BF

13/8

Chased home fairly useful types in 2m Sandown novice hurdles last season and again shaped encouragingly when third of 11 on 19f course handicap debut/reappearance last month. Back down in trip. On the shortlist.

Form: 22-3

King William Rufus²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: H Cobden| T: C Gordon| OR: 108

10/1

Showed plenty when placed all 3 bumper outings last season. Best effort over hurdles when runner-up in 2m Newbury maiden 3 weeks ago. Handicap debut.

Form: 232-672

Havaila^p⁴⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Anthony Charlton| OR: 108

8/1

Fair hurdler who completed a simple task at Fakenham in April. Runner-up on the Flat at Sandown in May but has failed to build on that in 3 subsequent starts on the level, the latest at Newmarket in early November. Now under the care of Anthony Charlton.

Form: 286231-

Tying The Knot¹⁷⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Tom Cannon| T: D C O'Brien| OR: 107| D

200/1

Much improved when winning at Hereford (2m) for Alan at the beginning of the year but disappointed on next 2 hurdle starts and didn't fare much better back on the Flat in the summer, including for this yard last twice. Best watched here.

Form: 351P8-

Titan Discovery³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Liam Harrison| T: R L Llewellyn| OR: 104

14/1

Runner-up in 2 bumpers in the spring and promise when reaching the frame in 2 novice hurdles this autumn. Makes a quick switch to handicaps for a shrewd outfit. One of the more likely types.

Form: 22-42

Ardmayle^t²⁶⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 10-10| J: Brendan Powell| T: A Stronge| OR: 102| D

150/1

Scored over fences at Southwell and Hereford (both 2m) in the spring. Reverts to hurdles on his reappearance and might be using this as a prep before a return to the larger obstacles.

Form: 12/4161-

Redbridge Rambler^p³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Adam Wedge| T: M Keighley| OR: 102

22/1

Creditable second of 7 in handicap hurdle at Huntingdon (2m, good to soft) in October found a big-field handicap at Cheltenham too competitive for him since. This no easier.

Form: 346620

Ray's The One³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: M Goldstein| T: M Pattinson| OR: 100

50/1

Both of his wins over hurdles have come at Fontwell. Arrives fit from the Flat and has dropped back to his last winning mark but he's probably flying a bit high here.

Form: 413846-

Non-Runners

Jagwar⁵⁴

Weight: 11-13| Age: 4

T: O Greenall & J Guerriero J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.

Forecasts

Immortal (13/8), Bad (5/2), Jagwar (5/1), Toonagh Warrior (7/1), Havaila (8/1), King William Rufus (10/1), Titan Discovery (14/1), Poncho (18/1), Redbridge Rambler (22/1), Jaramillo (33/1), Mardoof (40/1), Ray's The One (50/1), Douglas Dc (125/1), Ardmayle (150/1), Tying The Knot (200/1)

BAD shaped well when second in what looked a good renewal of the Gerry Feilden at Newbury at the beginning of the month and is taken to build on that promise now. There should be more to come from Nicky Henderson's Immortal and he's second choice ahead of Jagwar and Titan Discovery, who appeal as likely improvers now making a quick switch to handicaps.