13:15 Sandown

Saturday 9 March 2024

All13:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:40

Betfair Racing Podcasts Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:15 | Winning time: 4m 10.1s

Castelfort²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 12-0| J: David Noonan| T: Mrs J Williams| OR: 120| CD

9/2

Built on debut promise when accounting for some useful types over C&D in December and followed up in good style at Chepstow next time. Latest second to a smart juvenile in the Victor Ludorum was no backward step but he nevertheless looks vulnerable for win purposes conceding weight all round.

Form: 2112

Through The Ages⁶²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-13| J: H Cobden| T: G & J Moore| OR: 119| D

9/2

Fair maiden on the Flat for Charlie Appleby and duly left hurdles debut form behind when dotting up at Newbury in December. Made it 2-3 in this sphere when easily accounting for Nachtgeist and 3 others at Plumpton and remains open to improvement for a yard with a good recent record in this race.

Form: 311

Valadon⁴⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: J J Burke| T: H Fry| OR: 116| D

6/1

Chased home the smart Salver on debut at Exeter (16.7f, soft) prior to landing the odds in a 3-runner affair over the same C&D in the run-up to Christmas. Subsequently proved too strong for Wreckless Eric (winner since) at Newbury and he's a live each-way candidate, for all that more is needed.

Form: 211

Kartoon And Co^t⁵⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 109| BF| D

7/4

Successful start in 4-runner event at Stratford in October and placed both starts since, latterly finishing third behind a couple of potentially useful types at Huntingdon (15.8f, soft). This stiffer track should play to his strengths and could be on a good mark for this handicap debut.

Form: 123

Spiced Rum^h²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: R T Dunne| T: W S Kittow| OR: 109| D

13/2

Fair staying handicapper on the Flat and opened her account at the fourth attempt over hurdles with a hood added(retained here) at Hereford (16.2f, soft) last month. Likely to continue to pay her way but she's probably biting off more than she can chew on this occasion.

Form: 2431

Blue Universe³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: M Goldstein| T: M J Attwater| OR: 106

33/1

Fair winner on the Flat and has shown ability both starts over hurdles, not far behind Kartoon And Co when fourth on debut in this sphere at Huntingdon prior to finishing third in a C&D novice. May well have more to offer now handicapping but likely to find one or two too good all the same.

Form: 43

Nachtgeist²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Anthony Charlton| OR: 104

25/1

Useful on the Flat in Germany and has improved with each of his 3 starts over hurdles, most recently chasing home Through The Ages at Plumpton (beaten 4¾ lengths that day but was almost certainly flattered by his proximity to the easy winner). Well held on the Flat at Saint Moritz since.

Form: 632

Bridge¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: N F Houlihan| T: G & J Moore| OR: 102| BF

20/1

Off the mark with a wide-margin victory in a Fontwell maiden hurdle in December and has subsequently acquitted himself well in handicaps at Southwell and Lingfield. Represents the yard responsible for 3 of the last 6 winners of this but Through The Ages is presumably the stable first-string.

Form: 856133

Forecasts

Kartoon And Co (7/4), Castelfort (9/2), Through The Ages (9/2), Valadon (6/1), Spiced Rum (13/2), Bridge (20/1), Nachtgeist (25/1), Blue Universe (33/1)

The most appealing of these is KARTOON AND CO, who is likely to get a strong pace to aim at for the first time here (has made the running on each of his three starts to date, albeit seemingly more out of necessity rather than by design) and this stiff track could also be conducive to an improved display, not that there's much wrong with his form as things stand. Through The Ages is clearly going the right way and is respected with Harry Cobden booked, while Valadon also enters calculations.