16:25 Fakenham

Friday 15 March 2024

All13:1013:4514:2515:0515:4516:2517:05

Fakenham Silver Cup Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:28 | Winning time: 4m 6.25s

Magical Maggie⁷⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Jay Tidball⁽⁵⁾| T: A Ralph| OR: 123| D

10/3

Mare with a good strike-rate, gaining a sixth win when easily seeing off 4 rivals at Ludlow (2m, heavy) in December. Shaped better than the distance beaten suggests when 19½ lengths fourth of 9 at Newbury (2m, soft) just after Christmas. Respected back from short break.

Form: 12-1314

Matchless^p²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 122| D

15/2

Improved when winning 9-runner handicap at Musselburgh (2m, good to soft) in November and runner-up on 2 of his 3 outings since. Ought to be competitive again.

Form: 3-21262

Jilaijone^t³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: Jack Tudor| T: D Pipe| OR: 122

10/3

Has run poorly on last 2 outings but the latter was the ultra-competitive Betfair Hurdle at Newbury he's fairly handicapped on the form he showed when placed in the autumn.

Form: 2223P0

Ip Up²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Craig Nichol| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 120| CD

4/1

Fair hurdler/chaser in France who has won 2m handicap hurdles here and at Newcastle since joining this yard. Creditable 4 lengths fourth of 6 at Kelso latest but that underlines she needs a bit more from her mark.

Form: 313214

Fransham⁶²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: Alex Edwards| T: Mrs P Sly| OR: 118| D

11/1

Thirteen runs since last win in 2021 but latest second of 6 at Kempton (2m, good to soft) shows he's down to a mark he can be competitive from. Yard no stranger to success in this race.

Form: 4639-72

Tapley⁷⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Elizabeth Gale⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss S Smith| OR: 114| D

7/2

Returned to form with a bang when bagging 2m Kempton handicap in November and has run with credit on all 3 outings since, on the latest finishing runner-up back at Kempton just after Christmas. Contender if resuming from an 11-week break in similar form.

Form: 371342

Whispering Royal⁶³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 112

16/1

Fair Flat winner who built on the promise of his hurdling debut when off the mark in a juvenile at Doncaster in December. Disappointing at Huntingdon 4 weeks later but given a bit of time since and remains unexposed now handicapping.

Form: 316

Non-Runners

Legionar³²

Weight: 11-7| Age: 6

T: Anthony Charlton J: Bradley Harris

Coup De Coeur²¹

Weight: 11-5| Age: 6

T: Micky Hammond J: B S Hughes

Forecasts

Magical Maggie (10/3), Jilaijone (10/3), Tapley (7/2), Ip Up (4/1), Coup De Coeur (6/1), Matchless (15/2), Fransham (11/1), Whispering Royal (16/1), Legionar (33/1)

COUP DE COUER is 2-2 when partnered by Brian Hughes and a 7 lb rise for last month's Sedgefield success may not prevent him going in again. Magical Maggie and Tapley were both in good heart at the end of 2023 and may give the selection most to do if resuming in similar form.