15:54 Warwick

Wednesday 20 November 2024

All13:0013:3514:1014:4515:2015:54

Welcombe Hills Vineyard Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:54 | Winning time: 6m 35.90s

Ikarak²⁸⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| OR: 117

5/4

French import who opened his account on these shores in a Worcester novice in October 2023. Followed up from the front at Newcastle (2¾m, soft) next time but then found life tougher back in handicap company last winter. Since moved to an in-form yard and the market will be revealing. Headgear off.

Form: 221168-

Tigerbythetail^p1³²

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Miss Gina Andrews| T: T Ellis| OR: 117

11/1

Prolific pointer who showed fairly useful form on the first of his two outings in hunters earlier this year. Has held his form between the flags but never really looked like justifying support back over timber last month (22f). Step up in trip may help switched to a handicap with cheekpieces on.

Form: U32-223

Ernest Gray²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 115| C

8/1

Won 3m handicap chase at Southwell in January but ran another moody race back there in May and again looked hard work returned to hurdling at Exeter a month ago. Opposable with headgear still off.

Form: 7142-65

Chris Cool^p²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Ben Smith⁽⁷⁾| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 113| D

7/1

Generally solid record over hurdles and got back on the up when seeing off an unexposed rival (pair clear) at Huntingdon (25f) in April. Good third at Ludlow final start and yard on better form than when he made his reappearance at Aintree. Jumping remains a concern but he's on a good mark.

Form: 23313-5

Butler's Brief^p²²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Murray Dodd⁽⁷⁾| T: A Ralph| OR: 112| C

7/1

Course winner who responded well to pressure when landing 10-runner handicap at Bangor 3 weeks ago. Retains handicap scope up 4 lb so has to be of major interest.

Form: 6P6731

Drop Flight²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Ben Sutton⁽⁵⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 105

13/2

Landed 5-runner hunter at Exeter in March prior to falling early in the Foxhunters' Chase at Aintree the following month. Easily best effort for this yard when a keeping-on third over 20f at Carlisle a month ago and he now looks ready to strike back up in distance.

Form: 31F-783

Gold Clermont²⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Philip Armson⁽³⁾| T: A Irvine| OR: 100

18/1

Enhanced good strike rate over fences for current yard with a career-best win at Fontwell (28f) and backed that up with good fourth in the Eider at Newcastle (33.2f, soft) in February. Fared as well as could be expected in the Midlands Grand National and she's much lower in the weights over timber.

Form: 318146-

Sporty Jim^p⁵⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: Beau Morgan⁽⁵⁾| T: B R Summers| OR: 97

9/1

Low-mileage 7-y-o who has yet to really fire for his current yard, albeit he's dropped a long way in the weights and showed a touch more here in September.

Form: 3-PP6P4

Non-Runners

Planet Legend⁴³

Weight: 12-0| Age: 5

T: Dr R Newland & J Insole J: Sam Twiston-Davies

Forecasts

Ikarak (5/4), Planet Legend (6/1), Drop Flight (13/2), Chris Cool (7/1), Butler's Brief (7/1), Ernest Gray (8/1), Sporty Jim (9/1), Tigerbythetail (11/1), Gold Clermont (18/1)

It's taken Dan Skelton a little time to find the key to DROP FLIGHT but his Carlisle effort at the start of the month was a lot more like it and back up in trip, he now looks ready to cash in on a good mark. Chris Cool has his jumping issues but is very dangerous if keeping the mistakes down, with Butler's Brief likely to be on the premises, too.