15:15 Doncaster

Saturday 14 December 2024

All11:5512:2512:5513:3014:0514:4015:15

bet365 Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:15 | Winning time: 4m 4.50s

Pembroke¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Fergus Gillard| T: D Skelton| OR: 132

22/1

Useful novice chaser last term but form dipped towards the end of the season and he hasn't fired back over hurdles since returning.

Form: 1336-67

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Jungle Jack^b³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-13| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 131| D

15/2

6/1, creditable fourth of 11 in handicap hurdle at Bangor (19.6f, soft) 31 days ago. Blinkers back on. Should put up a solid effort.

Form: P260-24

Altobelli^t³⁰⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Rex Dingle| T: H Fry| OR: 130| D

13/8

Won twice (including first time up) in 2022/23 and ran right up to best when placed in a pair of 2m Ascot handicaps at the end of last year. Ended last season with a disappointing run in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury but his overall record is positive.

Form: 119/230-

Norman Fletcher³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: James Turner⁽⁵⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 129| D

10/3

Showed fairly useful form when landing a maiden/novice hurdle last winter and got firmly back on track when knuckling down well to land a 5-runner handicap at Huntingdon last month. Deserves respect.

Form: 1207-21

Brucio^t⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Ben Bromley⁽⁵⁾| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 127

22/1

Fairly useful hurdler. Thirteenth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Down Royal (16.9f, good to soft, 16/1) 42 days ago. Has a bit to prove and mark still looks stiff.

Form: 11B0-30

Lily Du Berlais^t²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Sean Flanagan| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 126

12/1

Dual-bumper winner who doubled her hurdling tally at Kelso in the spring but returned with a tame effort in Newton Novices' Hurdle at Haydock three weeks ago. Could strip fitter for that.

Form: 3P/21-15

Deploy To Spy³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Kielan Woods| T: O Murphy| OR: 125| D

5/1

Runner-up in sole bumper and has won each of his three completed starts over hurdles, well on top at the finish when landing an Aintree handicap last month. Looks the one to beat with further progress on the cards.

Form: 2-B111

Lemoncello³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Ned Fox⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 120

16/1

Fairly useful form over hurdles and fences in France in 2023. Off ove a year prior to laboured effort at Bangor on British debut, so needs to put that firmly behind him.

Form: 22321-P

Forecasts

Altobelli (13/8), Norman Fletcher (10/3), Deploy To Spy (5/1), Jungle Jack (15/2), Lily Du Berlais (12/1), Lemoncello (16/1), Brucio (22/1), Pembroke (22/1)

DEPLOY TO SPY is firmly on the up and was going away at the finish when winning at Aintree, so he gets the nod over Altobelli, who should be tuned up for this reappearance. Norman Fletcher is another one to consider in an interesting contest.