15:25 Leicester

Tuesday 21 January 2025

All13:2013:5014:2014:5315:2515:55

Leicester Racecourse Ideal Self-Hire Wedding Venue Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:25 | Winning time: 4m 10.0s

Achille Des Rocs²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 12-2| J: Adam Wedge| T: L Morgan| OR: 112| D

9/1

Failed to score from 5 attempts between the flags but he's 2-3 over hurdles, most recently making a winning handicap debut in determined fashion at Catterick (19.3f, good). Drop back in trip shouldn't be an issue on this stiff track and 4 lb rise fair enough, so this unexposed 6-y-o is shortlisted.

Form: 242-411

Feel The Pinch^t²⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 12-1| J: Charlie Price⁽³⁾| T: R L Llewellyn| OR: 111| D

40/1

Now 6 lb lower compared to when landing a handicap hurdle at Newton Abbot (16.7f, good) last summer but he hasn't shown much in half-a-dozen subsequent appearances (over fences on last 4 starts). Needs to bounce back.

Form: 05546F

Tommie Gun²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 107| D

15/8

Southwell maiden hurdle winner in December 2023 and has made the frame on several occasions since, including when third over 20.5f here on penultimate start. Drop back to this trip seemingly counted against him at Chepstow last time, though.

Form: 34-F834

Copper Cove^t²⁹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 107| BF

12/1

Bumper winner who improved when opening his hurdles account at the seventh attempt at Fontwell (17.7f, heavy) last February. However, he was disappointing over fences at the same course when last seen the following month and it could be that he'll come on for this belated seasonal reappearance.

Form: 7/72124-

Snapius^b³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Alex Chadwick⁽⁵⁾| T: James Owen| OR: 106| D

11/2

Ex-Irish hurdles/Flat winner who has been right back on track on last two starts for his current yard. Runner-up over this C&D prior to landing a 7-runner handicap hurdle at Lingfield (2m, good to soft) where he proved 1¾ lengths too strong for the re-opposing Trust House. More on his plate up 5 lb.

Form: PP-9621

Inferno Sacree⁵⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Lorcan Murtagh| T: N J Hawke| OR: 106| D

14/1

Front-runner who hasn't got his head in front for a while but has put in good shifts both starts at Plumpton since returning from a break in November. Found 20.5f too much of a test when third last time and should make his presence felt back down in trip here off a 1 lb lower mark.

Form: 30-7623

Lumi Plugin²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Rob Hargreaves⁽⁷⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 105

25/1

Showed ability in bumpers and built on debut promise in this sphere when again finding only one too good in a 21.7f Fontwell maiden last spring, likely to have gone close but for a bad mistake 2 out. No show on return at Wincanton last month but better can be expected here with that under his belt.

Form: 5362-20

Trust House³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| OR: 104| BF| CD

7/2

Flat winner for Ralph Beckett (bought out of that yard for 58,000 gns last year) and has improved switched to handicap company in this sphere the last twice, scoring over C&D before chasing home Snapius at Lingfield. Enjoys a handy pull at the weights with that rival and bold show anticipated.

Form: 55812

The Grey Man⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Benjamin Poste| T: H Dickin| OR: 101

12/1

Runner-up on the second of his 2 starts in bumpers and placed both appearances over hurdles last season. Safely held on return to action at Hereford (19.7f, good to soft) but that run will have blown away the cobwebs and he could do better now handicapping.

Form: 5223-7

Les's Jersey Royal³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Ben Jones| T: B Pauling| OR: 92

16/1

Some promise on hurdles debut in November but hasn't shown much in 2 subsequent runs and sizeable step forward needed now pitched into a handicap.

Form: 5-509

Non-Runners

Pyrotechnic³⁴

Weight: 11-8| Age: 6

T: G & J Moore J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Tommie Gun (15/8), Trust House (7/2), Snapius (11/2), Achille Des Rocs (9/1), The Grey Man (12/1), Copper Cove (12/1), Pyrotechnic (12/1), Inferno Sacree (14/1), Les's Jersey Royal (16/1), Lumi Plugin (25/1), Feel The Pinch (40/1)

There could be better to come from TRUST HOUSE in this sphere and he is taken to reverse last month's Lingfield placings with Snapius. Olly Murphy's charge is better off at the weights with that rival now and was a very decisive winner over this C&D 13 days earlier. While Snapius is not discounted, the unexposed Achille des Rocs and Inferno Sacree may emerge as the main dangers to Trust House this time. Tommie Gun is on a workable mark but he ideally needs a stiffer test.