17:35 Fontwell

Wednesday 7 May 2025

All17:3518:1018:4019:1019:4020:10

bet365 Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 17:36 | Winning time: 5m 21.15s

Summer In Milan^v⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Freddie Gordon| T: C Gordon| OR: 100| CD

5/2

Found some improvement fitted with a visor fitted for the first time when making all over C&D at the end of March (Pearl's Pirate beaten 10 lengths in fourth). Up 6 lb but will be a danger to all if the headgear works equally well second time round.

Form: 478331-

Ma Belle Noire^b,t⁴³

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: C P O'Shea⁽⁷⁾| T: H Fry| OR: 100

22/1

Won 3 times over hurdles in 2023 and, following an unsuccessful stint over fences, she performed respectably when fourth of 9 back in this sphere at Taunton (3m, good) in March. Trip/ground fine and dangerous to discount off a falling mark.

Form: 15/6PP4-

Vorderman^p³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Ben Ffrench-Davis| T: R A Teal| OR: 98| C

16/1

Well held in 2 bumpers but sprung a 25/1 surprise on hurdles debut here (17.7f, soft) in December. Poor next 2 starts but back on track when runner-up at Plumpton (20.5f, good) last month and claims back here if able to build on that effort.

Form: 871662-

Ballyhiho³²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Jack Hogan| T: D J Jeffreys| OR: 85

11/1

Placed on 2 of 4 starts in Irish points and left low-key maiden/novice form well behind when second on handicap debut upped to 23.7f at Newcastle (good) last month. Dropping back slightly in trip here looks a good move and she's certainly one to consider.

Form: 7/20082-

Pearl's Pirate^p⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Caoilin Quinn⁽³⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 83

9/4

Showed a bit sole bumper outing here last March but yet to trouble the judge over hurdles, most recently beaten 10 lengths into fourth in the C&D handicap won by Summer In Milan.

Form: 3/68584-

Inspector Lynley^p,h¹²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: Harriet Tucker⁽³⁾| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 79| D

15/2

Off the mark in a novice handicap at Stratford in July and having been pulled up at Perth next time, wasted no time getting back to form tried hooded when third at Kempton (24.6f, good to soft) in November. Testing conditions perhaps to blame for heavy defeat at Exeter last time.

Form: 231P36-

Nowyouvebinandunit^p³⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: Dylan Johnston| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 77| BF

10/1

Placed twice in handicaps for Simon Earle in summer 2023 and good second at Stratford (2¾m, good to soft) on first completed start for this yard in March. Shaped better than the distance beaten over the same C&D next time and she's not discounted.

Form: 24/5B27-

Well Presented⁶¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: Benjamin Macey⁽⁵⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 77

12/1

Finished well held on bumper debut at Exeter in December and it has been a similar story in this sphere so far. Big step forward needed now pitched into a handicap.

Form: 0408-

Ferret Jeeter^t⁵²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: Chad Bament⁽⁸⁾| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 75

13/2

Another who will need to leave his previous poor form well behind if he's to make an impact on this handicap debut. Ran in void race here 12 days ago.

Form: 28769/

Glorious Mist^p²⁹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Freddie Mitchell| T: P Butler| OR: 72

80/1

Sported first-time cheekpieces when runner-up over this C&D last June but lesser effort at Stratford when last seen the following month. Difficult to fancy. Ran in void race here 12 days ago.

Form: 0P/3P2P-

Forecasts

Pearl's Pirate (9/4), Summer In Milan (5/2), Ferret Jeeter (13/2), Inspector Lynley (15/2), Nowyouvebinandunit (10/1), Ballyhiho (11/1), Well Presented (12/1), Vorderman (16/1), Ma Belle Noire (22/1), Glorious Mist (80/1)

The vote goes to BALLYHIHO, who took a step forward upped to 23.7f on her handicap debut at Newcastle and this slightly shorter trip could prove to be ideal. Summer In Milan is an obvious danger on the back of his all-the-way C&D success, while Nowyouvebinandunit looks the pick of the Neil Mulholland-trained duo and she is also accorded respect, along with Ma Belle Noire, who has slipped to a dangerous mark.