12:20 Wincanton

Thursday 26 December 2019

All12:2012:5513:2514:0014:3515:1015:45

Simple Landlords Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:22 | Winning time: 3m 53.40s

1^st

Lightly Squeeze

511-12

11/8f

T: H FryJ: S Bowen

Soon prominent, led turning in, clear between last 2, pushed out, readily op 9/4

2^nd

The Raven's Return

611-11

7/1

T: J W MullinsJ: Daniel Sansom (3)

Mid-division, tracked leaders 3 out, ridden between last 2, went 2nd approaching last, kept on, no chance with winner op 8/1

3^rd

4 ½

Nineohtwooneoh

510-12

5/2

T: P F NichollsJ: Brendan Powell

Mid-division, headway 3 out, driven to chase winner before next, readily outpaced between last 2, well held when lost 2nd approaching last op 9/4 tchd 7/4

4^th

Never Learn

811-8

12/1

T: C L TizzardJ: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.

Mid-division, pushed along after 2nd, hampered and behind before next, some headway under pressure after 3 out, never going pace to challenge, left modest 4th next op 7/1

5^th

Niamh's Oscar

710-0

50/1

T: J D FrostJ: James Best

Mid-division, hampered 3 out, soon weakened, tailed off before next op 33/1

Also Ran

Perfect Myth

511-10

20/1

T: N B KingJ: Bryony Frost

Towards rear, hampered 3 out, not recover, soon lost touch and pulled up tchd 25/1

Sparky Valentine

411-4

14/1

T: Mrs J WilliamsJ: Lizzie Kelly (3)

Tracked leader, left in lead before 3rd, driven and headed turning in, one pace in 4th when fell 2 out op 11/1

Vanderbilt

510-11

7/1

T: Mark GillardJ: Fergus Gillard (7)

Tracked leaders, close up when fell 3 out op 10/1

Greenview Paradise

510-10

33/1

T: J ScottJ: Nick Scholfield

Held up behind when badly hampered and brought down before 3rd

Fethard Flyer

710-9

40/1

T: P HendersonJ: T J O'Brien

Led until reluctant and headed before 3rd, took no part after, soon pulled up

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Non-Runners

Motashakel⁴⁸

Weight: 10-12| Age: 3

T: Evan Williams J: Non Runner

Betting Breakdown

Tote Win:£2.30Pl:£1.10, £2.40, £1.60EX:£12.10Trifecta:£40.70Tricast:£24.09SF:£12.19Swingers:£2.80, £1.30, £5.20

Forecasts

Lightly Squeeze (11/8), Nineohtwooneoh (5/2), The Raven's Return (7/1), Motashakel (7/1), Vanderbilt (7/1), Never Learn (12/1), Sparky Valentine (14/1), Perfect Myth (20/1), Greenview Paradise (33/1), Fethard Flyer (40/1), Niamh's Oscar (50/1)

Plenty of these have questions to answer but THE RAVEN'S RETURN ran fairly well at Sandown earlier this month on handicap bow and off a 2lb lower mark has more going for him than most in this event. Top weight Lightly Squeeze seems to have the ability to win but has been a costly failure on his last four starts and carries a wealth warning. Both Nineohtwooneoh and hat-trick seeking Never Learn represent top yards and have to be respected, while Sparky Valentine is open to improvement and is another worthy of consideration.

The Raven's Return
Sparky Valentine
Never Learn

Previous Winners

2018

Midnight Midge

Weight: 11-4 |Age: 4

J: Bryan Carver | T: R J Hodges

25/1

Prize Money

1st: £4,224.002nd: £1,240.003rd: £620.004th: £350.005th: £350.006th: £350.007th: £350.008th: £350.00