15:45 Fontwell

Monday 8 January 2018

All13:1513:4514:1514:4515:1515:45

Happy Birthday Tom Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 15:45 | Winning time: 5m 32.01s

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Selected odds by:

Canyouhearmenow²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: M Goldstein| T: Mrs D Grissell

66/1

Unable to get off the mark in point-to-points and little sign of change in fortune in couple of hurdles run at Plumpton last month. Hard to recommend.

Form: 43P/43-0

Duhallow Lad⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: T J O'Brien| T: A E Jones

33/1

No show in three outings in novice hurdles, including 45L defeat at Bangor on Thursday. Much more called for and best watched at the moment.

Form: 42-70P7

Mellow Ben¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: David Noonan| T: C Gordon

7/2

Well fended off in maiden hurdles at Ascot (2m3½f, good to soft) and Newbury (2m½f, soft) already. Eased in class this time, could show a bit more in what isn't a deep contest.

Form: 2505

Podili Road¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams

40/1

Shown nothing in three novice hurdles at up to 2m½f thus far, making it nigh-on impossible to summon confidence for this test.

Form: 940

Puppet Warrior¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Tom Cannon| T: N J Gifford

6/5

Finished second three times in bumpers and again on hurdles bow at Plumpton (2m4½f, good to soft) early last month. Poor effort in Class 3 maiden hurdle at Ascot since, but drops markedly in class this time and should bounce back. Handles soft.

Form: 2223-28

Seaston Spirit³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: L P Aspell| T: O Sherwood

7/4

Kayf Tara gelding has gone close in bumpers at Ascot and Plumpton so far, no issues with fitness and market check is warranted now making switch to hurdling.

Form: 32

Waikiki Waves²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore

14/1

Modest in two bumpers, never any sort of threat in novices hurdles at Plumpton (2m, good to soft / 2m4½f, soft) so far and will require a major leap forward to get involved in the shake-up.

Form: 3-468

Cloud Hopper¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Page Fuller⁽⁵⁾| T: Jamie Snowden

66/1

Sent off triple-figure prices in all three outings over timber so far and hasn't beat much home. Impossible to recommend at this point.

Form: 0880

Non-Runners

Now Listen Here¹³

Weight: 11-6| Age: 6

T: G & J Moore J: A Glassonbury

Forecasts

Puppet Warrior (6/5), Seaston Spirit (7/4), Mellow Ben (7/2), Waikiki Waves (14/1), Now Listen Here (16/1), Duhallow Lad (33/1), Podili Road (40/1), Cloud Hopper (66/1), Canyouhearmenow (66/1)

Seaston Spirit has shown up well in a couple of bumpers and is of definite interest now refocusing his sights for this maiden test of jumping but the vote rests with PUPPET WARRIOR. He showed plenty promise on his first start over timber at Plumpton (second) before being asked a tough question since at Ascot. Down in grade, this is a good chance for him to open his account. In a race where few make appeal, Mellow Ben is the other with positive form and coming down in grade that can be given a sound claim.