14:20 Newbury

Wednesday 15 January 2020

All12:4513:1513:4514:2014:5015:2516:00

EBM Handicap Hurdle (Div 1)

Off time: 14:20 | Winning time: 4m 5.2s

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Selected odds by:

Le Ligerien³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Ben Jones⁽⁵⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 120

2/1

Knocking on the door last three starts, placed all three times, and almost made all at Taunton last time, nabbed close home; up 4lb for that but useful conditional takes that off, and no reason not to run his race here.

Form: 10-6332

Present From Dubai³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Daniel Hiskett⁽³⁾| T: R T Phillips| OR: 120| D

9/2

Came back from an absence to score quite easily at Uttoxeter at the end of last year, and based on that, he'll not mind any further rain overnight; lightly raced and more improvement likely, so every chance of following up from an 8lb higher mark.

Form: 202/24-1

Who Shot Jr¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: H Cobden| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 119| D

25/1

Sprang a 20-1 surprise when successful at Taunton in November, but couldn't back that up over further there last time out; drop back to 2m here may help, but consistency not looking his strong point, and others make more appeal.

Form: 93-0718

Generation Gap⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 117

5/1

Solid third to a useful one at Chepstow back in November and ran to a similar level at Wetherby last time, although in truth a bit more was expected; too soon to be write off, conditions here fine, and with a bit of improvement, looks a player.

Form: 16U7-33

King D'Argent²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Bridget Andrews| T: D Skelton| OR: 117| D

12/1

Looks thrown in here on his fourth in the Fred Winter at the Festival last year, but has put in a series of moderate efforts this term and no better dropped to this grade at Market Rasen last time. Plenty to prove at present.

Form: 24-5508

Fukuto⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: T J Phelan| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 114

40/1

Another that's starting to fall to an attractive looking mark but his efforts this season have been lacking, to say the least; may bounce back without warning, but clearly comes with plenty of risks at present.

Form: 4128-50

Alcock And Brown¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Kevin Jones⁽³⁾| T: M F Harris| OR: 112| D

150/1

Falling very quickly in the handicap after a string of pulled-up efforts this winter, and this ground no good to him either; will be one to keep a close eye on in the spring when the ground quickens up, but probably not today.

Form: 11-P0PP

Fubar^t⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 109

7/1

Hard to pin down where we are with him, as he showed promise in bumpers without progressing, and has looked very one-paced in two hurdles starts so far; opening mark looks fair enough, but this ground an unknown, and he looks a bit of a risk.

Form: 2433-32

Fibonacci^h1³³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: A King| OR: 102| D

12/1

Useful on the Flat (rated 80) and looks very well treated on this mark if they can find the key to him; no surprise to see the hood tried here, given how keen he was last time (well beaten), and could easily improve a chunk today.

Form: 046-9

Mr Chua^p,t⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: T Scudamore| T: M Scudamore| OR: 106

8/1

Gets the allowances here as a 4yo, has finished third on all three starts to date and faces less taxing opposition than he did at Sandown; has also had a spin on the Flat last week, where he again ran well, so if handling this ground, has chances.

Form: 333

Non-Runners

Shut The Box⁴¹

Weight: 11-13| Age: 6

T: C Gordon J: Tom Cannon

Forecasts

Le Ligerien (2/1), Present From Dubai (9/2), Generation Gap (5/1), Fubar (7/1), Mr Chua (8/1), Fibonacci (12/1), King D'Argent (12/1), Shut The Box (14/1), Who Shot Jr (25/1), Fukuto (40/1), Alcock And Brown (150/1)

Probably not too many to concentrate on. Down the foot of the handicap, cases can be made for both Fibonnaci and Mr Chua but PRESENT FROM DUBAI relished the slow ground when successful at Uttoxeter last time, and this lightly raced 7yo still looks very well handicapped on some of his novice form. He can score again before the handicapper starts to get to grips with him. Le Ligirien is usually on the premises and the useful Ben Jones takes 5lb off, which gives him every chance of hitting the frame again, and there's every chance of improvement from Generation Gap as well.