13:40 Taunton

Saturday 18 January 2020

All13:0513:4014:1514:5015:2515:5516:25

Foresters Garden Buildings Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:41 | Winning time: 4m 21.07s

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Selected odds by:

Jackson Hill^h,t²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Kevin Jones⁽³⁾| T: M F Harris| OR: 115

9/2

Knocking on the door last four starts finishing second three times and third once. Solid runner-up at Fontwell latest in heavy ground and should be right on the premises yet again.

Form: P52322

Karakoram^t¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Shane Quinlan⁽⁵⁾| T: G Harris| OR: 114| D

7/1

Landed Ludlow good ground handicap hurdle on October and ran creditably latest when second at Plumpton on soft. Runs off same mark so every chance he'll make his presence felt again.

Form: 7-31352

Poucor¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: M Goldstein| T: M R Channon| OR: 112| D

4/1

Stayed on well to land Plumpton 2m h'cap hurdle in November in heavy ground so no fears on that score. Third over 2m4f latest at Fakenham and only 1lb higher than earlier win so has to enter the equation.

Form: 74-1483

Christopher Robin²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Alan Johns| T: T Lacey| OR: 112| D

16/1

Yard enjoying fine campaign but this ex-Joseph O'Brien Wexford maiden hurdle winner has been in poor form. Now 10lb lower than three starts ago but hard to recommend on current evidence.

Form: 012-800

Knight Destroyer⁷¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 111| D

11/2

Hasn't won since October 2017 but placed twice this summer prior to break, then returned in November to finish fifth at Warwick having led to after 2 out. 1lb lower but is unproven on heavy ground.

Form: 50P-235

Mead Vale^p¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Tom Buckley⁽⁷⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 106| CD

4/1

Brought down, fell, and unseated rider in three starts this autumn. Better after two-month break when fifth of 16 over 2m3f here 19 days ago and has a chance off 2lb lower if able to build on that better effort.

Form: 67BFU5

Khanisari¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 104

40/1

Appeared to struggle in the ground when well beaten over extended 2m3f at Chepstow earlier this month but faces heavy again dropping back to the minimum trip. Down 2lb and has some claim if returning to fair place form of last year.

Form: 20439-7

Silver Quay¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Bryony Frost| T: J D Frost| OR: 100| C

6/1

Dual 2m3f scorer here last January and February. Caught the stewards' eye on recent return at Wincanton last time when 8th of 16, staying-on steadily without being knocked about. Runs off same mark and well worth a check for any market confidence.

Form: 9-P3708

Golden Poet^b,t¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Kieran Burke| OR: 97| D

28/1

Won 2-30 in Ireland for Dennis Hogan prior to joining current yard in October. Third in Taunton seller last month but didn't run well either side of that and others make far more appeal.

Form: 505030

D'waterside^h⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: Page Fuller⁽³⁾| T: Mrs K Stephens| OR: 93

80/1

25-race maiden under both codes. Joined current yard from David Loughnane prior to finishing long last over C&D on stable debut last time and is very hard to fancy in light of that.

Form: 40/367-0

Global Thrill^p,t³⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 10-1| J: Charlie Price⁽⁵⁾| T: B J Llewellyn| OR: 90| D

33/1

Latest of nine career wins came at Newton Abbot in May 2018. Pulled up when well behind on heavy ground at Bangor last time and would probably prefer a sounder surface.

Form: 283-F7P

Non-Runners

Golden Jeffrey¹⁸⁰

Weight: 11-13| Age: 7

T: D Pipe J: David Noonan

Forecasts

Mead Vale (4/1), Poucor (4/1), Jackson Hill (9/2), Knight Destroyer (11/2), Silver Quay (6/1), Golden Jeffrey (6/1), Karakoram (7/1), Christopher Robin (16/1), Golden Poet (28/1), Global Thrill (33/1), Khanisari (40/1), D'waterside (80/1)

Those toward the top of the weights seem of most interest, among them POUCOR, who handles conditions and comes here in solid form. Jackson Hill, runner-up in his last two outings should be right there again, and Karakoram is another who has fair claims. Top weight Golden Jeffrey is not without interest on debut for Davd Pipe and any market support on his return to the fray would be highly siginifcant. Of the rest, Silver Quay and Knight Destroyer are also worthy of some consideration.