15:00 Ascot

Saturday 15 February 2020

All13:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:45

Give The Gift Of Ascot Annual Membership Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:00 | Winning time: 4m 59.97s

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Selected odds by:

Blu Cavalier⁴²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: A Stronge| OR: 143| D

40/1

Finished third to Al Dancer at odds of 100-1 in the Gr 3 Betfair Handicap Hurdle here (1m7½f, good to soft) 12 months ago; 3lb higher than when beating Irish Roe by 3½L at Doncaster (2m½f, soft) in mid-December.

Form: 235-617

Malaya⁷⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 138| C

8/1

Competes from 1lb higher than when finishing just under 6L fourth to stablemate Brio Conti in this race last year; comfortably below her best since winning the Gr 3 Imperial Cup at Sandown (2m, soft) the following month.

Form: 410-360

Jolly's Cracked It^t²⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 11-4| J: S Bowen| T: H Fry| OR: 135| C

12/1

Four-time course winner (1m7½f); impressive on return from a 706-day absence when landing a Class 2 handicap from a 3lb higher mark in November 2018 (beat Chatez by 6L); placed in a Gr 3 over C&D latest; stablemate of Air Horse One.

Form: 105P-03

Myplaceatmidnight²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: N B King| OR: 135

12/1

Reliable and continues to inch slowly up the weights following a sequence of near misses; split Limited Reserve and Air Horse One in a 2m3f Class 2 handicap at Taunton (heavy) four weeks ago; stablemate of Nordano.

Form: 1F-5252

Air Horse One^b,t²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Bryan Carver⁽⁵⁾| T: H Fry| OR: 135| BF| CD

10/1

3lb higher than when successful in this contest three years ago (beat Divine Spear by 1½L), and also runner-up in a Gr 3 over C&D in January 2018; closely matched with Myplaceatmidnight on recent Taunton form; stablemate of Jolly's Cracked It.

Form: P-05143

The Con Man¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 135

5/1

Progressive; heavily supported when thrashing a rejuvenated McGowan's Pass at Kelso (2m5f, soft) 19 days ago; 7lb higher in a more competitive race; that said, the sky is the limit for this son of Oscar; key player who shouldn't be underestimated.

Form: 11-221

Fleur Irlandaise²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: J M Quinlan| T: N P Littmoden| OR: 133

25/1

Won twice over hurdles in France, including on soft ground at Dieppe (2m1f); none too consistent since leaving the care of Yannick Fouin to join Nick Littmoden; 5lb higher than when scoring at odds of 100-1 at Kempton (2m5f, good) in November.

Form: 141345

Garo De Juilley^t²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: P J Brennan| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 132| D

12/1

2-18 over hurdles; has competed over fences in more recent times (0-6); beaten 18L (fourth) by Simply The Betts in a Cl 2 handicap chase at Cheltenham (2m4½f, soft) three weeks ago; the suspicion is that he'll find others stronger.

Form: 92P444

Eden Du Houx^t¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 130| C

6/1

Won both bumpers (inc at this track); rediscovered the winning groove over hurdles when making all to score at Chepstow (2m, heavy) a fortnight ago; remains unexposed after just five starts under rules; steps back up in trip for handicap debut.

Form: 111-241

Dorking Boy^h,t²²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Stan Sheppard| T: T Lacey| OR: 127

8/1

Didn't appear to get home (over 3m1f) when seeking the hat-trick at Huntingdon three weeks ago; has risen a combined total of 12lb in the weights for wins at Taunton (2m½f) and Newbury (2m4½f); holds realistic place prospects.

Form: 632114

Distingo^v⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 127

16/1

Beaten 9L (third) by Jolly's Cracked It over 1m7½f here (good) in November 2018; has failed to threaten in six subsequent starts, and at face value looks to be firmly up against it over this 2m3½f trip; far safer to look elsewhere.

Form: 300F-65

Le Milos²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 124

66/1

Justified favouritism when winning at Kelso (2m4½f novices', good) in mid-September; broadly similar efforts in defeat since, including when a weakening fourth of eight at Catterick (2m3½f, soft) 24 days ago; this is an overly ambitious target.

Form: 18-1304

Prudhomme^t1³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Chester Williams⁽⁵⁾| T: Nick Williams| OR: 124

7/1

Ffos Las bumper scorer; beat a couple of subsequent winners when successful on hurdles debut at Uttoxeter (2m novices', soft) in October; mixed fortunes since, so the tongue-tie is now applied; second preference is at Wincanton (3.23pm).

Form: U21-145

Clondaw Cian^p¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-6| J: C Brace⁽³⁾| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 123| D

25/1

Without a win over hurdles since 2016 (Cheltenham) but has shown some renewed verve in recent times; stayed on under pressure when beaten ½L at Auteuil (2m3½f, very soft) on his penultimate start (Sept 2019).

Form: 532526

Nordano^p²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Aidan Coleman| T: N B King| OR: 128

8/1

Ex-Mark Johnston; won juvenile contests on first couple of hurdle starts (Huntingdon & Chepstow); continues to progress - career best second to Goshen here (1m7½f) four weeks ago; tough task with stamina unproven; stablemate of Myplaceatmidnight.

Form: 113432

Forecasts

The Con Man (5/1), Eden Du Houx (6/1), Prudhomme (7/1), Nordano (8/1), Malaya (8/1), Dorking Boy (8/1), Air Horse One (10/1), Jolly's Cracked It (12/1), Garo De Juilley (12/1), Myplaceatmidnight (12/1), Distingo (16/1), Clondaw Cian (25/1), Fleur Irlandaise (25/1), Blu Cavalier (40/1), Le Milos (66/1)

Harry Fry and Neil King are doubly represented with Jolly's Cracked It/Air Horse One and Myplaceatmidnight/Nordano respectively. The hat-trick seeking Dorking Boy failed to stay over 3m1f at Huntingdon but holds a realistic place chance now dropped back in trip, while Malaya would rate as a possible contender for Paul Nicholls if able to recapture her peak form. Furthermore, on the assumption that his stamina reserves hold the handicap debutant Eden Du Houx has been allocated nice racing weight. However, the really strong fancy is the progressive northern raider THE CON MAN who thrashed a rejuvenated rival at Kelso (2m5f) just under three weeks ago.