15:35 Warwick

Saturday 16 January 2021

All12:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:05

Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:35 | Winning time: 6m 18.9s

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Selected odds by:

Tobefair³⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: H Cobden| T: Mrs D A Hamer| OR: 149| BF| C

22/1

Good record at Cheltenham and far from disgraced when fourth in a 3m handicap there on penultimate start. Third in this race back in 2018, but much higher in the weights nowadays and looks vulnerable.

Form: 346-042

Imperial Alcazar^t⁵⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 139

5/1

Useful bumper/hurdle winner who shaped as if needing first run for 10 months when fading ninth of 17 in 3m Haydock handicap in November. Still early days for this 7-y-o and he needs considering.

Form: 3/1221-9

Ardlethen²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 137

14/1

Useful chaser who hasn't disgraced himself in strong races on both completed starts this season. Latest start run in this sphere was back in April 2019, but mark looks fair and he's not discounted.

Form: 520-56F

Kepagge^t⁶³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 135

9/1

Winner of first 3 starts under Rules last term, namely a bumper and two small-field novice hurdles. Decent fourth on return/handicap bow at Cheltenham (21f) and likely to appreciate this stiffer test.

Form: F/111-4

Come On Teddy³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: T R George| OR: 134

9/2

Left reappearance effort well behind when landing a competitive 12-runner Cheltenham handicap (3m) in good style last month. 7 lb rise tolerable and he probably has more to offer.

Form: 6241-41

Flemcara^t¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: Ben Jones⁽³⁾| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 134

8/1

Back to form the last twice, building on encouraging Sandown effort in December when resuming winning ways at Doncaster (24.4f) later that month. However, more needed up 5 lb in this tougher race.

Form: 0/P5-741

Potters Corner⁶⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 10-9| J: Jack Tudor⁽³⁾| T: Christian Williams| OR: 132| D

10/1

Better than ever last term, successful in this sphere at Chepstow prior to Welsh National success. Reappearance effort in a Cheltenham cross-country event was respectable and he commands respect.

Form: 5P011-3

Geordie Des Champs⁸⁰⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 10-7| J: S Bowen| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 130| D

66/1

Talented hurdler/chaser, but absent since misfiring in an Ascot handicap chase back in November 2018, so his wellbeing has to be taken on trust.

Form: 411357/

The Macon Lugnatic^p1⁸⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: David Bass| T: B Pauling| OR: 129

16/1

Bumper winner who showed a cracking attitude to land a couple of novice hurdles at Doncaster last term. Disappointing on first attempt at 3m on reappearance and now goes handicapping in headgear.

Form: 18/P11-5

Espion⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 128| BF

7/1

Uttoxeter novice winner on final start of last term and has acquitted himself well on 2 of his 3 starts in handicaps this time round. However, needs to raise his game a touch in order to take this.

Form: 531-036

The Captains Inn^p1⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: Kielan Woods| T: B Pauling| OR: 127

28/1

Winner of novice hurdles at Leicester and Uttoxeter during 2018/19 campaign, but missed whole of last season and Chepstow reappearance effort in December was hardly promising. Cheekpeices applied.

Form: 2611P/4

Mr Harp²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: J M Quinlan| T: T Gallagher| OR: 123

7/1

Placed in Southwell novice events won by the very promising Barbados Buck's prior to handicap debut success at Uttoxeter (23.3f). Now 8 lb higher in a much stronger race, but he's hardly exposed.

Form: 23/4231

Saint Dalina²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Tom Buckley⁽⁵⁾| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 119| BF

16/1

Bolted up at Uttoxeter last month, but put firmly in her place by Mr Harp there 10 days later and this is a big ask, particularly bearing in mind that she's 4 lb out of the handicap.

Form: 261-212

Forecasts

Come On Teddy (9/2), Imperial Alcazar (5/1), Mr Harp (7/1), Espion (7/1), Flemcara (8/1), Kepagge (9/1), Potters Corner (10/1), Ardlethen (14/1), Saint Dalina (16/1), The Macon Lugnatic (16/1), Tobefair (22/1), The Captains Inn (28/1), Geordie Des Champs (66/1)

The manner of COME ON TEDDY's success in a similarly competitive handicap at Cheltenham suggests that this 7 lb higher mark should be within reach, particularly given that he remains open to improvement. Tom George's charge is taken to follow up, perhaps at the chief expense of Mr Harp, who looked good when scoring at Uttoxeter last time. Imperial Alcazar and Potters Corner are others to consider.