15:40 Taunton

Tuesday 23 February 2021

All12:3013:0013:3014:0014:3015:0515:40

Elise Jones Virtual Delayed 18th Birthday Mares' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:41 | Winning time: 6m 38.1s

Settings

Selected odds by:

Golden Glory^t⁸⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: R Stephens| OR: 100

14/1

Ex-Irish hurdler who made a fairly positive start for this yard when third in a Hereford maiden last March. However, little impact switched to handicaps this season and improvement required.

Form: 49/73-77

Arctic Footprint³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Joe Anderson⁽⁷⁾| T: C J Down| OR: 97

8/1

Showed ability in maiden/novice company last term and produced her best effort by some way since switched to handicaps when runner-up at Exeter (23f, heavy) last time. Claims if able to build on that.

Form: 420-P72

Shoot To Fame^p,t⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Fergus Gillard⁽⁵⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 96| D

7/1

Dual point winner, but efforts under Rules have been very modest and needs to raise her game now upped in trip with cheekpieces refitted.

Form: 36-5748

Always Able^p²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Thomas Doggrell⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs F Kehoe| OR: 95

8/1

Lightly-raced maiden who has finished third on 2 of her last 3 starts, most recently off this mark at Fakenham (23.4f, heavy) where she sported first-time cheekpieces (retained). Not discounted.

Form: 47-8373

Sound Of Music³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: P J Brennan| T: Noel Williams| OR: 93

17/2

Has shown ability in bumpers and mares' novice hurdles at up to 21.4f. Significant step forward is needed upped in trip for this handicap debut, but that's distinctly possible.

Form: 45-666

Annual Flavour²⁰²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Page Fuller| T: O Signy| OR: 92

33/1

Looked very limited in bumpers/over hurdles in Ireland and opposable starting out for new yard here off a stiff-looking mark.

Form: 609-548

Kingsmill Gin^h³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: James Best| T: Miss J Du Plessis| OR: 92

10/1

Best effort yet when fourth in a 17-runner 2½m Wincanton handicap in December. Possibly unsuited by testing conditions at Chepstow since and, now 2 lb lower, she may be worth another chance.

Form: 033-P40

Autumn Gold¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: C Brassil⁽⁵⁾| T: J Farrelly| OR: 85

50/1

Hard to warm to based on what she's achieved under Rules.

Form: 0-PP59

Puzzle Cache^p³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Charlie Hammond⁽³⁾| T: C J Down| OR: 85

5/1

Modest maiden hurdler who hasn't entirely disgraced herself in 4 starts for this yard, doing best work in the closing stages when third at Exeter last time (8 lengths adrift of Arctic Footprint).

Form: 50-5553

Follow That³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Aidan Coleman| T: O Murphy| OR: 84

2/1

Well held in a trio of novice hurdles, but found some improvement when third of 13 upped to 19f here on handicap debut last month. This further increase in trip may help and she merits respect.

Form: 4-49582

Emmas Dilemma^v1¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-5| J: Mr Nathan Brennan⁽⁷⁾| T: H James| OR: 79

50/1

Efforts since joining this yard haven't been overly inspiring and hopes pinned on first-time visor making the difference here.

Form: 84-085P

Princess Roania^t⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-3| J: M G Nolan| T: C J Gray| OR: 77| C

50/1

Winner on the Flat and also successful in a bumper, but she's 0-20 in this sphere.

Form: 57/4-697

Secret Palace¹³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-2| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Miss G Haywood| OR: 76

125/1

Modest maiden on the Flat for Rae Guest in 2015 and efforts over hurdles for this yard have been very poor indeed.

Form: 6P/8

Non-Runners

Feodora³⁴

Weight: 11-1| Age: 6

T: O Sherwood J: Non Runner

Ask The Lady²⁰

Weight: 11-0| Age: 6

T: F O'Brien J: Liam Harrison

Avithos²⁶

Weight: 10-8| Age: 11

T: Mark Gillard J: James Davies

Havana River⁹⁹

Weight: 10-3| Age: 8

T: J Farrelly J: Mitchell Bastyan

Forecasts

Follow That (2/1), Puzzle Cache (5/1), Avithos (11/2), Shoot To Fame (7/1), Arctic Footprint (8/1), Always Able (8/1), Sound Of Music (17/2), Kingsmill Gin (10/1), Havana River (12/1), Golden Glory (14/1), Feodora (16/1), Ask The Lady (16/1), Annual Flavour (33/1), Emmas Dilemma (50/1), Autumn Gold (50/1), Princess Roania (50/1), Secret Palace (125/1)

A chance is taken on KINGSMILL GIN, who appeared to get bogged down in the mud last time and there was sufficient promise in her effort at Wincanton previously to suggest that she'd be capable of winning a race of this nature. Follow That took a step in the right direction here in January and is next best ahead of Arctic Footprint, who finished nicely clear of Puzzle Cache when second at Exeter.