16:31 Plumpton

Sunday 4 April 2021

All13:2013:5614:2614:5615:2616:0016:31

An Evening With Paul Merson 9th September Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:31 | Winning time: 5m 5.04s

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Selected odds by:

Clongowes^p,t³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Daniel Sansom| T: D Steele| OR: 100

11/1

Useful at up to 2m on the Flat in Ireland for Jim Bolger in 2018. Promise in maiden/novice hurdles for new yard this term but no impact in handicaps the last twice. Tried in cheekpieces up in trip.

Form: 79667

Kilganer Queen^t¹⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 11-6| J: Mr Nathan Brennan⁽³⁾| T: A West| OR: 94| D

20/1

Capable performer in Ireland, but form tailed off pretty badly last year and no promise so far for current stable.

Form: 05606P

Andapa¹²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Rex Dingle| T: M Roberts| OR: 93| C

14/1

Fairly useful dual bumper winner who posted best effort yet over hurdles when second over C&D in November. Disappointing next time and may need this return from 4 months off.

Form: 6583-25

Jumping Cats^p⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: N F Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 93

11/8

Modest form over hurdles but was a fairly useful Flat winner earlier in his career and put that speed to good use to land a brace of jumpers bumpers in January. Should be a big factor from this mark.

Form: 74P115

Jumping Jack^p²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: K E Buckley⁽³⁾| T: P Butler| OR: 92| C

50/1

Fair hurdler at one point but generally underwhelming for this stable. Sliding in the weights, but others make more appeal.

Form: 4/6-0458

Sixties Secret²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Ben Godfrey| T: Miss S West| OR: 91| CD

6/1

Both wins gained here, the latest over C&D on return in September. Back to the same mark and has been shaping as if still in form of late, so looks a player.

Form: 46F665

Hunter's Dawn^p1¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: Mr Eddie Edge⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Miss A Murphy| OR: 94

50/1

Poor form in bumpers and only minor promise in juvenile hurdles. Cheekpieces on/up in trip for handicap debut, so not completely dismissed.

Form: 64R736

Present Destiny⁷¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: J B Foley⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 85

11/1

Mixed record for Seamus Mullins and absolutely no promise in this country, including on both outings for current yard. Returns from a break with a 7-lb claimer on board.

Form: 55PP/P0

Alberic^p,t³⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Chester Williams| T: Nick Williams| OR: 92

7/1

Just poor form in 4 juvenile hurdles, so opening mark looks rather stiff even if there could be a bigger effort in him at some point.

Form: P664

Ermyn's Emerald^p1¹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-10| J: Sean Houlihan| T: P Phelan| OR: 84

16/1

Nicely weighted and back to form when fourth at Fontwell 15 days ago. Warrants respect with that in mind, particularly with cheekpieces applied, but he's a long-standing maiden.

Form: 47/5-264

O'Rahilly⁶⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-3| J: Tabitha Worsley| T: A Irvine| OR: 77

50/1

Modest maiden hurdler/chaser on balance. Placed off a slightly higher mark on final start last season but beaten a long way so far this term. Returns from a break with his yard going well.

Form: 6P3-749

Queen Among Kings^p²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Page Fuller| T: A Irvine| OR: 76

10/1

Poor form, including when a never-threatening fifth at this course last time. Step back up in trip, should suit, however, and she's been given a chance by the handicapper.

Form: 6D4665

Clonusker Lady³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Mitchell Bastyan| T: Mrs L C Jewell| OR: 71

50/1

Little impact in a trio of novice hurdles and out of the weights switched to handicapping.

Form: 067

Invicta Lake^b,t²⁰

Age: 14| Weight: 10-0| J: Tom Buckley| T: Miss S Smith| OR: 67| CD

40/1

Veteran who seems to retain little ability nowadays.

Form: 85P867

Non-Runners

Ballydoyle²⁰

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: G & J Moore J: N F Houlihan

Forecasts

Jumping Cats (11/8), Ballydoyle (10/3), Sixties Secret (6/1), Alberic (7/1), Queen Among Kings (10/1), Clongowes (11/1), Present Destiny (11/1), Andapa (14/1), Ermyn's Emerald (16/1), Kilganer Queen (20/1), Invicta Lake (40/1), O'Rahilly (50/1), Hunter's Dawn (50/1), Clonusker Lady (50/1), Jumping Jack (50/1)

BALLYDOYLE is well handicapped based on his Flat exploits and shaped as if a step up in trip would suit when fourth over 2m at this course last time. He's an obvious choice to prevail, with his stablemate Jumping Cats arguably the main danger, although Sixties Secret can't be ruled out.