15:20 Fakenham

Sunday 19 December 2021

All12:2012:5013:2013:5014:2014:5015:20

Happy Christmas Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:23 | Winning time: 4m 15.02s

Dinsdale^b,t³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Luca Morgan⁽⁵⁾| T: M Scudamore| OR: 112| D

8/1

Chase/hurdle winner in summer 2018. Proved he retains most of his ability after a pipe-opener on the Flat when fourth at Newcastle last month. Blinkers replace the usual cheekpieces.

Form: 51122/4

Astroman²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-12| J: J M Quinlan| T: Harry Eustace| OR: 110

8/1

Fair winner on the Flat (stays 1½m) and progressed again over hurdles when runner-up at Huntingdon in May. Had a pipe-opener at Wolverhampton last month so he could feature on handicap debut.

Form: 5-22

Vocal Duke¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: K Brogan⁽³⁾| T: T Lawes| OR: 107| CD

11/4

Bagged 2m handicap wins at Uttoxeter and over C&D in October before good tenth of 18 in 2m handicap at Cheltenham. Similar form at Sandown since but bit more needed to get involved.

Form: 441105

Millies Mite^t⁸³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: James Best| T: K Jewell| OR: 104

25/1

Still a maiden, but she posted good fourth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Roscommon (15.4f) 83 days ago on her final run for Eoin Doyle. Worth a market check for new yard.

Form: 527454

El Jefe^h¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: William Shanahan⁽⁷⁾| T: A B Hamilton| OR: 104

7/2

Finally put it all together at Sedgefield earlier this month, value for a bit more than the winning margin having conceded ground at the last 2 flights. Up 8 lb and can feature now up and running.

Form: 764F41

Peckinpah³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 103

5/1

Fair maiden on Flat (stays 9.5f) and showed ability in 3 runs over hurdles in 2019/20. Found just a well-treated sort too good at Leicester on reappearance and can build on that effort here.

Form: 434/34-2

Glutnforpunishment³⁹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Bryony Frost| T: L Wadham| OR: 102

6/1

Four Flat wins in 2019 and found only one too good on hurdles bow at Worcester in August that year. However, disappointing since and needs to bounce back on reappearance/first start for his new yard.

Form: 23/06-

Al Kherb⁶⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Miss S L Bowen⁽⁷⁾| T: Sarah Bowen| OR: 97| D

11/1

Signed off for John Quinn with victory in 2m Stratford selling hurdle 9 weeks ago. Not handicapped out of things for new trainer and worth a look.

Form: 422261

Jack Ryan²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: David Noonan| T: J Ryan| OR: 95

50/1

Modest on Flat and similar merit over hurdles. Makes handicap debut in this sphere and looks up against it.

Form: 4P-3

Risky Business^b1,t⁴⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 10-0| J: Ben Godfrey⁽⁵⁾| T: Martin Smith| OR: 86

50/1

Poor maiden on the Flat. Tailed off on handicap debut at Huntingdon last month so easily ignored, even with blinkers applied and tongue tie back on.

Form: 6647

Non-Runners

Rhebus Road³⁵

Weight: 10-9| Age: 3

T: O Sherwood J: Non Runner

Gavin²

Weight: 10-4| Age: 3

T: Joe Ponting J: Non Runner

Letsbe Avenue¹⁰

Weight: 10-0| Age: 6

T: W G M Turner J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Vocal Duke (11/4), El Jefe (7/2), Rhebus Road (4/1), Peckinpah (5/1), Glutnforpunishment (6/1), Gavin (6/1), Astroman (8/1), Dinsdale (8/1), Al Kherb (11/1), Letsbe Avenue (20/1), Millies Mite (25/1), Jack Ryan (50/1), Risky Business (50/1)

EL JEFE rates a serious player having finally got off the mark at Sedgefield last time, and an 8-lb rise should be manageable given he had something in hand that day. Peckinpah is another one to consider, along with Al Kherb.

EL JEFE (IRE)
PECKINPAH (IRE)
AL KHERB

Previous Winners

2020

Gorham's Cave

Weight: 11-2 |Age: 6

J: N F Houlihan | T: G & J Moore

9/2

Prize Money

1st: £4,684.002nd: £2,158.003rd: £1,078.004th: £540.005th: £350.006th: £350.007th: £350.008th: £350.00