15:53 Taunton

Wednesday 21 December 2022

All12:5313:2313:5314:2314:5315:2315:53

More Christmas Racing On 30th December Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:07 | Winning time: 6m 5.1s

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Selected odds by:

Island Run³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 12-1| J: T J O'Brien| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 106

9/4

Well-bred type who showed much improved form to get off the mark at Wincanton (2m, heavy) in January. Stepped up on his reappearance when runner-up at Kempton (24.5f, soft) and he remains unexposed at this trip.

Form: 5713-42

Pottlerath^p,t³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Charlie Case⁽⁷⁾| T: M Sheppard| OR: 105

4/1

Landed back-to-back handicaps in the spring and also successful at Hereford in October. Has remained in top form since and should give another good account.

Form: 1-45122

The Height Of Fame^p⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Kieran Burke| OR: 105

4/1

Has improved upped in trip this season, landing back-to-back handicaps at Fontwell (21.8f) in May and having dead-heated at Newton Abbot (21.5) in September, she completed the 4-timer at Exeter (21.6f) in November. Likely she can be competitive again.

Form: 24-1111

Design Icon^p,t⁶⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: C Gethings| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 104

10/1

Lightly-raced hurdler who, in first-time tongue tie, relished the step up in trip when off the mark in novice at Market Rasen (20.6f) in May 2021. Failed to improve following a wind op/after 17 months off in first-time cheekpieces on handicap debut at Newton Abbot in October.

Form: 94/51-6

Turnaway^p²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Bridget Andrews| T: D Skelton| OR: 93

5/1

No better than mid-field in novice hurdles and failed to improve when down the field at Taunton on handicap debut. However he shaped with a bit more promise in first-time cheekpieces after 10 months off at Doncaster recently and this step up in trip could eke out further improvement.

Form: 6570-4

Wearapinkribbon^p¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: J R Wildman⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs H R J Nelmes| OR: 89

66/1

Fairly useful ex-Irish winning hurdler but hasn't done much for present connections. Can only be watched for now.

Form: 7-5P6P0

Master Blaze^b,t¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 85

28/1

Fairly useful hurdler/chaser in France but well held all starts for this yard over the last year, including over fences on his last 3 outings. Handicapper given him a squeak but he's hard to fancy.

Form: 6-47556

Dannystory¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-4| J: Bryan Carver| T: H Brown| OR: 81

40/1

Second on final run in points but no impact in bumper or on all 3 starts over hurdles, including on handicap debut over C&D recently.

Form: P24349

Enforcement^t⁵⁶⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Finn Lambert⁽⁵⁾| T: M Keighley| OR: 78| D

40/1

Sole win over timber came in Plumpton handicap in March 2019 and last seen 18 months ago opening account over fences in weak handicap at Uttoxeter (24f, good). Tongue tie replaces the usual cheekpieces and this outing should reveal where he's at.

Form: 0496/41-

Menapian^b¹³

Age: 11| Weight: 10-2| J: Charlie Price⁽³⁾| T: Mrs H R J Nelmes| OR: 73

22/1

Poor maiden hurdler who got back on track after 2 months off in first-time blinkers when third over C&D just under a fortnight ago. Yet to string a pair of solid efforts together though, so that tempers enthusiasm somewhat.

Form: 42-34P3

Telefina³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Ben Ffrench-Davis⁽⁷⁾| T: A West| OR: 73

12/1

Ran up to best (on return from 5 months off) when runner-up in handicap at Fontwell (21.8f, good) in October. Predictably not in the same form at Ludlow since and still looking for first success, it's easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 54-9P25

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to board prices only - deduction 15p in the pound

Non-Runners

Samatian²²

Weight: 10-5| Age: 5

T: K Bailey & M Nicholls J: Kai Lenihan

Foillmore⁸⁶

Weight: 10-2| Age: 7

T: J D Frost J: Freddie Gingell

Forecasts

Island Run (9/4), Pottlerath (4/1), The Height Of Fame (4/1), Turnaway (5/1), Samatian (6/1), Design Icon (10/1), Telefina (12/1), Menapian (22/1), Master Blaze (28/1), Foillmore (33/1), Dannystory (40/1), Enforcement (40/1), Wearapinkribbon (66/1)

A host in with chances but TURNAWAY shaped with a bit more promise than he had previously sporting first-time cheekpieces at Doncaster last month, and with that outing sure to have blown away any cobwebs, Dan Skelton's charge could be the way to go stepped up to 3m for the first time. Pottlerath, The Height of Fame and Island Run are just a trio of potential dangers.