15:40 Kempton

Monday 26 December 2022

All12:1012:4513:2013:5514:3015:0515:40

Ladbrokes Fanzone 'Your Team Your Game' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:40 | Winning time: 5m 22.35s

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Selected odds by:

Theatre Glory³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 137

13/2

Improving mare who made it 4-5 over hurdles when readily landing Cheltenham listed handicap in April. 4/1, unseated fourth in Gerry Feilden at Newbury on reappearance. Remains open to improvement.

Form: 13111-U

Paddys Motorbike^p,t²²⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: T Scudamore| T: S Thomas| OR: 135

22/1

Posted career best when winning 11-runner handicap hurdle at Aintree (2½m, good) when last seen in May. 4 lb rise demands more of him but he is very capable when fresh.

Form: 5/1325-1

Press Your Luck³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Bryony Frost| T: C Gordon| OR: 135| CD

66/1

Useful effort to win a 17-runner C&D handicap in March. Made a successful start to his chase career in a 3-runner Chepstow novice in October but has failed to complete in 3 outings since, pulling up back hurdling at Newbury latest.

Form: 14-1UPP

Royaume Uni⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 130

28/1

Useful on Flat and reacehed a similar standard over hurdles when scoring twice in handicap company last season. Good return to hurdling when second at Plumpton (20.5f) in October. Ought to be competitive.

Form: 38122-2

Jay Bee Why⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Alexander Thorne⁽⁵⁾| T: A King| OR: 130| D

14/1

Dual hurdle winner in his novice season. Failed to progress over fences last term but he's reached the frame in 4 handicaps since reverting to hurdles, leaving the impression his first outing in 6 months may have been needed when fading into fourth over C&D 7 weeks ago.

Form: 3343-34

Optimise Prime⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: B Pauling| OR: 128

7/1

Another from his in-form yard who has bounced back this season, making a winning reappearance at Lingfield (19.5f, soft) 6 weeks ago, forging clear. 5 lb rise is unlikely to prevent another prominent showing if in similar form.

Form: 7/63PP-1

Bourbali⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Brendan Powell| T: J Tizzard| OR: 126| D

40/1

Big improver last season, including completing a hat-trick from the front in the spring. Winning run came to a halt when down the field in Silver Trophy at Chepstow on reappearance but he was back on track when third in a competitive handicap at Cheltenham since.

Form: 2111-93

Ivaldi³⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 124

10/1

Made a winning hurdle debut in France in March. Much better effort in novice hurdles for new yard this autumn when second over 21.5f at Ascot latterly. Interesting now switching to a handicap.

Form: 1-42

Guernesey⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: T J O'Brien| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 123

40/1

Largely consistent sort who deservedly got his head back in front at Warwick (19f, good) in October. Creditable fourth (Bourbali third) of 10 at Cheltenham (21f, good) last time.

Form: 4-331U4

Vorashann⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Rob Hargreaves⁽¹⁰⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 123

66/1

All 4 hurdles wins at Fontwell, better than ever when edging out a next-time-out winner for latest success in October. Possibly unsuited by very testing conditions when well held at Sandown last time.

Form: 85-3117

Grey Dawning²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 123

5/4

Won 2 Wetherby bumpers last season and struck at the second time of asking over hurdles when pushed out to land the odds in a 17f Exeter novice 24 days ago. Surely more to come from him and likely to have a big say on handicap debut.

Form: 11-21

The Bomber Liston²⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Aidan Coleman| T: N J Henderson| OR: 123

10/1

Lightly-raced sort who was just touched off on Plumpton handicap debut in November 2021. Not seen again until finishing a creditable eighth of 25 at Punchestown (3m) in April. That experience of a big-field handicap should hold him in good stead here and he's likely capable of better still. Player.

Form: 32/3128-

New Found Fame³³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: J J Burke| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 120

20/1

Made winning debut in 2½m Uttoxeter novice hurdle in March. Pulled up on Ffos Las reappearance but quickly put that behind him when runner-up at Hereford since. Unexposed now handicapping but this opening mark definitely demands improvement.

Form: 1-P2

Whatsupwithyou^p,t1⁵²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Beau Morgan⁽⁷⁾| T: B Pauling| OR: 120

11/1

Snapped a losing run when just hoilding on in 2½m Uttoxeter handicap in April. Might have needed the run when fourth of 6 at Fontwell 6 months later. Has cheekpieces refitted and a first-time tongue added here.

Form: 8422-14

Storm Dennis⁸⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: C Gordon| OR: 118| BF| CD

20/1

On the up over hurdles at the beginning of 2022, winning handicaps at Huntingdon and over C&D. Last of 5 on his chase debut/reappearance in October but given time since and may resume his progression back hurdling. One to consider.

Form: 52811-5

Forecasts

Grey Dawning (5/4), Theatre Glory (13/2), Optimise Prime (7/1), The Bomber Liston (10/1), Ivaldi (10/1), Whatsupwithyou (11/1), Jay Bee Why (14/1), Storm Dennis (20/1), New Found Fame (20/1), Paddys Motorbike (22/1), Royaume Uni (28/1), Bourbali (40/1), Guernesey (40/1), Vorashann (66/1), Press Your Luck (66/1)

A very competitive finale. GREY DAWNING was merely pushed out to see off a next-time-out winner from the Nicholls yard over an extended 2m at Exeter last time and an opening mark in the low 120s could underestimate this useful prospect, particularly as this trip should see him in an even better light. It's likely there's still a bigger performance in lightly-raced 6-y-o The Bomber Liston so he's a possible big threat, particularly if the betting vibes are strong. Storm Dennis is third choice.