14:35 Leicester

Wednesday 28 December 2022

All12:1012:4513:2013:5514:3515:1015:40

Pertemps Network Leicestershire Bronze Fox Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:36 | Winning time: 4m 25.12s

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Selected odds by:

Playful Saint^t²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 128| D

2/1

Dual winner who posted a promising strong-travelling second of 9 in handicap hurdle at Sandown (16f) 25 days ago. Has more to offer. Player.

Form: 12/1-42

Washington³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| OR: 126| D

5/2

Hooded for 1st time, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Newbury (20.5f) 32 days ago. Fairly useful winner at his best but he needs to bounce back.

Form: 3313-5P

Barnaviddaun²⁴²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Brendan Powell| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 123

66/1

Visored for 1st time, below-par third of 4 in handicap chase at Uttoxeter (16f) 8 months ago. Switches to hurdles with more needed.

Form: P/UU53-3

Zambezi Fix^p1,t³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Robert Williams⁽³⁾| T: B J Llewellyn| OR: 121| D

12/1

Last of 7 in handicap hurdle (20/1) at Haydock (18.9f) 39 days ago. Cheekpieces on for 1st time. Fifteen runs since last win in 2020.

Form: 230F-37

Martinhal^t³⁷⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 120| DWS

6/1

11/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, pulled up in handicap hurdle at Exeter (18.5f) 12 months ago. Handily weighted if back on song after his absence.

Form: 4110/9P-

Issam⁴⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: D A Jacob| T: T Symonds| OR: 119

16/1

Scored over hurdles at Bordeaux in May. Not disgraced after 6 months off on yard/UK debut when seventh of 9 in handicap hurdle (9/1) at Wetherby (16f) 46 days ago. Should step forward now.

Form: 18/1P-17

Heros⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 117

16/1

Bumper/hurdles winner in France in 2021. Off 13 months before pulled up in handicap hurdle (16/1) at Lingfield (19.5ft) on UK NH debut 43 days ago. Needs to step forward.

Form: 21/378-P

Milldam^t1⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 115| BF

15/2

Fair ex-French maiden hurdler. Good third of 9 in novice at Hexham (16.2f) 42 days ago given he went off too hard. Tongue strap back on. Not taken lightly.

Form: 3330-23

McGowan's Pass^p²⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 10-12| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 112| D

16/1

Winless since early 2020 but shaped as if needing the run after 9 months off when sixth of 7 in handicap hurdle at Wetherby (16f) 25 days ago. Needs considering with that run under his belt.

Form: 7/7333-6

Forecasts

Playful Saint (2/1), Washington (5/2), Martinhal (6/1), Milldam (15/2), Zambezi Fix (12/1), McGowan's Pass (16/1), Heros (16/1), Issam (16/1), Barnaviddaun (66/1)

PLAYFUL SAINT looked to have more to offer when a strong-travelling runner-up at Sandown last time so gets the vote in an open handicap. Milldam could prove the main threat to Dan Skelton's charge, especially if ridden less aggressively than at Hexham. Martinhal returns from an absence but is weighted to have a say if fully tuned up and needs a market check.