13:40 Taunton

Monday 20 March 2023

All13:4014:1014:4515:1515:4516:1516:45

Melanie And Philip Gibbs RNLI 'Hands And Heels' Handicap Hurdle (Conditionals/Amateurs)

Off time: 13:40 | Winning time: 4m 54.0s

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Selected odds by:

Flamelco^h³²

Age: 5| Weight: 12-2| J: Rob Hargreaves⁽³⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 117

50/1

Winning hurdler in France for P. & C. Peltier 12 months ago but showed little on return/yard debut at Sandown (16f, good to soft) last month. This likely to reveal more.

Form: 428-250

Ioupy Collonges²³

Age: 5| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr Charlie Sprake⁽³⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 117| D

4/5

Landed a bumper at Hereford in November and stepped up on hurdling debut effort to take his record to 2-3 in novice hurdle at Chepstow (19.4f, good to soft) last month, making all. In top hands and there could well be more to come now handicapping.

Form: 23121

Pontresina^p1²³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-11| J: Ellis Collier| T: B Lund| OR: 112

100/1

Hasn't stood much racing since joining this yard from Oliver Sherwood and pulled up on return from 11-month absence at Kempton last month. Entitled to be sharper for that run but others make more appeal. First-time cheekpieces go on.

Form: 1F/2U3-P

Gingerbred³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Jack Martin| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 109| BF| D

7/2

Confirmed previous encouragement when winning a handicap at Exeter last month but run of good form halted at Sandown (16f, good to soft) since. Must get back on track.

Form: 595F17

Ike Sport^t¹²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Miss Thomosina Eyston| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 108

7/1

Runner-up in a French claiming hurdle on debut last February and placed all 3 starts in novice events for this yard during the summer. However, he's yet to kick on in a couple of handicap outings so will need to improve to feature.

Form: 2-33264

Dame Prestige^h²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Mr William Gough⁽⁵⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 94

80/1

Modest form in a pair of Perth maiden hurdles in the summer for Gordon Elliott. Probably flattered on handicap debut at Plumpton (25f) last month and was pulled up at Warwick 11 days later. Back down in trip but easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 5-35P5P

If Karl's Berg Did^h⁶⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: Dylan Kitts| T: M F Harris| OR: 90

7/1

Off 17 months before posting encouraging third of 7 in handicap hurdle at Leicester (15.5f, soft) in November. Went backwards from that comeback run under more testing conditions at Exeter 10 weeks ago but a better showing anticipated with the hood back on.

Form: P65/4-3P

Prince Nino^p,t¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Mr Rupert Wilks⁽⁵⁾| T: Harry Derham| OR: 87

15/2

Lightly-raced maiden who failed to build on an encouraging fifth at this track when pulled up at Wincanton 11 days ago. Marginally out of the weights.

Form: 0/P085P

Forecasts

Ioupy Collonges (4/5), Gingerbred (7/2), Ike Sport (7/1), If Karl's Berg Did (7/1), Prince Nino (15/2), Flamelco (50/1), Dame Prestige (80/1), Pontresina (100/1)

IOUPY COLLONGES took his record to 2-3 under Rules with a commanding success at Chepstow earlier this month and with further improvement on the cards, Paul Nicholls' 5-y-o is fancied to make a winning start to life in handicaps. A better showing is anticipated from If Karl's Berg Did with a hood reapplied, so he's put forward as the main danger, ahead of Prince Nino.