14:10 Fontwell

Tuesday 12 December 2023

All12:4013:1013:4014:1014:4015:1015:40

BetMGM: It's Showtime Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:10 | Winning time: 5m 58.19s

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Selected odds by:

Bertie B^p1²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Tommie M O'Brien⁽³⁾| T: C Boultbee-Brooks| OR: 104

12/1

Bumper winner but he's yet to better modest form over hurdles. This season's 2 runs disappointing and needs first-time cheekpieces to help spark a revival.

Form: 6053-P7

Herakles Westwood¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: S Bowen| T: W Greatrex| OR: 103

11/8

Fair form in bumpers and much improved over hurdles when landing 13-runner handicap at Lingfield (19.5f, good to soft) 12 days ago, forging clear from last. A 9 lb rise doesn't look enough to stop him with further progress likely.

Form: 3/P94-71

Bombay Sapphire^t²⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Max Kendrick| T: N J Henderson| OR: 102WS

8/1

Fair bumper winner in Ireland. Reached the frame in novices in first 2 outings over hurdles. Disappointed when making a quick switch to handicaps at Exeter in April. Still early days and a wind op since last seen might make a difference.

Form: 1/534P-

Talimar Pearl^t²¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Tom Cannon| T: J Tizzard| OR: 99

7/1

Runner-up in handicaps at Newton Abbot 917f) and Warwick (19f) in the spring. Contender if resuming in similar form.

Form: 45992-2

The Cox Express¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: R T Dunne| T: R Walford| OR: 92

14/1

Won Warwick bumper in January for Tom Lacey. Disappointing in 3 hurdles since (last 2 for this yard) but it wouldn't be a surprise to see him fare a lot better now handicapping. One to note in the betting.

Form: 16-98

Ipso Falco²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Freddie Gordon⁽⁵⁾| T: C Gordon| OR: 91

25/1

Poor form in bumpers/over hurdles, faring no better switched to handicap company last time.

Form: 8-79568

Letmetellusomethin^p1,t³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 91

16/1

Signs of ability in bumpers and while he has failed to make an impact in a trio of novice hurdles, improvement may well be forthcoming now that he goes down the handicap route. Cheekpieces added. One to monitor closely in the betting.

Form: 8395-0

Fortuitous Favour^t1²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Rex Dingle| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 90

10/1

Beaten upwards of 21 lengths in all 3 hurdle starts but a bumper win at the start of his career marks him down as a potential improver in handicaps. Another to check out in the betting.

Form: 1/03-88

Inspector Lynley^p1⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Harry Reed| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 77

4/1

Still a maiden but he arrives in decent nick, fifth of 11 in handicap hurdle at Hereford 56 days ago. Cheekpieces go on for the first time.

Form: 0-U4345

Crookbarrow^b¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Cynthia Woods| OR: 75

100/1

Yet to show much, pulling up on Lingfield handicap debut 12 days ago.

Form: 9-PP7PP

Forecasts

Herakles Westwood (11/8), Inspector Lynley (4/1), Talimar Pearl (7/1), Bombay Sapphire (8/1), Fortuitous Favour (10/1), Bertie B (12/1), The Cox Express (14/1), Letmetellusomethin (16/1), Ipso Falco (25/1), Crookbarrow (100/1)

The manner in which HERAKLES WESTWOOD forged clear in the closing stages at Lingfield recently suggests even a 9 lb rise may not stop him with the longer trip here promising to see him in an even better light. Talimar Pearl was runner-up twice in the spring and should go well if resuming in similar form. The likes of The Cox Express, Letmetellusomethin and Fortuitous Favour are potential improvers in handicappers and need monitoring in the betting.