13:25 Exeter

Thursday 21 December 2023

All12:5513:2513:5514:2514:5515:2515:55

Merry Christmas Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:29 | Winning time: 5m 52.1s

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Selected odds by:

Forrard Away²⁶⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Martin McIntyre⁽³⁾| T: R Chapman| OR: 100

50/1

Three-time winner in Ireland but below par in 3 outings for current yard. More needed back hurdling.

Form: 7/80045-

Shuil Ceoil¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr Tommie M O'Brien| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 97

13/2

Shaped better than previously when third of 14 in maiden hurdle at Bangor (19.5f, soft) in March. That form is working out well but he didn't get the chance to show what he could do on handicap debut, unseating at the fifth. Remains capable of better.

Form: F/7F73-U

No Rematch³¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Miss Imogen Mathias⁽⁷⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 96

11/2

Easily best run since winning a Leicester claiming hurdle in February when second of 9 in 20.5f Plumpton handicap last month. Claims if he can build on that.

Form: 33-7062

Unblinking^t²¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr Toby McCain-Mitchell⁽⁷⁾| T: R Bevis| OR: 95

40/1

Opened chase account at the fourth attempt in a weak race at Hereford (25f, good) in February. Well held next 2 starts but posted solid runner-up efforts both starts in May and could be a player if fully tuned up on his return here.

Form: U14P-22

Townhill^t²²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr Ben Sutton⁽³⁾| T: T Lacey| OR: 95

6/1

Point winner. Benefited from the step up in trip when fourth of 187 on 23f Uttoxeter handicap debut in May. This unexposed 5-y-o could have more to offer back from a break. Ridden on all starts by Ben Sutton.

Form: 1/4507-4

Midnight Glance^p³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr Rian Corcoran⁽⁷⁾| T: A King| OR: 90| C

25/1

Opened account over fences in 3m handicap here last November but has gone the wrong way since, including back hurdling in the summer. Pulled up over fences at Taunton last month. Needs a return to Exeter to spark a revival.

Form: 25-56PP

Inchester D'amsyl^t¹⁵⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr Anthony O'Neill⁽³⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 90

12/1

Showed a bit on first 2 starts over hurdles, finishing second at Huntingdon latterly. Disappointed in a couple of handicap hurdles earlier in the year but still early days and worth monitoring in the betting on return from 5 months off.

Form: 82F9-8

Unspeakable³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Mr Daniel Ellis⁽⁷⁾| T: Christian Williams| OR: 89

28/1

Much improved to win 3m Taunton handicap hurdle in March but nowhere near that level in his 3 outings since, pulling up on chase debut latest.

Form: 0P1-96P

Maroochi³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Miss A Procter⁽⁷⁾| T: Kieran Burke| OR: 87| D

20/1

Deservedly shed maiden tag when dead heating at Newton Abbot (21.5f) last summer and back in form on last 3 starts. Place claims here.

Form: 54P353

Nathan Walker²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Mr Joshua Newman| T: Kieran Burke| OR: 86

80/1

Poor form, including well held on 19f Taunton handicap debut last month. Others preferred.

Form: 09-3550

Arthalot^t²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Miss Heidi Stevens⁽⁷⁾| T: V R A Dartnall| OR: 86

12/1

Fair on the Flat but has yet to make a significant impact over hurdles. Well held back over timber here last month and unseated early back at this venue since.

Form: 0U75-0U

M' Lady May²²²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: Miss C Morris⁽⁷⁾| T: Katy Price| OR: 85

33/1

Fourth on Hereford handicap hurdle debut in January 2020. Not seen under Rules since but she did win a couple of points this spring. One to keep an eye on in the betting on hurdle return.

Form: 504/31-1

Mr Sociable³¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Callum Pritchard⁽⁷⁾| T: C J Down| OR: 83

28/1

Well held in 3 outings back from a long absence last winter and returns from another 10 months off with lots to prove.

Form: P27/97P-

Ginderella⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Miss Ellie Callwood⁽⁷⁾| T: M Hunt| OR: 80| BF

7/2

In the frame on 3 of her 4 handicap starts, finishing second over 3m at Wincanton 9 days ago. Fourth over this C&D prior to that.

Form: 783-542

Sindabella^p⁸^{(ex 7)}

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: Miss Ella Herbison⁽⁷⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 73| C

11/4

Snapped a losing run in 13-runner course handicap (18.5f) on last week's return from a 6-month break. Needs to show she can back that up turned out again quickly.

Form: P477-P1

Non-Runners

I Look How I Look³⁰

Weight: 10-12| Age: 4

T: D Skelton J: Miss Heidi Palin

Fantomas⁷⁹

Weight: 10-9| Age: 7

T: N & W Twiston-Davies J: Non Runner

Lightning Attack³⁵

Weight: 10-9| Age: 7

T: A G Newcombe J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Sindabella (11/4), Ginderella (7/2), No Rematch (11/2), Townhill (6/1), Shuil Ceoil (13/2), Fantomas (7/1), I Look How I Look (10/1), Inchester D'amsyl (12/1), Arthalot (12/1), Maroochi (20/1), Midnight Glance (25/1), Mr Sociable (28/1), Unspeakable (28/1), M' Lady May (33/1), Lightning Attack (33/1), Unblinking (40/1), Forrard Away (50/1), Nathan Walker (80/1)

SHUIL CEOIL was prominent in the betting when unseating before halfway on his recent handicap hurdle debut and is given another chance to show he can take a step forward. Dan Skelton's I Look How I Look is another who could have more to offer in handicaps and also makes the shortlist along with Townhill and last month's Plumpton runner-up No Rematch.