1.40pm Fakenham Tips & Betting Preview 01/11/2017

A big field has been declared for this handicap hurdle with a prize of £4,549. Read on for expert analysis and betting tips.

IN SUMMARY: SUMMER STORM has been running well lately and may have found an opportunity to get his nose in front in an uninspiring race, Sir George Somers may provide the most opposition for the in-form Nigel Twiston-Davies yard.

1 SUMMER STORM – A consistent enough type who has hit the frame in his two of his last three starts, hasn’t been unduly punished by the handicapper for those respectable efforts and comes into considerations with possible further progress to come.

2 BRIGHT TOMORROW – Has only won once out of seven starts over hurdles but has had just one of those starts for this stable where he took a keen hold and finished a remote ninth, has been dropped five pounds for that but needs a revival to get involved.

3 OWEN NA VIEW – Hasn’t been seen over the smaller obstacles since May where he was beaten fifty-eight lengths in a  valuable handicap at Killarney, has run poorly over fences since but is dropping down the weights towards a manageable mark and should be considered.

4 CASHANOVA – Was seemingly in the process of running a good race when brought down at the fifth last time out and wasn’t unfancied in the market that day either, if showing no ill effects of that fall he should go well and could make amends.

5 LAMBEAU FIELD – Ran a very creditable race when a neck second to Honey Pound off a three pound lower mark in April but has beaten a fair distance in each subsequent start, has the ability to go close off this sort of mark and new headgear might do the trick; interesting.

6 WIND PLACE AND SHO – Has only run three times over timber and finished third in one of those starts but was beaten over fifteen lengths in each attempt and his recent flat form hasn’t been particularly encouraging, can be overlooked in this field.

7 ALEXANDER THE GREY – Has never won over hurdles in eleven attempts but hasn’t been all that far away of late, the addition of a hood and a tongue-tie seem to have helped him concentrate on the game and off only two pounds higher than last time he should go well again.

8 CHANDOS BELLE – Ran a couple of decent races in maiden hurdles and is a fair enough performer on the flat, a rating of 77 in that sphere means she could be reasonably treated off 107 over jumps but the ground here may be quicker than she’d like.

9 RATHEALY – Hasn’t raced over hurdles for over six months but has been kept on the go on the flat in the meantime, has struggled to show anything like the form that would be required to win this in any of his five starts for this yard and would have to improve markedly.

10 RITASUN – Was beaten thirteen lengths on handicap hurdle debut and has since been well beaten off on the flat, has been dropped three pounds for that hurdle run but will need to show much more even off this revised mark to win this.

11 SIR GEORGE SOMERS – A decent flat performer who didn’t show too much in his first two tries over hurdles but should be much more at home now switched to handicap company for the first time, the Nigel Twiston-Davies stable could hardly be in better form and he should go well.

12 DIZZEY HEIGHTS – A very modest flat performer in comparison to some of these and his runs over hurdles have inspired little confidence that he actually gets home properly over two miles, most likely that he will struggle once again.

13 GIN AND TONIC – In running comments of his last run read ‘Jumped really poorly and never went a yard, soon in last pair, tailed off 5th, pulled up after 6th’, wasn’t better the start before and gives off the impression more of the same is to come.

14 HALLINGHAM – Not the best of these on the flat but gets in here off a very low mark and had been in pretty decent form until his last run having won and finished third at Bath, hasn’t run over hurdles for a long time and could be feasibly treated on his return.