2.45 Plumpton: the one race you do not want to miss on Sunday

2.45 Plumpton
Core Spreads Handicap Hurdle | 2m | 3yo+ | Sky

Why is it interesting?

The leaves are starting to fall which means the jumps season will soon be in full flow. Plumpton opens its doors for the first time since May, and this is one of two £20,000 handicaps on the card.

Half of the six-strong field know what is required to triumph at the track, with Harmonise, Jumping Jack and Zamperini previous course-and-distance winners.

Harmonise and Zamperini are one from one at the course, while Jumping Jack has a win and three seconds – including this race last year – from six previous visits.

What do the stats say?

Gary Moore won the race two years ago with East Indies, and this time relies on Zamperini. He is the only trainer represented to have previously won the race.

From the four past runnings, two have gone to a four-year-old, and two to a seven-year-old. There are no four-year-olds in action this year, but Zamperini represents seven-year-olds in the line-up.

What do the trainers say?

Neil King, trainer of Cubswin
She's had a marvellous summer and is a useful mare on her day. She loves fast ground and she goes there with a great chance.

Seamus Mullins, trainer of Romanor
We've freshened him up after his last run at Cartmel. The ground was soft that day, which wasn't his ground, so hopefully the rain will hold off. I'd be hopeful of a good run and he's not out of it.

Chris Gordon, trainer of Jumping Jack
He's a grand horse who's hard to win with but he normally runs a pretty solid race. Hopefully the first-time visor will sharpen him up a little.

Sheena West, trainer of Harmonise
She's down at the bottom of the weights so you've got to be hopeful. She won on heavy at Plumpton so I'd be happy if it does rain as I've been looking for soft ground for her.

Olly Murphy, trainer of What Will Be
I don't like running horses out of the weights but he gets a massive allowance as a three-year-old and I'm taking 7lb off as well. It's good prize-money, he hasn't done a lot wrong to date and a strongly run race on quick ground should suit.

Spotlight Verdict

A tight handicap and three of these come here after competitive runs on the Flat, including Harmonise who has won two of her last three in that scene. She remains relatively unexposed as a hurdler. Cubswin is next best.
Alistair Jones

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