Sky Sports Racing’s Hayley Moore provides her horses to follow on Sussex Champion Hurdle day at Plumpton on Sunday….
Jasmine d’Airy
1.50 Extech Cloud Computing Mares’ Maiden Hurdle
The opening race on Sunday looks like a good opportunity for Jasmine D’Airy to come home in front. She ran a good race in defeat last time at Ffos Las in a mares’ handicap hurdle, where the six-year-old tried to make all but was just a bit keen.
I feel like the sharper track at Plumpton will suit her better, with front-runners generally doing well here, so hopefully it will work out for her this time as she drops down in grade, with 5lb-claimer Ben Sutton back on board for Harry Derham.
Ben Sutton rides Jasmine d’Airy at Plumpton
Jolyjump
2.20 Mayo Wynne Baxter Novices’ Handicap Chase
In the 2m 1f novices’ handicap chase, I’m hoping Jolyjump will get his head back in front. The six-year-old will have cheekpieces on for the first time here, which will hopefully bring about further improvement.
The concern is that it’s a Class Four contest and there are some in-form horses in opposition, such as Bob Bob Ricard and Alien Storm, but the form of his latest effort at Southwell has been boosted, with the third Chestnut Pete coming out and winning at Hereford since when beating Iskar D’Airy, who himself has since won at Warwick.
Spirit D’Aunou
4.05 BetGoodwin Sussex Champion Hurdle Handicap Hurdle
The feature race on Sunday’s card looks set to be a brilliant renewal, with the BetGoodwin Sussex Champion Hurdle seeing four line up for Willie Mullins. Absurde looks to be the standout of his quartet after a good run at the Cheltenham Festival, which saw him finish third in the County Hurdle behind stablemate Kargese.
Spirit D’Aunou wasn’t all that far away from him that day, however, running a great race to eventually finish fifth, and if Plumpton sees some more rain ahead of this Class Two handicap that would be ideal for this six-year-old, with blinkers going on for the first time ahead of his first visit to the track.
Shakeyatailfeather
4.40 BetGoodwin Top UK Online Bookie Handicap Chase
Shakeyatailfeather really impressed me at Cheltenham earlier this week, and while this represents a quick turnaround, it also looks to be an easier race. Running under a 7lb penalty will be a tough ask but the six-year-old has already won over further than this when landing a 2m 5½f maiden here back in September, so going back up in trip shouldn’t pose a problem.
Busy Being Busy
5.15 Phoenix Cycles Remember Ray Prior Handicap Hurdle
I’m hoping Busy Being Busy will put in a career best in an open-looking final race. A winner of his last two outings for trainer Stuart Edmunds, I’m expecting this lightly-raced five-year-old to keep on progressing. The form from the first of his two wins at Fakenham has worked out well, producing a further winner, while the extra furlong on offer shouldn’t be a problem either, as his last win came in a strongly-run race, with usual front-runner For Pleasure setting a good pace throughout.
Watch every race from Plumpton – live on Sky Sports Racing.
