15:10 Haydock

Saturday 13 May 2017

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:2517:55

Pertemps Network Swinton Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)

Off time: 15:10 | Winning time: 3m 43.8s

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Selected odds by:

Peace And Co^h²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D A Jacob| T: N J Henderson| OR: 144

11/2

Very good juvenile hurdler who was successful in the 2015 Triumph Hurdle but had had his problems since then only running four times. Lack of race fitness didn't help last time out but he's still a classy individual and even under top weight here can't be written off easily.

Form: 1163P/0-

Court Minstrel⁵⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 144

20/1

More than likely had his chance to win something like this but did run a sound enough race last time out in the County Hurdle. Age looks to be against him here although his trainer does have a good record in this and that makes him worthy of respect.

Form: 245090-

Zubayr²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 142

8/1

Narrowly beaten in the Scottish Champion Hurdle last time out his trainer remains convinced that he can get a big race out of him. The handicapper has nudged him up another 4lb for that defeat though and that makes life tough again.

Form: 3F5062-

High Secret³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 141

16/1

Only lightly raced over hurdles he was formerly a fairly decent Flat horse for Sir Mark Prescott. He's two from four over hurdles and has a good fourth in a Grade One novice to his name and a repeat of that form would give him a live chance here.

Form: 1314-

Optimus Prime^t⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: N D Fehily| T: D Skelton| OR: 140

12/1

A switch to more patient tactics looked to have really worked the oracle for the ex-French hurdler when he was coming to win his race last time out at Newbury. Badly hampered he was left with little chance but he looks to be capable of better form now although the ground would be a worry with all his best form coming with cut.

Form: 22/82P6-

Fergall^p⁴²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: Kevin Jones⁽⁵⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 140

22/1

An intriguing contender as he ran well in this two seasons ago off a 1lb higher mark and he's been very lightly raced in this sphere since. Had a run on the AW that may have been to tune him up for this and he's one of the darker contenders in this race.

Form: 8747/43-

Red Tornado²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Bridget Andrews⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 137

33/1

The five-timer this one rattled up at around this time last year saw him attract the attention of the handicapper and that has made life tough for him ever since. His recent runs have been solid enough but he does look to have a little to do at the weights after his winning spree.

Form: 111733-

Vosne Romanee^b,t²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 136

25/1

May be just working his way back to form after being in good form at this time last year before taking a break. Given some tough tasks in the spring in big handicap hurdles and made a better fist of things at Ayr last time in the Scottish Champion Hurdle and could be one to look out for here as long as the ground stays good.

Form: 1/1-074P

London Prize²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 135

8/1

Very consistent sort who showed his best form when winning the Imperial Cup in March and he deserved to take his chance in the Scottish Champion Hurdle. He looks a likely sort for this given how the race will be run and his stable have been in fine form of late.

Form: 312F17-

John Constable^t³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: D N Russell| T: Evan Williams| OR: 134

5/1

Has run well in this race before but has been rather disappointing over the winter in some tough handicap hurdles. Looked much better when running off a mark of 129 at Aintree when he travelled well before falling at the last. The handicapper has rather harshly put him up 5lb for that effort but he and his stable have a good record in this and he can't be ignored.

Form: 47600F-

Holly Bush Henry^p1,t³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: P J Brennan| T: D Killahena & G McPherson| OR: 134

33/1

A capable hurdler who failed to really fire over fences it wasn't a total surprise to see him back over the smaller obstacles. He now has the cheekpieces applied for the first time over hurdles but on balance the handicap looks a little high.

Form: 62123-9

William H Bonney⁶³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King| OR: 133

14/1

Showed his best form when winning a Cheltenham handicap hurdle in January but he failed to fire after that and avoided Cheltenham and Aintree. He can run a little keenly in the early stages and a fast run race would really suit him here.

Form: 10/8107-

Song Light^p²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Daniel Sansom⁽⁷⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 132

12/1

He hasn't won over hurdles since 2014 but he has a whole host of good placed efforts to his name in top-class handicap hurdles including in this race. Ran into an unexposed hurdler last time out when purring in another good effort and it won't surprise to see him put another good effort in here.

Form: 75/3402-

Zulu Oscar³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Matt Griffiths| T: J Scott| OR: 131

14/1

Down in the weights last time out for his new yard when landing a gamble at Chepstow over 2m he's been raised 9lb for that romp. This is clearly tougher but he's hard to totally leave out of the equation looking on the up again.

Form: 17P71-7

Traditional Dancer²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Henry Brooke| T: I Jardine| OR: 131

40/1

Won a couple of hurdles last season and overall has a decent record on the Northern circuit but disappointed in the Scottish Champion Hurdle last time out and has work to do with the majority of these.

Form: 11P330-

Great Fighter^v¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Callum Bewley⁽³⁾| T: J S Goldie| OR: 131

25/1

In the form of his life at present having won ay Ayr and Perth recently and his yard are in good form on the Flat. He's now up to a career high mark of 131 and that may well just halt his winning run in a better race.

Form: 753411-

Multiculture⁵²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 130

7/1

Just one defeat over hurdles on his record so far and that came at the hands of the smart High Bridge at Newbury. He fairly demolished a limited bunch of rivals at Warwick last time out and now goes handicapping in a tough contest on ground a little quicker than he's won on before but dangerous to totally rule out.

Form: 1311-

Forecasts

John Constable (5/1), Peace And Co (11/2), Multiculture (7/1), Zubayr (8/1), London Prize (8/1), Optimus Prime (12/1), Song Light (12/1), William H Bonney (14/1), Zulu Oscar (14/1), High Secret (16/1), Court Minstrel (20/1), Fergall (22/1), Great Fighter (25/1), Vosne Romanee (25/1), Holly Bush Henry (33/1), Red Tornado (33/1), Traditional Dancer (40/1)

The key to this contest is probably the Scottish Champion Hurdle with plenty of these having contested that race coming on here for another red-hot renewal of this top class handicap hurdle. Zubayr was just touched off in the Ayr race and has sound claims again in this although the slight rise in the weights makes his task more difficult. Vosne Romanee was fourth in that race and can make his presence felt again but with the Ian Williams stable continuing to go well his LONDON PRIZE looks the most interesting out of the Ayr race with a good pace to aim at. There are a whole host of others with claims in this though with Optimus Prime, John Constable (stable 1144 in this race since 2013), Peace And Co and Song Light in a rather long shortlist.