Great North Swim Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:30 | Winning time: 6m 14.6s

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Selected odds by:

Fly Vinnie¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 12-1| J: Rachel McDonald⁽⁷⁾| T: A M Thomson| OR: 121

8/1

Returned from a lengthy absence at Perth last month, having been heavily eased at Musselburgh in February 2015, so clearly has had issues. Given a chance by the assessor and now races from the same mark as he won off at Musselburgh on New Years Day 2015 (3m soft).

Form: 31510/0-

Landecker¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr Kit Alexander⁽⁵⁾| T: N W Alexander| OR: 118

4/1

Loves Kelso (four time winner at the Borders track), and was spotted finishing with his usual late rattle over 2m6f there in early April. Not beaten too far at Perth on his latest outing despite finishing fifth of six, and drops back a couple of furlongs today.

Form: 158235-

Bourne^v⁶⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-9| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 115

8/1

A real character, and not as good as he once was but retains ability, having won three times since July 2016. Well suited by decent ground, and was beaten 11L from this mark on less suitable heavy ground when last in action at Ayr in March 2017.

Form: 134252-

Waterclock^p¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: H Thompson Brown⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 110

13/2

His sole success over hurdles came in a 2m4f Kelso maiden in September 2015, and he's taken his time to come back down the weights, with this mark of 110 now looking more reasonable. Plugged on to be 9L fourth to stablemate Tuscan Gold over an extreme distance on the Flat at Pontefract latest.

Form: 34/7974-

Jac The Legend^b²²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr Kaine Wood⁽⁷⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 110

4/1

Has seen plenty of action since the turn of the year, eventually winning last month at Sedgefield over 3m3f (good) from a 4lb lower mark. Renews rivalry with Grand Enterprise, having raced once more since when a mid to rear finish in a Class 3 handicap at Ayr won by Beer Goggles.

Form: 035810-

Grand Enterprise³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Jamie Hamilton⁽³⁾| T: H Hogarth| OR: 107

9/2

Took advantage of a good mark (95) to score at Doncaster in January (3m), but has been held from higher marks since; albeit twice a runner up. Raised another 3lb for his ½L second to Jac The Legend at Sedgefield last month (3m3f), and this drop in trip could help reverse the placings.

Form: 314252-

Bescot Springs^b¹⁷

Age: 12| Weight: 10-13| J: Alexander Thorne⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 105

5/1

Veteran who is well suited by this track, and was a game winner of a C&D event in March (soft). Dropped 2lb for a pair of subsequent defeats elsewhere, and just 3lb higher for that March 2017 course success.

Form: 614137-

Forecasts

Landecker (4/1), Jac The Legend (4/1), Grand Enterprise (9/2), Bescot Springs (5/1), Waterclock (13/2), Bourne (8/1), Fly Vinnie (8/1)

A tight handicap. Grand Enterprise looks capable of getting the better of old rival Jac The Legend over this slightly shorter trip, but there probably isn't a great deal to choose between both horses. Bourne has been waiting for this better ground, whilst Bescot Springs should never be written off at Hexham despite his advancing years. However, a real chance is taken on the Micky Hammond trained WATERCLOCK. His recent hurdles form is no great shakes and he was comfortably beaten on the Flat at Pontefract by a stablemate recently, but he was mixing it from marks of 122 at Wetherby early in 2016, and with 10lb claimer Hugo Thompson Brown booked, he effectively races from a much reduced mark of 100 today.