16:50 Bangor

Friday 4 August 2017

All13:3014:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:50

R W Hough & Sons Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:50 | Winning time: 5m 37.8s

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Selected odds by:

Howaboutnever^p¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Teal⁽⁸⁾| T: R A Teal| OR: 100

11/1

Recorded his fourth hurdles success when defying odds of 25-1 in a Worcester selling handicap hurdle last time. Has been raised 5lb for that success and will do well to follow up.

Form: 5PP-051

Ultimate Dream^b⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Killian Moore⁽³⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 97| D

20/1

Recorded handicap hurdle wins at Taunton in December and Exeter in April, but recent efforts - the last two over fences - have been far removed from those runs. Cannot be recommended on the back of those displays.

Form: 101-7P6

Backoftherock^h1,t¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: C Gethings| T: D A Rees| OR: 88

14/1

Best effort since joining current trainer when a close fifth of eight in a 3m 2f handicap hurdle at Newton Abbot last month. That gives connections something on which to build and a hood is fitted for the first time.

Form: 3-RU785

Blackwell Synergy^p⁵⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 10-11| J: W Featherstone| T: Tracey Leeson| OR: 85| D

33/1

Has six hurdles wins on his CV, but is not getting any younger and recent displays suggest he is on the downgrade. Well held at Uttoxeter last time.

Form: 507P9-6

Court Baloo^v1³³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Grant Cockburn| T: A C Whillans| OR: 82| CD

12/1

Won a C&D handicap hurdle off a 4lb higher mark in April, last year, so well handicapped on that effort. Three runs this season have been disappointing and connections reach for a visor in an attempt to find a solution.

Form: 13P37-P

Simply Blessed^p¹⁵⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: James Bowen⁽⁸⁾| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 82

6/1

Showed promise in bumpers, but five starts over hurdles have failed to yield a placing. No obvious reason why this race should be any different despite her reduced handicap mark.

Form: 78075P-

Aristocracy⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: F O'Brien| OR: 80

3/1

Has run in three Flat races since joining his current stable and now switches back to timber. He is undeniably well handicapped on his old hurdles form and, given the recent promise shown on the level, is very much one to consider.

Form: 7P6486/

Plantagenet¹⁰⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-3| J: Daniel Sansom⁽⁸⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 77

5/1

Best recent effort was a 3L second of 10 at Kempton in April. Makes his first appearance for this stable and, with few miles on the clock, has the scope to improve. Interesting if the market speak for him.

Form: 59PP24-

Sgt Bull Berry¹⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-1| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: P Maddison| OR: 75| D

25/1

Won a chase over 3m 3½ furlongs at Stratford in April, but three subsequent runs over the bigger obstacles have seen him pull up. Switches back to hurdles and can only be watched at present.

Form: PU1-PPP

Present Trend⁶¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Ross Chapman⁽³⁾| T: R Ford| OR: 74

9/1

Won a 2m4f handicap hurdle at Worcester 11 months ago and gets in here off a 2lb lower mark. Not much encouragement in recent outings, but handicapped to make an impact if staging a revival.

Form: 136-675

Moscow Calling⁶³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Callum Bewley| T: N G Richards| OR: 74

12/1

His second of 11 in a Musselburgh handicap is by far his best recent piece of form, but he has been unable to back it up. Would have serious claims on that run and gets in here bang on the 10-stone mark.

Form: 7728-P9

Toe To Toe²⁸⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽³⁾| T: Mrs D A Hamer| OR: 73

7/1

Showed very little in five starts for Kerry Lee in 2016 and tries his luck for a new trainer. Runs from 1lb out of the handicap and has a lengthy absence to overcome.

Form: 3/PPP64-

Sovinnie^p,t²³⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Conor Ring| T: Miss Jane Mathias| OR: 72

25/1

Has failed to hit the frame in 12 hurdles starts and it is hard to see that trend being bucked from 2lb out of the handicap.

Form: 765770-

Seymour Legend^b²⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 10-0| J: M Hamill| T: A J Wilson| OR: 71| D

33/1

Approaching the twilight of a career which has yielded two hurdles wins from 22 attempts. Would have a squeak on his third of 11 at Huntingdon last November, but recent efforts have not been encouraging.

Form: 0306-P6

Non-Runners

Burgess View⁸

Weight: 12-0| Age: 7

T: Mike Hammond J: Charlie Hammond

Ange Des Malberaux¹¹

Weight: 11-9| Age: 7

T: J Ewart J: Steven Fox

Apachee Prince²

Weight: 10-13| Age: 8

T: A C Whillans J: Kieron Edgar

Forecasts

Aristocracy (3/1), Ange Des Malberaux (4/1), Plantagenet (5/1), Simply Blessed (6/1), Toe To Toe (7/1), Present Trend (9/1), Howaboutnever (11/1), Court Baloo (12/1), Moscow Calling (12/1), Backoftherock (14/1), Apachee Prince (14/1), Ultimate Dream (20/1), Sgt Bull Berry (25/1), Sovinnie (25/1), Burgess View (25/1), Blackwell Synergy (33/1), Seymour Legend (33/1)

Lots of these are either out of form or on the downgrade. Moscow Calling catches the eye off a low mark for his good stable and would have a serious chance if able to reproduce a decent run at Musselburgh, but he is not consistent enough for betting purposes and the ones to concentrate on are Ange Des Malberaux, and ARISTOCRACY. The former has to cope with a weight rise and step up in trip after his win at Cartmel, but the selection is potentially well handicapped after showing glimpses of his old Flat ability on his three outings for his new stable. Plantagenet has prospects and looks best of the rest.