Happy 70th Birthday Lesley Gray Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 18:00 | Winning time: 4m 46.23s

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Selected odds by:

Honkytonktennessee^p⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 117

9/2

Had been doing well over fences, winning two (plus a hurdle) since joining this yard and now reverts to the smaller obstacles after falling last time. Likely to need to run to his best to win again from this mark.

Form: 1-4231F

Almost Gemini^p¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Robert Hogg⁽⁷⁾| T: Kenneth Slack| OR: 115| BF| CD

7/2

Has won four times since joining this trainer, though none yet in 2017, but fit from the Flat. Best with some cut in the ground, so rain would be a plus, but if he can produce his running here then he has a squeak from this mark.

Form: 215/F33-

Its Pandorama⁴⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: C R King| T: B Ellison| OR: 112| BF

12/1

Has been in decent form this summer and won a Cartmel maiden hurdle (2m6f, good to soft) in June. Handicapper had his measure from 1lb higher on his handicap debut last time, so needs to improve here.

Form: 88-4213

Desert Island Dusk^t¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Daragh Bourke⁽³⁾| T: M A Barnes| OR: 112

10/1

Enjoyed a good spring and scored at Hexham (2m, good) in June from 4lb lower. Back to form again with a decent effort from this mark at Bangor last time, but has a bit to find to record a fourth career success.

Form: 4-21553

Danceintothelight^t¹⁰¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: Theo Gillard⁽⁷⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 111| C

16/1

Won here over 2m5f a couple of years ago and has progressed since then. Goes on any ground and now back on the mark from which he last won at Musselburgh in January, so could put some indifferent spring form behind him.

Form: 61434-P

Cape Of Glory^v²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: B S Hughes| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 112

4/1

Showed some ability in a couple of hurdles runs last season and made a reasonable return to this sphere last time out. 2lb drop since then will help and he is not ruled out in just his second handicap.

Form: 13-6

Hawkhurst^p⁴⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: R P McLernon| T: B Haslam| OR: 108

22/1

Pulled up over fences last time. Has made the frame over hurdles on three successive occasions prior to that, but a 3lb drop since his last run over them at Hexham in June does not look sufficient to see him break his rules duck.

Form: U3-233P

Craig Star^p1²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 107| D

10/3

Yard's first string on jockey bookings here. However, he was comfortably held from this mark at Bangor last time and is no good thing on the evidence of several other recent runs. Cheekpieces need to have a positive effect.

Form: 83-2343

Forecasts

Craig Star (10/3), Almost Gemini (7/2), Cape Of Glory (4/1), Honkytonktennessee (9/2), Desert Island Dusk (10/1), Its Pandorama (12/1), Danceintothelight (16/1), Hawkhurst (22/1)

Honkytonktennessee has the ability to have a big say if running to form, while Almost Gemini and the Donald McCain-trained pair Danceintothelight and Craig Star are others with claims. However, CAPE OF GLORY is a youngster with a future and having had a sighter in handicap company, today might just be his day.