Bet At racinguk.com Mares' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:20 | Winning time: 4m 59.18s

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Same Circus¹⁸¹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-4| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 122

15/8

Kept much stronger company since winning by a wide margin at Catterick in February (3m1f soft). Eased in the weights a fraction, and represents a yard which does particularly well with mares. Much respected off top-weight.

Form: 222108-

My Little Cracker^p¹⁰⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Ross Chapman⁽⁵⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 116

10/1

A much improved mare last term, winning twice and finishing runner up twice over hurdles. However up the weights now, and her trainer has few options for her as we know that she hasn't much of a future over fences based upon past evidence.

Form: 32112-P

Verona Opera²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: J J Slevin⁽³⁾| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 112

6/1

Her strike rate isn't the strongest, and she's won just once over hurdles in 20 career starts (at Ayr in February 2017). However, she stays this trip and was a winner of a 2m5f Beginners Chase at Cartmel in June, so isn't dismissed.

Form: 2-23137

Cascaye^p²¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 111| BF

10/1

Southern raider who has her first taste of handicapping and is lightly raced after just six career starts. Managed to down a 1/10f when successful at Exeter in February (2m1f good to soft) and is open to further improvement.

Form: U28313-

Miss Mash²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: R Johnson| T: H D Daly| OR: 108| BF

3/1

Reliable in her grade, but an infrequent winner. Her 8L Worcester second to Turn Turk (late August) has been franked with the third placed horse Milan Of Crystal (twice) and the fourth placed horse Rebel Yeats both winning since.

Form: 42-6224

Cowslip^p¹⁶⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 102| CD

10/1

Won three on the bounce when thriving for George Moore in March 2015 (including over C&D), but has tasted success just once since, at Cartmel in August 2016. Falling in the weights and her time will come eventually. Trainer also saddles Same Circus.

Form: 4555P-P

Sapphire Noire²¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: C Gethings⁽³⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 100

16/1

Not set the world alight in novice hurdles, but after just four career starts still has time on her side. Probably only one to note on handicap debut if the market speaks in her favour.

Form: 0857-

Yeats Baby¹⁷¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: Henry Brooke| T: M Todhunter| OR: 98

12/1

Six race hurdles maiden who had shown little for previous trainer Ian Williams until a vastly improved effort at Warwick in May when 2¼L second to Market Road (2m3f good to soft). Moved onto new connections, but can she back that effort up?

Form: 97000-2

Forecasts

Same Circus (15/8), Miss Mash (3/1), Verona Opera (6/1), Cowslip (10/1), My Little Cracker (10/1), Cascaye (10/1), Yeats Baby (12/1), Sapphire Noire (16/1)

This mares contest doesn't make masses of appeal for punting purposes, but southern raiders Cascaye and Sapphire Noire offer potential for improvement now switched to handicapping. However, in seeking a selection, it pays to focus upon facts from the form book rather than speculation. Same Circus has a welter burden to carry even allowing for Lorcan Murtagh's 5lb claim, but she kept much stronger company than this in novice events after landing the odds at Catterick in February, and she comes here both stamina and ground proven and is very much respected. However, the vote just goes to the infrequent winner MISS MASH. The form of her penultimate start at Worcester has been franked by a couple of subsequent winners, and the hope is that the returning Richard Johnson can force her head to the front for just the second time in a soon to be 16 race career.