17:15 Wetherby

Thursday 29 March 2018

All14:0014:3015:0515:4016:1516:4517:15

Racing Again On Friday 6th April Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 17:15 | Winning time: 6m 23.3s

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Selected odds by:

Zamparelli^t²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 100| D

9/2

Irish point-to-point winner who ran well over fences at Southwell last time. 2lb drop won't do any harm for this return to hurdles, handles cut in the ground and may well improve for the return to this longer trip. Interesting.

Form: 7166-53

Rising Marienbard⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 100| D

15/2

Won an Irish point-to-point on his only start between the flags and showed his best form yet over hurdles when stepped up to this trip at Musselburgh last time (beaten 4½L). Slight concern over the forecast ground but has a squeak if he handles it.

Form: 106-074

Floramoss²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: B S Hughes| T: G Boanas| OR: 97

4/1

Placed in 6-10 races over hurdles but remains a maiden. Recorded her best effort yet at Catterick (3m1½f, soft) earlier in the month and from the same mark she is entitled to plenty of respect.

Form: 2-04433

Dig A Bit Deeper³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: T D Easterby| OR: 97

40/1

Best effort so far was here over 2m in January, but a shade disappointing when stepped up to 2m3½f back here last time. May do better on this less testing ground now going handicapping and a market check looks prudent.

Form: 49-P858

Innis Shannon⁴⁷⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 90

50/1

Won a Hexham maiden hurdle in November 2015 (2m4f, heavy). Form tailed off in early part of last season and not seen for 15-months. Looks best watched this time.

Form: 38/FPP3-

Witness⁴³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: Miss Becky Smith⁽⁵⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 87

5/1

Scored over both fences/hurdles on a sound surface when trained in France. Has looked regressive in the past 18-months or so for this stable and another 3lb drop still gives him a bit to do on recent evidence.

Form: 34-6346

K O Kenny^p³²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Jamie Bargary⁽³⁾| T: A Crook| OR: 85

12/1

Has shown an occasional flicker of promise, including when a 4½L runner-up at Southwell (3m, soft) last time. 3lb rise for that is no help and he may have to wait for other days to break his duck.

Form: 765-902

Once An Angel^t²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Ross Chapman⁽³⁾| T: M Todhunter| OR: 80

7/1

Improved on her previous form when a 4L runner-up at Carlisle (2m3½f, heavy) earlier in the month. Has been dropped 1lb after that and if she is able to repeat or better it over this longer trip then she is not ruled out.

Form: 04P842

Cant Pay Wont Pay^v1¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-6| J: Thomas Dowson⁽³⁾| T: R Dobbin| OR: 80| D

10/1

Point-to-point and hunter chase winner who handles soft ground. 11lb lower here than when 13½L third (3m) over fences here on Boxing Day and not ruled out in first-time visor if he takes to the smaller obstacles.

Form: 2U3U75

Border Victor^p²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: F P Murtagh| OR: 80

7/1

Has put in a couple of his better efforts at this venue (both on good) and ran well at Ayr last time on first run after wind surgery. Not the most consistent, so whether he can repeat the feat is open to a bit of doubt.

Form: 47-7P83

Non-Runners

Aniknam¹⁶

Weight: 11-6| Age: 8

T: P A Kirby J: A Nicol

Forecasts

Floramoss (4/1), Zamparelli (9/2), Witness (5/1), Border Victor (7/1), Once An Angel (7/1), Aniknam (7/1), Rising Marienbard (15/2), Cant Pay Wont Pay (10/1), K O Kenny (12/1), Dig A Bit Deeper (40/1), Innis Shannon (50/1)

This does not look to be the most competitive of nightcaps and topweight ZAMPARELLI can cap what could be a good day for trainer Dan Skelton. The return to this trip could be the key to his chance. Rising Marienbard put in a very respectable effort at Musselburgh last time and is likely to be a danger if he acts on soft ground. Dig A Bit Deeper is an interesting handicap debutante, with Once An Angel and Cant Pay Wont Pay others to consider.