17:25 Warwick

Wednesday 10 April 2019

All14:1014:4015:1515:4516:2016:5017:2517:55

Andrew Whiting Wealth Consultancy Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 17:26 | Winning time: 5m 13.1s

Settings

Selected odds by:

He's A Goer^b¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: S Bowen| T: T Lacey| OR: 120| C

7/1

Won here last year over 2m (novice) but rather lost his way during the winter with a collection of below-par starts. Back in better form/spirits since returning from a break (headgear on both times); chance but not one for the shortlist.

Form:

Call Me Sid⁹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr P Mason⁽⁷⁾| T: J Mason| OR: 119| D

20/1

Only win remains a shock 100-1 victory in a Ludlow maiden; has been chasing of late with varying degrees of success (ran no sort of race last time, typically made mistakes). Back over hurdles now with headgear removed; one of the less likely types.

Form:

Massini Man¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: P J Brennan| T: T R George| OR: 119

33/1

Scored on his hurdles debut in what turned out to be a weak novice and has struggled since. Given his handicap debut last time out (off a mark of 123 - looked tough); dropped 4lb here but that doesn't look enough to make him of interest.

Form:

Raising The Bar³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 117| BF

7/2

Connections making up for lost time (had nearly two years off after his third bumper) as he's returned via a wind op. Better effort last time at Fakenham (will appreciate a more galloping track) when runner-up; handicap debut augurs better to come.

Form:

Supakalanistic⁵²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 117| BF

5/1

Returned to winning ways at Ludlow (3m) on his penultimate outing start (fallen below his last winning mark) having looked unexposed over staying trips. Failed to run to anywhere near the same form last time (folded tamely); has to bounce back.

Form:

Espoir De Loire¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: David Bass| T: B Pauling| OR: 114| BF| CD

6/1

Easy to back but showed the benefit of wind surgery when landing a C&D win on his first start back from that procedure (won with a bit in hand). Proved a major disappointment in his only run since; on a recovery mission here.

Form:

Dark Episode^h1²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 114| D

18/1

Heavily defeated in handicaps off a lower mark each time since beating three rivals in a Leicester novice hurdle over 2m4f. First-time hood needs to work some magic if he's to regain his form off what is a career-low mark.

Form:

Santiago de Cuba⁸⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 112

20/1

Won a bumper in Ireland on his debut but has failed to really kick on after that in novice events and a handicap for his former yard (twice beaten at odds-on). Looks to be being brought along gradually again (mark fallen again); one to watch.

Form:

Tempuran²⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: Charlie Hammond⁽³⁾| T: A Ralph| OR: 112| D

16/1

Long gap in his hurdling CV due to be being off for 16 months but shaped as if retaining all his old zip when third over 2m last time (entitled to come on for the run). Has won over this trip and not out of this if coming on for his last outing.

Form:

Comrade Conrad^p,t1¹³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 111

7/1

Hard to say that he's improved at all since winning a maiden hurdle at Ludlow at the start of last year (had some wind surgery since). Since that procedure he's looked more and more one to treat with trepidation and caution.

Form:

Book of Gold^t1⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: L P Aspell| T: O Sherwood| OR: 111

11/1

Has some sound enough efforts on his dance card last season over hurdles at up to 3m but sill to win a race. Looks to have lost his way of late despite being well found in the market of late; tongue-tie on first-time, bit to prove now.

Form:

Rightdownthemiddle^t¹⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-2| J: M Hamill⁽³⁾| T: S Curran| OR: 110| D

50/1

Took a Leicester selling hurdle for three-time Grand National winning trainer Gordon Elliott at the end of 2018 (last run for that yard). Offered very little in handicaps over fences/hurdles for his current handler.

Form:

Discko Des Plages^h³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Paul O'Brien⁽³⁾| T: R Hobson| OR: 107

8/1

Up in trip and on handicap debut last time over C&D he made a step forward on previous achievements although he still looks on a relatively stiff mark. 16L back from the winner he still needs to show more but can't be left out of calculations.

Form:

Non-Runners

Sam Chisolm²¹

Weight: 10-10| Age: 6

T: S-J Davies J: Mr Jason Dixon

Classic Tune³¹

Weight: 10-1| Age: 9

T: Miss C Dyson J: C J Todd

Forecasts

Raising The Bar (7/2), Supakalanistic (5/1), Espoir De Loire (6/1), Comrade Conrad (7/1), He's A Goer (7/1), Discko Des Plages (8/1), Book of Gold (11/1), Tempuran (16/1), Dark Episode (18/1), Call Me Sid (20/1), Santiago de Cuba (20/1), Classic Tune (20/1), Massini Man (33/1), Sam Chisolm (33/1), Rightdownthemiddle (50/1)

Another brain burning handicap for backers to solve with plenty in this having a chance of getting their heads in front. Raising The Bar is hard to ignore given his connections and he should appreciate this more galloping test he’s been set on his handicap debut. Both Superkalanistic and Espoir De Loire have to bounce back from disappointments last time but a return to this C&D may provide a spark for the latter. Tempuran isn’t out of this if he can step forward again from his latest outing but progress again is what DISCKO DES PLAGES has a chance of doing. He’s still fairly unexposed and despite a mark which looks on the stiff side is given a chance to make his mark here.