Gamble Responsibly With MansionBet Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:48 | Winning time: 7m 46.0s

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Selected odds by:

Point N Shoot^b⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Tom Buckley⁽⁷⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 114| CD

7/1

C&D winner; also successful from today's mark at Fontwell (3m2f, good/soft) in June; somewhat of a disappointment over fences - that discipline clearly doesn't suit; should relish a return to the smaller obstacles; stablemate of Lord Ballim.

Form: P-16F3U

Bryden Boy^p¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 113

11/8

No win since March 2017 (3m, Doncaster) and has fallen a whopping 18lb in the handicap as a result; always in the rear division on return to action at Aintree (3m, soft) 18 days ago; this looks to be a more realistic assignment.

Form: 26765-9

Lord Ballim^h,t⁴³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Kieren Buckley⁽⁷⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 113

11/4

Stablemate of Point N Shoot; his last win came over fences at Worcester (2m4f, soft) in May 2018, and that probably speaks volumes for his chances; same mark as when a moody/sulky 3L fourth at Huntingdon (3m1f) latest.

Form: U8-P4F4

Ballycrystal²⁵⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 112| C

5/1

Frustrating type who hasn't raced over hurdles since March 2017; left Brian Ellison for just £4,000 in May (regressive); has the necessary ability, and the hope must be that his in-form trainer can coax it out of him.; risky proposition.

Form: P/695PF-

The Model County²⁶⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: T J Phelan| T: A Phillips| OR: 88

8/1

Badly out of form since winning (somewhat reluctantly) at Southwell (3m1½f, soft) in February 2018; virtually impossible to fancy unless transformed by a 265-day absence.

Form: P1PP5/P-

Forecasts

Bryden Boy (11/8), Lord Ballim (11/4), Ballycrystal (5/1), Point N Shoot (7/1), The Model County (8/1)

Ballycrystal is arguably the most interesting runner on debut for the in-form Middleham trainer Micky Hammond. He'd have every chance of making a winning return to hurdles if fully rejuvenated by a change of scenery (was regressive for Brian Ellison), but in truth that's considered a rather sizeable 'if'. Furthermore, with both Lord Ballim and Bryden Boy having been unable to find a winning opportunity for some considerable time the attention switches to the April C&D winner POINT N SHOOT. He will almost certainly relish the return to the smaller obstacles (isn't cut out for chasing) and this won't take a great deal of winning.