17:15 Doncaster

Friday 28 February 2020

All14:0014:3515:0515:4016:1016:4517:15

888Sport Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 17:20 | Winning time: 5m 13.0s

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Selected odds by:

Clondaw Pretender^t³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: Henry Brooke| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 111

8/1

Showed improved form when switched to handicaps last time with a first-time tongue-tie added (unlucky to bump into another unexposed sort). Given a short break since then and looks sure to go one better soon on the basis of last performance.

Form: 33-5662

Sleepy Haven^p²⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 110

10/1

In decent order without looking like winning prior to a below-par outing at Carlisle earlier in the month. Refitted with cheekpieces there (retained here) he's proving a difficult one to catch right and others make more appeal.

Form: 422339

Robin Gold²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Conor Shoemark| T: D Skelton| OR: 110

25/1

Made an inauspicious start to life with this yard falling on her handicap debut over fences at Market Rasen. Dual winning hurdler in Ireland off much lower marks that she faces here; would need to find some significant progress back over hurdles.

Form: 10070F

Royal Crown²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: T J O'Brien| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 109

6/1

Cost £110,000 after a runner-up effort in an Irish point-to-point; made an encouraging start to his hurdling career before failing to progress last time. Unexposed going handicapping (mark looks fine); may well be bet better at a bare 2m currently.

Form: 2-42

Wheesht³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Aidan Coleman| T: O Sherwood| OR: 108

8/1

Irish point-to-point winner who looks to have taken well to hurdles reaching the frame on both her starts with her debut form proving particularly strong. Deserves extra credit for her second last time out (poorly placed); more to offer in handicaps.

Form: 1-042

Norwegian Woods²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 107

11/1

Off the mark over hurdles when building on the promise of previous outings at Southwell in December off an 8lb lower mark. Put a rare poor effort behind him last time when proving hi stamina for longer trips; solid performer.

Form: 44F103

Gregarious^b³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Maxime Tissier⁽⁵⁾| T: L Wadham| OR: 107

8/1

Has yet to spark this season running poorly for the third time in a row last time with first-time blinkers having little effect (headgear retained here). Hard to recommend him at the moment given this lull in form, others appeal far more.

Form: 130-637

Do It For Thy Sen³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: J E Moore| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 106

18/1

Showed more than previously at Hereford on his penultimate start just racing a little to freely to be seen to full effect. Still in need of the experience last time (pulled hard again); more chance in handicaps but looks one for longer-term.

Form: 3/108-34

Oksana^t³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 105| D

20/1

Twice a winner last summer on better ground than she will face here and off lower marks. Given a pass fir her first run back after a break which she may have needed but in no sort of form since; ran a very lack-lustre race last time out, best watched

Form: 1317P7

Free Ski⁶³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: C J Todd⁽⁵⁾| T: S Allwood| OR: 105

7/1

Small yard who have won with four of their last six runners including the last three in a row. So far this Sans Frontiers gelding has shown very little but it may be advisable to watch the market now that he makes his handicap debut.

Form: 4/U-0967

Coniston Spa⁷⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Harry Bannister| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 102

40/1

Signs of ability in his first two hurdles starts looking as though he was one for handicaps but ran deplorably on his debut in that sphere. That race was over 3m in testing conditions so perhaps he shouldn't be totally written off back to this 2m3f.

Form: 3-34P

Rose Of Aghaboe³³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽⁵⁾| T: N J Gifford| OR: 99

16/1

Winner at the fourth attempt in Irish points she caused a shock when winning on her Rules debut at 40-1 in a Warwick bumper. Hasn't quite lived up to that victorious start switched to hurdles; switch to handicaps may help but not shortlisted.

Form: F1-1250

Eurkash^h⁷³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: W T Kennedy| T: P R Webber| OR: 97

33/1

Bumper form was nothing to write home about but he did show some promise in his qualifying runs for this sphere. Showed very little when switched handicaps for his last run over 2m never really getting involved; now back up in trip.

Form: 49-7448

Discko Des Plages^t³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Danny Cook| T: R Hobson| OR: 97

4/1

Originally handed a stiff handicap mark he did show some improvement despite that fact on his debut in this sphere early last year. Lightly-raced since he's produced nothing similar since; steps back up in trip, hard to enthuse over.

Form: 9739-U6

Non-Runners

Gris De Pron²⁸

Weight: 10-5| Age: 7

T: H Hogarth J: Jamie Hamilton

Forecasts

Discko Des Plages (4/1), Royal Crown (6/1), Free Ski (7/1), Clondaw Pretender (8/1), Wheesht (8/1), Gregarious (8/1), Sleepy Haven (10/1), Norwegian Woods (11/1), Rose Of Aghaboe (16/1), Gris De Pron (16/1), Do It For Thy Sen (18/1), Oksana (20/1), Robin Gold (25/1), Eurkash (33/1), Coniston Spa (40/1)

One or two that interest here and have pretensions of being better than this grade. Clondaw Pretender would certainly fall into that category having run well on his handicap debut at Sedgefield running into another likely type. His yard are a little quiet though and preference is for WHEESHT who makes a quick switch to handicaps having finished second last time in a race that wasn’t run to suit with her hurdles debut form looking very strong. Royal Crown should also be given a positive mention especially as he chased home a 130-rated rival last time and a repeat of that performance makes him look well handicapped. Any positive market forces for Free Ski should definitely be noted.