15:40 Uttoxeter

Thursday 23 July 2020

All12:3513:1013:4014:1014:4015:1015:4016:1016:40

Download The At The Races App Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:40 | Winning time: 4m 49.0s

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Selected odds by:

Espalion^t¹⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Rex Dingle⁽³⁾| T: J Scott| OR: 109

4/1

Landed a touch at Chepstow last April and after some moderate efforts after, is only 2lb higher here. Back on good ground today, which will help his cause no end, and has won after a short break before, so looks a big danger to all.

Form:

Mega Double²⁸⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Callum Bewley| T: James Moffatt| OR: 109| D

11/2

Consistent and gained a couple of deserved wins last season, but handicapper has been sensible and kept him on a fair mark. Conditions no problem but needed a run or two to put him straight last year, so might be best watched today.

Form:

Airton^p³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Fergus Gillard⁽⁷⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 108

10/1

Wasn't going anywhere quickly last year and his recent comeback run on the Flat saw him finish a well-beaten last of nine at Chepstow. May strip fitter for that but his case isn't convincing and others preferred.

Form:

Mantovani^b,t¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: S Bowen| T: H Fry| OR: 108

7/1

Some reasonable efforts in novice hurdles last year and conducted himself well when third at Market Rasen on latest start, showing more and only weakening late. May be running into form and more improvement likely at some stage.

Form:

Breffniboy²⁰⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Alain Cawley| T: J Farrelly| OR: 108

25/1

Caught the eye on more than one occasion in novice hurdles last year and again on handicap debut over 19f at Taunton, staying on when it was all too late. Looks capable of better and for a yard that can land a touch, needs watching in the market.

Form:

Mystic Court^h¹⁸⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: N de Boinville| T: B Pauling| OR: 107| D

12/1

Like many from the yard, looked very much out of sorts last year but is on a fair mark as a result now. Could be that, like one or two from the yard, fresh is the time to catch him, and so lightly raced, improvement is possible.

Form:

Yes No Maybe So¹⁹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: J J Burke| T: T Lacey| OR: 107

11/4

Bumper winner back in 2018 but in truth, hasn't really gone on from that and finished off last year with two very weak efforts. Possible that being back on better ground will help, and still time for new yard to turn him around.

Form:

Calvinist²⁰⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: B S Hughes| T: K Frost| OR: 106

10/1

Definite signs of ability in novice hurdles and was probably a bit out of his depth on handicap debut at Warwick, so that's forgiven. Has an absence to overcome, but does have a good effort over C&D to his name, so is another to consider.

Form:

Cotswold Prince^v1¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: James Best| T: M Keighley| OR: 104

9/1

Looked sure to win races based on a couple of his efforts in novice hurdles, and interesting he was kept to novices despite having a mark. Now looks on a very dangerous mark, yard going along okay and yet another to consider.

Form:

Robin Des People^p,t¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: C Brace⁽³⁾| T: D Brace| OR: 103| D

50/1

Minor point-to-point winner that didn't show a lot in handicap chases last season. Now reverts to hurdles and a new headgear combination tried, but in a competitive event, not hard to look elsewhere for the winner.

Form:

Non-Runners

Dog Of War²²⁴

Weight: 11-6| Age: 6

T: D Skelton J: Harry Skelton

Double Court²²¹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 9

T: N & W Twiston-Davies J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Yes No Maybe So (11/4), Espalion (4/1), Mega Double (11/2), Dog Of War (13/2), Mantovani (7/1), Double Court (7/1), Cotswold Prince (9/1), Calvinist (10/1), Airton (10/1), Mystic Court (12/1), Breffniboy (25/1), Robin Des People (50/1)

Plenty of these have chances of sorts, and no doubt that Dog Of War, for a yard that do so well here, is going to have plenty of supporters on his handicap debut. He should go well, but back on better ground it may be worth chancing ESPALION, who probably found winter ground against him for much of last season but had looked useful when winning a couple of handicaps at Chepstow, and may have more to come. Mantovani ran well on his latest start and can be considered, along with the unexposed Breffniboy, who is another for whom better ground may suit.