15:07 Hereford

Saturday 11 December 2021

All12:1212:4713:2213:5714:3215:0715:42

Black Mountain Botanicals Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:07 | Winning time: 6m 34.17s

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Selected odds by:

Terrierman^p³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Thomas Doggrell⁽⁷⁾| T: T Lacey| OR: 117

9/2

Lost his way in second half of last sesaon but back on track for new yard when second of 15 at Exeter (23f) last month. Put up 5 lb but the form has been boosted. The main threat to Vee Dancer.

Form: 27P8-42

Roccowithlove^p⁶⁵²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Caoilin Quinn⁽⁷⁾| T: W Greatrex| OR: 111

12/1

Absent since a win over 3m at Newbury in February 2020. Unexposed but betting is perhaps the best guide to expectations given the length of the lay-off.

Form: 7432F1/

Force De Frap²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Harry Reed| T: T Reed| OR: 105

66/1

Fair form over hurdles and fences in France. Didn't offer much on first start for new yard over 2m at Hexham last month and now goes significantly up in trip.

Form: 3373P-P

Pour Une Raison³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: James Best| T: N R Mitchell| OR: 101| D

33/1

Won a pair of handicaps last season but he was a long way behind the reopposing Terrierman on his Exeter reappearance a month ago. Needs to have come on a lot.

Form: 97371-0

Mercian Knight^b,t²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: G Sheehan| T: Miss A Murphy| OR: 100

14/1

Fairly useful 3m winner over hurdles in December 2019. Has lost his way over fences in more recent times but is well handicapped if a return to the smaller obstacles perks him up.

Form: 23P-PP5

Vee Dancer⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: K Brogan⁽³⁾| T: R McNally| OR: 100

1/4

Irish raider who displayed the odd quirk when scoring at Huntingdon last Sunday but he escapes a penalty as that was a conditional jockeys' event and is likely to be hard to beat again.

Form: 0080-61

Optimistic Bias^b1²¹

Age: 12| Weight: 10-8| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽⁵⁾| T: H J Evans| OR: 97

40/1

Veteran chaser who regained winning thread at Uttoxeter (3m) last November. However, he's been below that level since, including back hurdling the last twice. Blinkered first time.

Form: P43-406

Mount Oliver^p²¹⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 10-0| J: W T Kennedy| T: S-J Davies| OR: 86| D

50/1

Market Rasen chase winner for this yard in March. Off since a fall there in May. Races from 3 lb out of the handicap and perhaps best watched on this return to action.

Form: 33214-F

Forecasts

Vee Dancer (1/4), Terrierman (9/2), Roccowithlove (12/1), Mercian Knight (14/1), Pour Une Raison (33/1), Optimistic Bias (40/1), Mount Oliver (50/1), Force De Frap (66/1)

It's hard to ignore the claims of VEE DANCER given that he escapes a penalty for his conditional jockeys' success at Huntingdon last weekend. Indeed, he's even 3 lb lower here if the fact Kevin Brogan wasn't able to use his claim at Huntingdon is taken into account. The form of Terrierman's latest Exeter second has worked out so he's the obvious one for the forecast spot.