Virgin Bet Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:40 | Winning time: 3m 51.3s

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Selected odds by:

Fine Casting²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Kielan Woods| T: B Pauling| OR: 120| D

2/1

Progressive, winning Ffos Las maiden and Newbury handicap (both 2m) in recent months. 6 lb rise doesn't look enough to stop him with further progress on cards.

Form: 10-6211

Osprey Call^h³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Alex Edwards⁽³⁾| T: A Ralph| OR: 118| D

12/1

Has fallen on both hurdling outings this term, then faced a stiff task on chasing debut in novice at Hereford last time. Mark looks fair if he can get round.

Form: 412-FF6

Elham Valley^p1,t⁵⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Peter Kavanagh⁽⁷⁾| T: F O'Brien| OR: 116| D

9/1

Beat Hudson de Grugy in a Sandown juvenile event last term, and fine third in Fred Winter at Cheltenham in March. Below par this term, but at least his mark is on the slide. Cheekpieces go on.

Form: 333-786

Dibble Decker¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: J J Burke| T: T Lacey| OR: 114| D

3/1

Point winner who stepped up considerably on his 2½m Newcastle hurdle debut third when making all at Huntingdon 3 weeks later, proving well suited by drop back to 2m. Unexposed now handicapping.

Form: 1631

Horizon D'Ainay^t1⁶²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 109| BF

7/2

Fourth in course bumper last spring and runner-up in a pair of 2m maiden hurdles this term. Tongue tie added now handicapping. Should have more to offer for top stable.

Form: 4-22

Genuflex^p,t²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Kevin Jones| T: M F Harris| OR: 115WS

11/2

Quickly struck over hurdles at Sedgefield in October. Couple of good placed efforts to his name since. Has had wind surgery since latest run. Opening handicap mark looks workable.

Form: 21203

Master Blaze^p1,t⁴⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-6| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 112

33/1

Fairly useful hurdler/chaser in France who has been disappointing so far over hurdles in this country. Needs cheekpieces to perk him up.

Form: 222169

Forecasts

Fine Casting (2/1), Dibble Decker (3/1), Horizon D'Ainay (7/2), Genuflex (11/2), Elham Valley (9/1), Osprey Call (12/1), Master Blaze (33/1)

Quite an interesting handicap. FINE CASTING gets the nod to extend his winning sequence to 3 but Horizon d'Ainay and Dibble Decker are other lightly-raced sorts who should have more to offer so he's unlikely to have things all his own way. Genuflex is another who has the potential to play a prominent role.