12:55 Doncaster

Saturday 28 January 2023

All12:2012:5513:3514:0514:4015:1515:5016:25

Happy 60th Birthday Neil Young Handicap Hurdle (Div 2)

Off time: 12:55 | Winning time: 4m 39.98s

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Selected odds by:

Vintage Fizz⁶³

Age: 6| Weight: 12-1| J: Charlie Hammond| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 121

17/2

Progressed during the spring, bagging handicaps at Bangor and Hexham, both at around 2½m on good to soft. However, below form both starts on return to action in the autumn. A bounce back is needed.

Form: R21-184

Big Bad Bear³⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Conor Rabbitt⁽⁷⁾| T: N G Richards| OR: 118| CD

13/2

Ended last season with handicap wins at Newcastle and Perth, and lost out only narrowly at Market Rasen (20.6f) in October. However, not in the same form when down the field over C&D and at Kelso on his last 2 starts.

Form: 435258

Norley^t³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Beau Morgan⁽⁷⁾| T: B Pauling| OR: 113| D

5/1

Immediately back on track following a wind op when readily winning 5-runner conditionals' event at Southwell (20.5f, good to soft) in December. Not in the same form when third over 2m at Taunton only 10 days later but respected having been freshened up since.,

Form: 5-47213

Give Me A Cuddle⁵⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: N de Boinville| T: N B King| OR: 112

15/2

Bumper winner. Relished step up to 2¾m when making winning hurdle debut at Stratford in May and second under a penalty in June. Off 6 months, too free when well-held sixth on 19.5f Lingfield handicap debut in December but that could have knocked the freshness out of him. Remains unexposed.

Form: 621-126

Trevada^t⁵⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: J J Burke| T: O Sherwood| OR: 110

9/2

Fair bumper scorer for Nigel Twiston-Davies and similar standard over hurdles for current yard, showing improved form with a tongue tie added (retained) when second on 21.5f Exeter handicap debut 8 weeks ago. Can win handicaps on that evidence but this drop back in trip isn't sure to suit.

Form: 1/36-282

Keepyourdreamsbig³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 109

10/1

Fair juvenile hurdler for Olly Murphy who stepped up on his chase debut effort for new yard when runner-up in that sphere at Leicester (2m) over Christmas, staying on. This longer trip should back hurdling. Remains fairly unexposed.

Form: 1P47-32

Gilbertina³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: B S Hughes| T: N Kent| OR: 108| C| D

2/1

Won 2m course juvenile in March 2021. Very lightly raced since but returned from another break better than ever when getting on top in the closing stages at Market Rasen (18.5f) on Boxing Day. 3 lb rise fair and the extra yardage here a help if anything. Big player.

Form: 5214/3-1

Non-Runners

Watergrange Jack³³

Weight: 11-7| Age: 7

T: N P Mulholland J: R T Dunne

Zafar⁵⁴

Weight: 10-13| Age: 8

T: D McCain Jnr J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Gilbertina (2/1), Trevada (9/2), Norley (5/1), Big Bad Bear (13/2), Give Me A Cuddle (15/2), Watergrange Jack (8/1), Zafar (8/1), Vintage Fizz (17/2), Keepyourdreamsbig (10/1)

An open race. The way that GILBERTINA saw things out at Market Rasen on Boxing Day suggests there could be a bit more to come over this slightly longer trip so she's selected to make light of a small rise. Watergrange Jack must be respected for a yard with a decent recent record in this race after his Boxing Day Wetherby second.