16:20 Sedgefield

Sunday 29 January 2023

All12:5013:2514:0014:3515:1015:4516:20

Free Tips Daily On attheraces.com Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:35 | Winning time: 4m 15.75s

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Selected odds by:

Bridge Road^p³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 105

4/1

Got off the mark in refitted cheekpieces in 2m handicap at Leicester before good staying-on third off 6 lb higher mark at Wetherby 34 days ago. That form has been franked so he's a player off the same mark.

Form: 252713

Bahtiyar^h,t1³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: J M Quinlan| T: H Whittington| OR: 105

11/2

Fair ex-French maiden hurdler. 25/1 and hooded for 1st time, creditable fifth of 13 in handicap at Market Rasen (18.6f) 34 days ago. Tongue strap back on. Ought to be in the shake-up.

Form: 73-3265

Fearless Action¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny McMenamin| T: C Grant| OR: 103

9/1

Runner-up twice late in 2021 and shaped as if run was needed after a 13-month absence when fourth of 9 in novice here (19.8f) 16 days ago. Much respected on his handicap debut.

Form: 57226-4

Russian Virtue⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Nathan Moscrop| T: R Menzies| OR: 101

10/3

Thriving for his current yard and dual 2m hurdlers scorer before completing his hat-trick in 4-runner Flat handicap at Newcastle (10.2f) 7 days ago, digging deep. Not taken lightly back over hurdles.

Form: 266P-11

Edgar Allan Poe²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Thomas Willmott⁽³⁾| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 98

17/2

Seven-time winner on the Flat who got off the mark in this sphere in 13-runner handicap hurdle at Catterick (15.7f) 28 days ago. Needs considering despite taking a 4 lb rise.

Form: 52-801

El Jefe^h²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: William Shanahan⁽⁷⁾| T: A B Hamilton| OR: 96| CD

11/1

C&D winner in 2021 but off 10 months before coming in tailed-off ninth of 12 to Russian Virtue in handicap hurdle at Musselburgh (15.6f) 26 days ago. Needs to bounce back.

Form: 52567-9

Silkstone^p⁶⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Emma Smith-Chaston⁽³⁾| T: D Brooke| OR: 88| CD

6/1

Finally got his head in front in this sphere over C&D and followed up here off a 6 lb higher mark later in November. Up another 4 lb but he must enter calculations in his hat-trick bid.

Form: 354211

Wakey Wakey^b,t³³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: T D Easterby| OR: 100

28/1

Fair maiden on Flat but he disappointed in first-time blinkers when tenth of 14 in juvenile hurdle at Wetherby (16f) 33 days ago. More is needed now going into handicaps.

Form: 330

Bushmill Boy³⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-6| J: Craig Nichol| T: D Thompson| OR: 83

8/1

Yet to score over hurdles but he posted a creditable fifth of 18 in handicap at Newcastle (2m4f) 34 days ago. Can make presence felt once more off a 3 lb lower mark.

Form: 536745

Calculus^p⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: Philip Armson⁽³⁾| T: Sara Ender| OR: 80

50/1

Modest 1m4f winner on Flat. Last of 9 in Flat handicap at Southwell (16.5f) 45 days ago so more needed back over hurdles in first-time cheekpieces in this code.

Form: 543P

Agent Empire^t1²²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Ben Jones| T: O Signy| OR: 72

33/1

Fairly useful on Flat in Germany but lightly raced and hard to enthuse about given his efforts over hurdles for current yard. Tongue tied now.

Form: 9P8-P

Blame The Farrier³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Joe Williamson⁽⁵⁾| T: D Thompson| OR: 71

100/1

Unplaced in bumpers and has gone with little promise sent hurdling on his last 3 starts. 8 lb out of the handicap here too.

Form: 56-788P

Forecasts

Russian Virtue (10/3), Bridge Road (4/1), Bahtiyar (11/2), Silkstone (6/1), Bushmill Boy (8/1), Edgar Allan Poe (17/2), Fearless Action (9/1), El Jefe (11/1), Wakey Wakey (28/1), Agent Empire (33/1), Calculus (50/1), Blame The Farrier (100/1)

A case can be made for a few of these but BRIDGE ROAD still looks handily weighted with the form of his recent Wetherby third working out well so he edges the vote. Russian Virtue is thriving under the tutelage of Rebecca Menzies and rates a big threat, while hat-trick seeking Silkstone and in-form duo Bushmill Boy and Bahtiyar can have a say too.