14:55 Cartmel

Monday 29 May 2023

All14:2014:5515:3016:0516:4017:1517:45

Tony Connell Memorial Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:55 | Winning time: 6m 13.5s

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Selected odds by:

Hillview⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: S Bowen| T: G Hanmer| OR: 134

11/1

Five wins from 19 runs. Good second of 9 in handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter (23f, good to soft, 16/1) 9 days ago. Respected for a yard with a very good recent record in this race.

Form: 31224-2

I Spy A Diva¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 130

7/1

Won 3 on the bounce at up to 3m last autumn and added to tally in 21f Warwick handicap 16 days ago. A further 5 lb rise makes life harder but no shock were she to find a bit more.

Form: 11163-1

Aramax^p,t³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: R P McLernon| T: B Haslam| OR: 127

9/2

Winner of the Fred Winter for Gordon Elliott at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival. Drawn a blank since Fairyhouse maiden chase win in January 2021 but back on track for new yard lately, finishing second over 3m at Ayr latest. Considered.

Form: 877732-

Minella Escape⁴³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Leah Noreci⁽¹⁰⁾| T: James Moffatt| OR: 126

50/1

Fairly useful hurdler/chaser for Henry de Bromhead, although not at his best in 4 outings last season. Bounce back needed on first outing for new stable.

Form: 74F/0P3-

My Bobby Dazzler⁵¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Alex Edwards| T: Mrs M Rowley| OR: 121| D

9/2

Three Aintree wins in 2021. Back in form when reaching the frame in big-field handicaps as Chepstow and Haydock this spring. Likely to be in the mix again.

Form: 37/P524-

Tiger Jet¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Henry Brooke| T: B Ellison| OR: 118

15/2

Career best when winning 15-runner 3m Haydock handicap in April but a 7 lb rise was enough to find him out back there since.

Form: 13761-6

Langdale Lane³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: B S Hughes| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 117

7/1

Showed improved form to get off the mark in 9-runner maiden over 20.4f at Ayr in February. Creditable second in handicap there last month. Likely to be in the shake-up.

Form: 334712-

Scrum Diddly^p⁷^{(ex 7)}

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Brendan Powell| T: O Sherwood| OR: 109

4/1

Improved since handicapping in headgear, winning around 3m at Ludlow and Ffos Las in recent weeks. More needed to complete a hat-trick in this higher grade but further progress can't be discounted.

Form: 0962-11

Mr Yeats^p¹⁸⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Bradley Harris⁽⁵⁾| T: M F Harris| OR: 114

18/1

Won a brace of 26.5f handicaps at Newton Abbot last September. Continued in good heart later in the autumn. Can play a part if ready to roll after 6 months off.

Form: 311234-

Moonlight Spirit^p³²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: Charlotte Jones⁽³⁾| T: James Moffatt| OR: 112

16/1

Smart stayer on Flat in 2019 for Charlie Appleby and made a winning hurdles debut at Carlisle in December 2021. Little promise in 4 subsequent starts, though, falling heavily at Perth last month.

Form: 1/PF9F-

Our Sam^t⁷⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Danny McMenamin| T: James Moffatt| OR: 106| D

22/1

Opened his account in 25f Carlisle handicap last month in February but he needs to shrug off a poor run at Hexham the following month.

Form: 397219-

Forecasts

Scrum Diddly (4/1), Aramax (9/2), My Bobby Dazzler (9/2), Langdale Lane (7/1), I Spy A Diva (7/1), Tiger Jet (15/2), Hillview (11/1), Moonlight Spirit (16/1), Mr Yeats (18/1), Our Sam (22/1), Minella Escape (50/1)

Gary Hanmer has won 3 of the last 4 runnings of this so the suggestion is HILLVIEW who returned from a break with a good second at Uttoxeter recently. Aramax has found his feet for the Ben Haslam yard this spring and is second choice ahead of the hat-trick seeking Scrum Diddly and Stuart Crawford's Langdale Lane.