19:00 Taunton

Wednesday 24 April 2024

All16:4217:1517:5018:2519:0019:3520:10

Dave Criddle Travel Handicap Hurdle (Div 2)

Off time: 19:00 | Winning time: 4m 39.08s

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Selected odds by:

Behind The Curtain¹⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Martin McIntyre⁽⁷⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 109

50/1

Fair maiden hurdler in Ireland who, following a couple of no-shows over fences for this yard, belied odds of 50/1 when landing a handicap back in this sphere at Wincanton (21.4f, heavy) last month. However, he ran no sort of a race at Exeter next time.

Form: 54/FP1P

Bertie Wooster³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Brendan Powell| T: J Tizzard| OR: 109

8/1

Yet to win but has made the frame on all but 2 of his 10 starts in this sphere. No match for Haiti Couleurs in a Chepstow novice (23.6f, heavy) last time but perhaps this drop back in trip/better ground will help and he's in with a shout.

Form: 3-32342

Stanley Pincombe⁷⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: Rex Dingle| T: C Gordon| OR: 108| CD

9/1

Consistent sort who resumed winning ways in 9-runner handicap hurdle over 20.5f at Plumpton in November. Followed that with a solid second over this C&D but 3 lb nudge has elevated him to a mark that is probably just beyond his reach.

Form: 12-6212

Mikhailovich^t¹³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: C Gethings| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 107

18/1

Got off the mark impressively at Huntingdon before posting a good third of 10 in handicap hurdle at Market Rasen (20.6f, good to soft) in November. However, latest effort was rather underwhelming and one or two of these look stronger.

Form: 73P-136

Despereaux^t1¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: David Noonan| T: Mrs J Williams| OR: 105| C

5/1

Dual winner last season, including here, and posted of his best effort of the current campaign when fourth in a 6-runner Exeter handicap (18.5f, heavy) recently. Down another 2 lb and won't be without an each-way chance if able to build on that effort in a first-time tongue strap.

Form: 0-35734

Bella Civena⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Paul O'Brien| T: Harry Derham| OR: 102

8/1

Looked potentially useful when landing an 8-runner Market Rasen junior hurdle (16.6f, heavy) last March but there has been no real progress in 3 subsequent starts.

Form: 1-753

Samazul⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Ben Jones| T: B Pauling| OR: 98| BF

9/1

Bumper winner last season and bettered what he showed on first 2 hurdles starts when fifth in a big-field Newbury novice (16.3f, soft) in January. Perhaps the testing conditions proved his undoing at Southwell following a wind op last month and he's not one to give up on just yet.

Form: 14-8053

Swift Hawk⁴⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 107| BF| C

13/8

Fair form on the Flat for William Knight and, having changed hands for 85,000 gns, he made the perfect start for new connections when scoring over 16.5f here in December. Testing conditions were against him at Stratford next time and can get back on track now handicapping on quicker ground.

Form: 13

Lifetime Legend^v³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: J M Quinlan| T: N B King| OR: 89| D

12/1

Largely struggled since opening his account at Catterick last February but the handicapper has given him a chance as a consequence and he returned to form when runner-up in a first-time visor (retained) at Huntingdon (20.7f, good to soft). Likely he'll be on the premises.

Form: 305762

Beau Haze¹³

Age: 11| Weight: 10-2| J: Lewis Stones⁽³⁾| T: P C Dando| OR: 79| D

28/1

Veteran who scored at Chepstow in March 2022 but very lightly raced since and he hasn't cut much ice in 2 starts since returning from a lengthy absence last month.

Form: 124/5-P6

Forecasts

Swift Hawk (13/8), Despereaux (5/1), Bertie Wooster (8/1), Bella Civena (8/1), Stanley Pincombe (9/1), Samazul (9/1), Lifetime Legend (12/1), Mikhailovich (18/1), Beau Haze (28/1), Behind The Curtain (50/1)

The most interesting of these by some way is SWIFT HAWK, who got bogged down in the deep ground at Stratford but conditions here will be more suitable and he makes his handicap debut in this sphere on a potentially handy mark. Bertie Wooster and Lifetime Legend can fill the places.