eventmasters.co.uk 40th Anniversary Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:48 | Winning time: 5m 13.28s

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Selected odds by:

No Ordinary Joe¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Callum Pritchard⁽⁵⁾| T: N J Henderson| OR: 138

14/1

Lightly raced 9-y-o who ended last term in good form, shaping much better than distance beaten suggests when seventh in Martin Pipe at the Festival in March. However, hasn't shown a great deal in 2 starts so far this season and yard saddles a more appealing candidate in Shanagh Bob.

Form: P837-57

Act Of Authority⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Lewis Saunders⁽⁷⁾| T: O Murphy| OR: 134

2/1

Three-time winner as a novice and built on his reappearance run at Chepstow when landing handicaps at Sandown and Wetherby within the space of 6 days in November. Came unstuck in hat-trick bid at Aintree on Boxing Day but wasn't ideally placed on that occasion and he has to enter calculations.

Form: 16-9114

Shanagh Bob¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: J J Burke| T: N J Henderson| OR: 131| D

9/2

Grade 2 Cheltenham novice hurdle winner last term and, following a couple of disappointing runs over fences, he got back on track returned to this sphere when runner-up in 25f Huntingdon handicap with cheekpieces enlisted (discarded here). Claims if coping with this drop back in trip.

Form: 114-552

Irish Hill^p⁵⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Jay Tidball⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 131| D

15/2

Notched sixth success over hurdles when scoring at Plumpton in November, in the process putting his poor reappearance run well behind him. Placed both starts since, latterly finishing a close third to East India Express (winner again since) at Ascot (21.6f, good to soft), and he needs considering.

Form: 32-P123

Light N Strike⁶²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: Jack Tudor| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 127| C

28/1

Shaped well when runner-up at Kempton in April 2023 and confirmed that promise when gaining a fourth success over fences in handicap here next time. However, he showed nothing after 18 months off at Huntingdon and it's probably best to look elsewhere.

Form: F52/12-P

Panic Attack²²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 125

13/8

Three-time hurdles winner for David Pipe and looked better than ever when making it third time lucky for present yard when landing a mares' handicap chase at Windsor (20.2f, good to soft) last month. Huge chance back hurdling off the same mark as for that Windsor success.

Form: 343/331

Non-Runners

Colours On Canvas¹⁰⁸

Weight: 11-6| Age: 6

T: J & S Best J: Thomas Bellamy

Herbiers¹⁴

Weight: 10-13| Age: 8

T: O Greenall & J Guerriero J: Henry Brooke

Forecasts

Panic Attack (13/8), Act Of Authority (2/1), Shanagh Bob (9/2), Colours On Canvas (6/1), Irish Hill (15/2), No Ordinary Joe (14/1), Herbiers (20/1), Light N Strike (28/1)

PANIC ATTACK looked on very good terms with herself when striking over fences at Windsor and she is likely to prove a tough nut to crack returned to this sphere off the same mark. Though thwarted in his hat-trick bid at Aintree, Act of Authority shaped as though still in good form and, given a short break since, he could emerge as the main danger. Shanagh Bob is also feared, despite doubts as to whether this drop back in trip will work in his favour, and Irish Hill merits respect, too.