15:50 Sedgefield

Sunday 29 January 2017

All13:2013:5014:2014:5015:2015:5016:20

SIS Dylan Meale Memorial Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:53 | Winning time: 5m 39.0s

Wylde Magic⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Henry Brooke| T: Evan Williams| OR: 116

10/11

Bumper winner at Southwell in March 2016 on his second start, and sent novice hurdling in reasonable contests this winter. A solid second to Geordie Des Champs at Chepstow in early December (pair clear) is very decent form at this level, and he probably didn't quite get home over 2m7f at Ascot on his handicap debut.

Form: 51-42

Grey Monk^t,v¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽⁵⁾| T: Sara Ender| OR: 115

16/1

Front runner, and a four time winner over hurdles, but has struggled from higher marks since bolting up in a moderate stayers event at Market Rasen in May 2016.

Form: 686-717

Aengus^p1⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 112

12/1

Showed promise early in his career in Ireland by winning a bumper and maiden hurdle for Noel Meade, but lost his way handicapping with his best effort coming on testing ground at Naas (2m3f) in March 2016. Not shown a great deal in three starts for this yard, but has dropped 10lb to a mark of 112 and first time cheek-pieces applied.

Form: 806113

Craig Star⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 111

12/1

A dual winner at around this trip in August for Sean Thomas Doyle at Tramore and Roscommon, with just the one start to date in the UK for Donald McCain. He possibly found 2m6f at Kelso in testing ground just beyond him, but is entitled to improve for more professional handling.

Form: 03583-2

Tiger Mountain⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Jamie Hamilton⁽³⁾| T: J M Jefferson| OR: 110

12/1

Lightly raced so far, with just three runs over hurdles to accompany two runs in bumpers. Not disgraced behind The Bay Oak in a novices contest here over 2m3f in late November, but struggled over further on handicap debut at Ayr in December. Drop in trip a positive.

Form: 5-742

The Doorman^t³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: R P McLernon| T: B Haslam| OR: 107

7/1

Ex Irish (Mouse Morris) who initially made a slow start to life in England, but has shaped well twice this year already at Ayr and Catterick, with another good run expected dropping back to this trip despite a 2lb rise.

Form: 92328-1

Swinton Diamond³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Joe Colliver| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 105

33/1

Stablemate of Politbureau who was a poor fourth on handicap debut for Ian Williams at Wetherby on Boxing Day, and although dropped 3lb, makes his stable debut needing to leave all known previous form well behind to figure.

Form: 3/66408-

Theatre Act^p²²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: B S Hughes| T: C Grant| OR: 101

8/1

Boasts plenty of placed form at Sedgefield, and was helped by the application of cheek-pieces at Carlisle in October when winning for Brian Hughes. Followed up next time over a shorter trip, but three figure handicap marks have looked beyond her the last twice at Market Rasen and Newcastle.

Form: 155135-

Turtle Cask^p⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-6| J: Colm McCormack⁽³⁾| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer| OR: 96

14/1

Course winner (2m3f handicap hurdle in January 2015) who rounded off the previous campaign with a fair second to Simmply Sam at Newcastle in April 2016. This year hasn't been so productive with all four runs coming over longer trips, and whilst feasible this trip will be more suitable, his mark of 96 is possibly still 3-4lb too high.

Form: 5P2-444

Politbureau^p¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-3| J: Finian O'Toole⁽⁵⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 93

50/1

Difficult to fancy on what limited level of form has been shown in three starts this winter (including here), with 12lb drop in the weights to a mark of 93 not enough to be given a chance.

Form: 798775-

Non-Runners

Man Of Plenty²¹

Weight: 11-11| Age: 8

T: Mrs S Leech J: Patrick Cowley

Duncomplaining⁶¹

Weight: 11-1| Age: 8

T: W Kinsey J: Andrew Tinkler

Forecasts

Wylde Magic (10/11), Man Of Plenty (5/1), The Doorman (7/1), Theatre Act (8/1), Tiger Mountain (12/1), Aengus (12/1), Craig Star (12/1), Turtle Cask (14/1), Duncomplaining (14/1), Grey Monk (16/1), Swinton Diamond (33/1), Politbureau (50/1)

Turtle Cask can prove well suited by dropping back in trip, and will relish any appreciable easing of the ground, but the sneaking suspicion is that he's just a few pounds too high still., whilst dual course winner Man of Plenty can surely only hold claims if swerving Saturday's Cheltenham engagement. Aengus should be watched for market support whilst Duncomplaining isn't fully exposed. However, this probably lies between the top-weighted Wylde Magic and THE DOORMAN who gets the nod back over this trip despite a 2lb rise, as he gradually begins to find his feet in England for Middleham handler Ben Haslam. 1. The Doorman 2. Wylde Magic 3. Turtle Cask