15:50 Sedgefield
Friday 7 April 2017
All14:1014:4015:1515:5016:2517:0017:30
LJJ Contractors Handicap Hurdle
- 4YO plus | Class 3 | 2m 178y | Good | 6 Runners | Turf | Weighed In
- Off time: 15:50 | Winning time: 3m 57.27s
Cloth number
Odds
Horse A-Z
Show odds
Dual Sedgefield winner, including in a Class 3 mares race in April 2016 (2m1f), but has appeared below par since returning with a decent runners up effort at Market Rasen in October. Feasible that her mark has been simply too high, and worthy of consideration now dropped to a mark of 123 at her favourite track.
Plenty of water has passed under the bridge since he scrambled home by a nose at Wetherby in October 2015, having finished a runner up on four occasions since. However, he appeared well suited by the first time headgear at Wetherby recently (2m good), and will appreciate this ever drying ground.
Pulled up in each of his last three starts, but that doesn't tell the whole tale. Two of those runs were over fences (an experiment that has been abandoned for now), and he raced a shade keenly back over hurdles when well beaten by the useful mare Kelka last month. Now very well handicapped (115), and a possible player at decent odds on drying ground.
Sports a 40% strike rate over hurdles (two from five), winning novice events at Bangor and Musselburgh in mid to late 2016. However, has found life much tougher stepped up into handicaps and appears a shade vulnerable from this mark of 113 despite having the ground to suit.
10L C&D winner from a 16lb lower mark in February 2016, but did win subsequently at Kelso around this time last year from just a 6lb lower mark. Lightly raced this term, opening up with a 6L second over C&D to Venue in September, but this race is stronger.
Adores this Durham venue, and has won four times at this track this season, surging up the weights and through the grades. However, took a heavy fall mid race here in the middle of last month and needs to show he's none the worse for that spill in the toughest company he's tackled to date.
Forecasts
Our Thomas (6/4), Card Game (4/1), Jokers And Rogues (9/2), Dark And Dangerous (9/2), The Character (9/1), Dakota Grey (22/1)
A small field, but not the easiest race to solve with the majority of runners either well suited by this track or likely to appreciate the drying ground. Card Game looks certain to be suited by this drop in the weights (and grade) at a track which she tends to thrive. Our Thomas is an infrequent winner, but he served notice his turn was nigh at Wetherby on his most recent start, whilst both Jokers and Rogues and Dark and Dangerous are respected despite being upped markedly in grade. However, a real flyer is taken on DAKOTA GREY. He wears the tongue tie for the first time, and he could be very well handicapped from a perch of 115, and is therefore worth chancing in the pursuit of some value.
- Dakota Grey
- Card Game
- Our Thomas
Prize Money
1st: £5,254.002nd: £1,552.003rd: £776.004th: £388.005th: £194.00
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