14:20 Towcester

Thursday 13 April 2017

All14:2014:5015:2015:5016:2016:5017:20

Haygain Hay Steamers Clean Healthy Forage Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:20 | Winning time: 3m 42.85s

Honey Pound^h⁴⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Alan Johns⁽³⁾| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 110

4/1

Not won since August 2015 but well-handicapped as a result and appears to retain some ability. Return to faster ground will suit him and not one to put a line through off this lenient looking mark.

Form: F62451-

Tell The Tale¹⁵⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: N D Fehily| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 110

2/1

Well beaten in a match race with Capitaine and not seen since but has shaped best on faster ground. Trainer has an excellent record with horses returning from a break and he has a 28.57% record on this hurdles course so his runners warrant respect around here.

Form: 224524-

Miss Benefitz^h⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Charlie Hammond⁽⁷⁾| T: Mike Hammond| OR: 100

25/1

Looks a little unlucky to still be a maiden on some of her earlier efforts in her career and this ground will suit but hard to be put forward with any confidence after three abject runs and can often race too keen.

Form: PP05P-7

Sweeping Rock^p⁵²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: J E Moore| T: J L Spearing| OR: 99

14/1

Just one win to his name from 27 starts and well beaten last time on the Flat when finishing last of 12 in February. Sole win came at Bath on the Flat but that did come on fast ground so interesting to see what the market makes of him on return to hurdling.

Form: 500/5P2-

Lambeau Field⁶⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: T J O'Brien| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 105

3/1

Maiden on Flat and over hurdles in Ireland. Thrown in at deep end for new connections in Grade 2 event at Cheltenham in November but failed to take advantage of a drop in class at Ludlow last time. Less exposed than several in here but hard to recommend with any degree of confidence.

Form: 84302-

Irish Hawke^t¹³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 99

8/1

Scored on handicap debut at Bangor off a mark 2lb lower than this but form of that race hasn't really worked out and he's struggled to beat a rival home in subsequent three starts, has plenty to prove for now.

Form: 8156P6-

Moscow Me^p1²⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-1| J: James Davies| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 99

8/1

Course winner over the larger obstacles and more consistent that plenty in here but been a little below form all season and needs the faster ground to bring about a revival.

Form: 464343-

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to board prices only - deduction 20p in the pound

Non-Runners

Benbecula⁹¹

Weight: 11-4| Age: 8

T: N R Mitchell J: Alice Mills

Forecasts

Tell The Tale (2/1), Lambeau Field (3/1), Honey Pound (4/1), Moscow Me (8/1), Irish Hawke (8/1), Sweeping Rock (14/1), Benbecula (16/1), Miss Benefitz (25/1)

Neil Mulholland has an excellent strike-rate around here and TELL THE TALE and while he was well beaten in a match-race last time, that rival has gone on to bigger and better things. His best efforts have come on quicker ground and a mark of 110 could well under-estimate him. Honey Pound is another who will enjoy the return to faster ground while any market support for Sweeping Rock would be interesting.