15:15 Haydock

Saturday 15 April 2017

All14:0514:4015:1515:5016:2016:5517:30

Challenger Two Mile Hurdle Series Final Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:15 | Winning time: 3m 46.3s

Valhalla^t¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: H Cobden| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 138

8/1

Dropped in trip when winning at Taunton last time. Up 6lb for that success, but stable is back in form and he should be in the mix.

Form: 437P16

Unison³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Matt Griffiths| T: J Scott| OR: 134

20/1

Game and consistent performer who won in typical gutsy fashion at Wincanton last time. Continues to rise in the weights, but will not go down without a fight.

Form: 34-1511

Tonto's Spirit⁶⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Colm McCormack⁽³⁾| T: Kenneth Slack| OR: 128

14/1

Convincing winner of handicap hurdles at Sedgefield and Carlisle on his last two starts. Up 7lb for the latest of those, but is on a roll and looks a leading player.

Form: /P-1

St Saviour^p¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Tom Cheesman⁽⁵⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 128

20/1

Bounced back from some moderate efforts to win at Stratford last time. Races off 6lb higher, but dangerous to dismiss if he is able to back up that effort.

Form: 3U7613-

Midnight Maestro³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: B J Geraghty| T: A King| OR: 127

4/1

Upwardly-mobile novice hurdler who has won two of his four starts over timber. Won with real authority in a handicap at Stratford last time and a 7lb rise may not stop him.

Form: 1-

Floresco^b1,t⁸⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: D A Jacob| T: R Woollacott| OR: 125

16/1

Won a handicap hurdle at Newton Abbot last May, but has been well held since. Stable had a long-priced winner at Aintree, so worth a second glance.

Form: 154-174

Caius Marcius²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Craig Nichol| T: N G Richards| OR: 125

11/1

Consistent sort who made his presence felt again when winning a Wetherby handicap off 6lb lower last time.. Respected, but others may be more feasibly weighted.

Form: 12U417-

Brotherly Company³³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: N D Fehily| T: H Fry| OR: 124

10/1

Has a 5lb pull for his 4L beating by Midnight Maestro at Stratford. That was his first run for six months, so he has every right to improve and give his old rival something to think about.

Form: 125529-

Paddys Runner^v1²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King| OR: 124

16/1

Well beaten when runner-up at Taunton last time, he looks the second string from his top yard and connections reach for the visor in a bid to eke out some improvement.

Form: 112-P43

Golden Birthday⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: N P Madden| T: H Fry| OR: 122

12/1

Won a novices' hurdle at Plumpton in January, but well held in two subsequent starts. His stable looks to have a stronger representative in Brotherly Company.

Form: 261430-

Eyes Of A Tiger^h⁸⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Mr Kaine Wood⁽⁷⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 121

16/1

Has been competing against some useful sorts since getting his head in front at Wetherby in November. Feasibly handicapped, he is one of the more likely outsiders.

Form: 912550-

Our Thomas^p,t⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-6| J: Brian Harding| T: T D Easterby| OR: 118

14/1

Runner-up on his last two starts on ground similar to that he is likely to encounter tomorrow. Run out of it from the final hurdle last time and may be waited with a little longer.

Form: 855220-

Vivas^t¹¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Aidan Coleman| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 117

25/1

In good form in the autumn, including when winning off a 2lb lower mark at Market Rasen. Not in the same form on his last two starts and has something to prove.

Form: 221568-

Limited Reserve¹²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: D F O'Regan| T: Christian Williams| OR: 117

10/1

Caused a surprise when winning a handicap hurdle at Sandown in December, but showed that to be no fluke when following up off 9lb higher at Ffos Las a fortnight later. Not seen since and raised another 9lb so he faces a stiff task.

Form: 355112

Stamp Your Feet^t1⁵²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-3| J: Adrian Heskin| T: T R George| OR: 115

9/1

No match for a progressive sort on his last outing at Ludlow in February, but was bumped three out and didn't get the run of the race. In-form connections will be looking for an improved display on ground likely to suit.

Form: 231431

William Of Orange^b1²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 113

20/1

Has not won since January, last year, and efforts since suggest he is in the grip of the handicapper. Blinkered for the first time, he needs to produce a positive reaction.

Form: 628544-

Weapon Of Choice^p,t⁸⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer| OR: 106

50/1

Has been around a long time and showed he was no back number when winning at Musselburgh in November. Younger rivals may be more progressive.

Form: 71605-2

Forecasts

Midnight Maestro (4/1), Valhalla (8/1), Stamp Your Feet (9/1), Limited Reserve (10/1), Brotherly Company (10/1), Caius Marcius (11/1), Golden Birthday (12/1), Tonto's Spirit (14/1), Our Thomas (14/1), Floresco (16/1), Paddys Runner (16/1), Eyes Of A Tiger (16/1), St Saviour (20/1), William Of Orange (20/1), Unison (20/1), Vivas (25/1), Weapon Of Choice (50/1)

MIDNIGHT MAESTRO has the potential to rate much higher and looks the answer. Brotherly Company is handicapped to give him a race, Tonto's Spirit cannot be dismissed in his current vein of form and Eyes Of The Tiger may outrun his odds.