18:40 Aintree

Friday 19 May 2017

All17:3518:0518:4019:1019:4520:2020:50

Aintree Golf Course Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 18:40 | Winning time: 5m 0.9s

Dell' Arca^b⁴⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 140| D

11/1

Scored in a conditionals event last month at Ascot over 2m7f on good, good-to-firm ground. Has more on his plate this time but remains a likely contender.

Form: 4/43701-

Jacks Last Hope^v²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: P J Brennan| T: C Grant| OR: 137| D

6/1

Winner over this trip at Perth last month, doing it nicely and has to be given claims off 4lb higher mark now.

Form: 2313P1-

Querry Horse⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Jack Sherwood⁽³⁾| T: O Sherwood| OR: 129

20/1

Fortuitous winner at Doncaster in January over 2m3f and has failed to complete in two starts since, gets 6lb back this time but others make more appeal still.

Form: 1/241UP-

Nathans Pride^t1⁶²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: Alan Johns⁽³⁾| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 127| CD

8/1

Is 5lb higher than when taking this contest a year ago, has only twice since and could be set for another bold bid with tongue-strap now added for the first time.

Form: 946/170-

Lithic³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Aidan Coleman| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 126

9/2

Just denied last month in a Cheltenham handicap off 123 over 2m, steps up in trip now and could be involved if stamina holds out.

Form: 256102-

Zalvados^p,t⁴¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: Ian Popham| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 124

8/1

Sound run when third of 19 at this track last month in conditionals event over 2m, can be involved in the finish in this assuming this longer trip doesn't inconvenience.

Form: 22233-

Classic Tune⁴⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: Joshua Moore| T: Miss C Dyson| OR: 118| D

16/1

Caused a 66/1 stir when winning soft ground Uttoxeter 2m3f event last month, that was just a fourth start over timber so dangerous to suggest he can't build on it off 6lb hike.

Form: 346/851-

Free Stone Hill^t¹¹^{(ex 7)}

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 109

13/8

Seeks hat-trick here after impressing in Exeter and Stratford wins recently, is going up in trip and has been raised another 7lb for his trouble but by no means finished just yet.

Form: 33P71-1

Non-Runners

Clondaw Kaempfer⁴²

Weight: 11-5| Age: 9

T: D McCain Jnr J: W T Kennedy

Forecasts

Free Stone Hill (13/8), Lithic (9/2), Jacks Last Hope (6/1), Nathans Pride (8/1), Zalvados (8/1), Dell' Arca (11/1), Clondaw Kaempfer (14/1), Classic Tune (16/1), Querry Horse (20/1)

FREE STONE HILL appears to be on the upgrade and arrives here seeking a hat-trick. He's been raised in the weights once more but could be well up to defying the rise and is taken to score. Classic Tune was a shock winner last time out at Uttoxeter on just his fourth start, he could also have more to offer. Lithic and Zalvados must answer stamina queries but have the credentials to go well while likeable Clondaw Kaempfer was right in the mix here last month in better company until making a meal of the final flight. Nathans Pride won this last year but might struggle now, with Jacks Last Hope a better option.