19:45 Aintree

Friday 19 May 2017

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

Merseyrail Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 19:46 | Winning time: 5m 57.60s

Beer Goggles^t²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: D A Jacob| T: R Woollacott| OR: 135

5/1

Aiming for a hat-trick here having landed a pair of Newbury handicaps over this trip, though must carry the best part of a stone more in weight now.

Form: VPF311-

Jennys Melody^t²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: R Johnson| T: B Arthey| OR: 135| D

11/4

Caused a 50/1 stir at Ayr last month by winning 3m handicap hurdle (won same race in 2014) and may have been laid out for that contest. With 9lb rise to slow her down, follow-up may be asking a lot.

Form: 04P5P1-

Cooking Fat³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: B S Hughes| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer| OR: 132| D

8/1

Had a couple of wins at Wetherby and Catterick (over this sort of trip) during the winter and was travelling nicely when falling last time at Haydock last month. Off the same mark here, isn't overlooked.

Form: 6/2171F-

Rolling Maul^b²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: S Bowen| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 132| D

8/1

Isn't always the easiest partner, but was close to his best last month at Cheltenham and would have excellent claims now if reproducing the same effort.

Form: 853652-

Knight Of Noir^t⁴⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: N D Fehily| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 130

6/1

Won a couple of times during his time with David Pipe and is potentially well treated at the moment, especially if building on last month's Ffos Las effort over this trip.

Form: 9/73PP3-

Definite Outcome^p,t²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr H Hunt⁽⁷⁾| T: R Hobson| OR: 128| BF| C

16/1

Hasn't completed any of last four starts (all over fences) and fell on debut for this yard at Perth three weeks ago, might be in need of a confidence booster at the moment as much as anything back hurdling.

Form: P/1UPPF-

Monbeg Gold³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Aidan Coleman| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 126| BF

6/1

Has rather struggled over fences this term but had previously proved himself a useful hurdler and is on a decent mark returning to this sphere with stamina no issue.

Form: 8/28554-

Max Do Brazil^t⁶⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 125

33/1

French recruit who joined current connections for £160,000, pulled up in both starts since however and meets this longer trip now. Hard to be confident at the moment.

Form: 4832PP-

Iora Glas^t³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 122

8/1

Competent winner of 3m handicap at Cheltenham last month, goes up 5lb for that win but should remain in the thick of things.

Form: 323481-

The Road Ahead²⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-11| J: Conor Shoemark| T: G Hanmer| OR: 120| C

40/1

Back from a break with slender success at Bangor last month, has been raised 8lb on the strength of that and this is a tougher race.

Form: 12/8501-

Non-Runners

Isaacstown Lad⁵⁵

Weight: 11-8| Age: 10

T: N G Richards J: Craig Nichol

Forecasts

Jennys Melody (11/4), Beer Goggles (5/1), Knight Of Noir (6/1), Monbeg Gold (6/1), Iora Glas (8/1), Rolling Maul (8/1), Cooking Fat (8/1), Isaacstown Lad (12/1), Definite Outcome (16/1), Max Do Brazil (33/1), The Road Ahead (40/1)

MONBEG GOLD hasn't relished the switch to fences this season but should be at home now back over these smaller obstacles, he's already shown himself to be quite a smart hurdler and is respected now back in this sphere off a very fair mark. Last month's Cheltenham scorer Iora Glas is greatly respected up 5lb, seemingly with better claims than Bangor scorer The Road Ahead who now shoulders another 8lb in a deeper race. Rolling Maul has his quirks but went well last time and could figure, with Isaacstown Lad also featuring on the shortlist.

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