16:20 Wetherby
Wednesday 18 October 2017
All14:1014:4515:1515:4516:2016:5517:25
bet365 Charlie Hall Meeting 3rd & 4th November Handicap Hurdle
- 4YO plus | Class 3 | 3m 26y | Good (Watered) | 7 Runners | Turf | Weighed In
- Off time: 16:20 | Winning time: 6m 5.43s
Cloth number
Odds
Horse A-Z
Show odds
Has punctuated his seven chase wins over the last five years with a couple of successes in handicap hurdles, here over 2m5½f and at Haydock over 2m7f (from 5lb higher) well over two years ago. Has run well when fresh and not ruled out.
Won on this card last year over 2m5½f (good) from a 7lb lower mark and added a further win at Southwell in February (3m, good to soft) from 3lb lower. Has not had much time off, but takes his races well and has claims again.
Last two wins have been over fences, but has a 2m5½f hurdle win to his name around here and is on the sort of mark from which he can be competitive. Stays beyond 3m and can go well when fresh, although he not yet won after a break.
Sole success was under this pilot at Doncaster in December (2m3½f, good) but has gone well in three of her four subsequent runs, including from just 1lb lower at Uttoxeter last time. Unexposed, stays 3m and is entitled to plenty of respect.
Scored over 2m3f (good) at Warwick in the spring from 2lb lower and put in a creditable effort on return from a summer break at Stratford last time (2m2½f, good). Up 2lb here and has stamina to prove together with his ability to handle this mark.
Was good enough to win in Listed company at Market Rasen in 2015, but has struggled to cope with the handicapper's demands since then, despite a receding mark. Still looks to be in his grip at present and not fully proven over this far.
Has only been out of the frame once in five visits here, winning one of them over C&D (good to soft) last November from 7lb lower when with Mark Walford. Fit from a pipe-opener on the Flat and is not ruled out if he can run up to his best.
Forecasts
Nautical Nitwit (11/4), Just Milly (3/1), Smooth Stepper (5/1), Lough Salt (11/2), No Planning (15/2), Gran Maestro (11/1), Minstrel Royal (11/1)
A few in here with claims and preference is for JUST MILLY, who has conditions to suit and is arguably still unexposed. We know more about the capabilities of the rest of the field and it is interesting that Danny Cook is on board Smooth Stepper and not No Planning. Both have claims, though the track's leading jockey is on one who has not won when returning from a similar-length break. Nautical Nitwit is exposed but if running up to his best, he would be thereabouts, while Lough Salt loves it here and could be a big danger in receipt of weight from all-comers and having had a recent pipe-opener at Ripon.
- Just Milly
- Lough Salt
- Smooth Stepper
Prize Money
1st: £5,523.002nd: £1,622.003rd: £811.004th: £405.00
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