14:25 Aintree

Sunday 29 October 2017

All12:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:10

Free Spins At 188Bet Casino Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:25 | Winning time: 4m 55.40s

Burbank¹⁹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: J McGrath| T: N J Henderson| OR: 142| BF

7/2

Winner of two of his first three starts and put in a career best effort when 8L fourth of 15 in a 2m5f Grade 1 at Cheltenham (good-to-soft) in March. Finished runner-up since and making his handicap debut today.

Form: 121242-

Three Musketeers¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Bridget Andrews⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 142| D

25/1

Twice a winner over hurdles but highly tried when seventh in a Grade 1 here in April. Well beaten in a Grade 3 handicap at Chepstow (good-to-soft) on his return to action earlier this month.

Form: 6U167-0

Ballyalton^p⁵⁶⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 138| D

12/1

Finished in the first two in five of his six starts over hurdles but unraced since finishing fifth over 3m1f in a novice chase here in April 2016. Non-runner on his intended return at Wetherby recently.

Form: U62F15/

Massini's Trap^b¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽⁵⁾| T: J Nash| OR: 136| CD

33/1

Well beaten over hurdles at Cheltenham in March and a similar result on the Flat in two subsequent starts. Useful conditional booked to ride today.

Form: 461200-

Inner Drive²¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King| OR: 136| D

20/1

Had just six rules starts to date and returning from well over a year off when finishing runner-up at Newbury (good-to-soft) in March. .Has run well over this trip in the past and is one to note on seasonal debut.

Form: 22125/2-

Sneaky Feeling²³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 135| D

13/2

Winner of two of his three starts over hurdles most recently when recording a 22L success in a three runner event at Sandown (2m4f, soft) in March. Making his handicap debut today.

Form: 43181-

Theligny²⁵³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 135| D

20/1

In good form over hurdles early last season including when winning over an extended 2m4f at Newbury (good-to-soft) in December. Pulled up in a Grade 2 novice at Haydock since and returns to handicaps today.

Form: 11121P-

Clondaw Kaempfer^t²⁰⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 133| CD

16/1

Victorious over 3m at Musselburgh (good) in February and ran well when seventh in a Grade 3 handicap over this C&D subsequently. Making his seasonal debut today.

Form: F/34177-

Bags Groove^t¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: N D Fehily| T: H Fry| OR: 132

3/1

Winner of two novice hurdles at Taunton over 2m3f earlier this year. Ran well when beaten less than 4L in a Grade 3 at Chepstow (good-to-soft) on handicap debut recently and one to note in this contest.

Form: 22151-8

Lion In His Heart²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Jonathan Moore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 129

33/1

Finished third twice in hurdles in Ireland this summer but has run out twice already in 2017 and well beaten in a handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (good) on Friday.

Form: RU33R0

Caius Marcius²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: R D Day⁽³⁾| T: N G Richards| OR: 126

12/1

Successful twice earlier this year and respectable efforts in defeat subsequently. Races off a mark 3lb lower than when finishing eighth in Listed handicap hurdle at Market Rasen (good) a month ago.

Form: 17-1428

Bobo Mac²²³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: J E Moore| T: T Symonds| OR: 125| D

25/1

Consistent sort who stepped up on his debut for this yard when winning over an extended 2m4f at Southwell (soft) in March. Interesting runner on his handicap debut today.

Form: F33221-

Stamp Your Feet^t⁵⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Adrian Heskin| T: T R George| OR: 123

7/1

Twice a winner over hurdles most recently at Haydock (good) over an extended 1m7f in April. Decent efforts in defeat since and tongue tie worn on his last three starts is retained today.

Form: 14315-4

Wood Breizh^p⁷¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: B S Hughes| T: James Moffatt| OR: 118

50/1

Victorious three times for Willie Mullins but probably best watched on his first outing since joining this stable for £17,000 last month.

Form: 13/000-4

Return Flight^t1²⁸⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 117| BF

14/1

Winner of two of his five starts since joining this yard including over fences at Uttoxeter (soft) in December. Unraced since falling in a chase at Kempton (good-to-soft) in January.

Form: 4/1421F-

Forecasts

Bags Groove (3/1), Burbank (7/2), Sneaky Feeling (13/2), Stamp Your Feet (7/1), Ballyalton (12/1), Caius Marcius (12/1), Return Flight (14/1), Clondaw Kaempfer (16/1), Inner Drive (20/1), Theligny (20/1), Three Musketeers (25/1), Bobo Mac (25/1), Massini's Trap (33/1), Lion In His Heart (33/1), Wood Breizh (50/1)

Ian Williams has his horses in good form at present (6/22) and his BALLYALTON can make a winning return from a lengthy absence in this handicap hurdle. The selection finished runner-up in a Grade 1 at Cheltenham a few years ago and having made up into a useful novice chaser subsequently he can defy the absence to get the better of Burbank who is another to have run well at the highest level while the lightly raced Inner Drive can finish third today.