FTC Hire And Sales Mares' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:52 | Winning time: 6m 27.9s

Station Closed^p,t⁵⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 12-6| J: Harry Teal⁽⁷⁾| T: M J Attwater| OR: 101

28/1

Won three races for Gordon Elliott at up to 2m5½f and all on good ground. Handles some cut but was well beaten on her debut for this yard last time, which is a concern. 5lb drop/class drop will help and she still has claims.

Form: 151P80

Dizzey Heights^h,t1⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: T E Whelan| T: N B King| OR: 93| BF| C

7/2

Sprang a 20-1 surprise here over 2m (good) last month when scoring from a mark of 88 in a hood. 5lb higher now and tongue strap also added today, but both her pedigree and her record suggest that she might struggle to see this out.

Form: 4-65167

Saucysioux^b1,t⁸⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: R Johnson| T: O Murphy| OR: 91

7/4

Best effort so far was when winning a Plumpton maiden hurdle for her previous trainer in January 2016. Handicapper was well in control thereafter until her last run, when 1L second (2m6f, good to soft) at Cartmel. Decent claims now from 1lb higher.

Form: 6/66P-52

The Golden Hour²⁶⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: James Bowen⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Z C Davison| OR: 90

13/2

Well beaten in all three runs over hurdles so far at trips from 2m-2m3½f. That gets her in on a fair mark for her handicap debut over a trip that is more likely to suit (she was placed in a point-to-point), so not impossible to see her going well.

Form: 258/846-

Jonjoela⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Tracey Leeson| OR: 89

50/1

Took her six attempts to win a point-to-point and has not shown much in her two completed hurdles starts so far. Step up in trip may help, though mark looks tough enough for her handicap debut based on what we have seen.

Form: 1D44FP

Broadway Belle²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: B S Hughes| T: C Grant| OR: 74

2/1

Placed in five of her 11 hurdles starts without yet winning one. Stays 3m3f, so no problems getting home here, but she has had a number of chances from this mark and like on those occasions, she is likely to be placed at best.

Form: 332-245

Forecasts

Saucysioux (7/4), Broadway Belle (2/1), Dizzey Heights (7/2), The Golden Hour (13/2), Station Closed (28/1), Jonjoela (50/1)

Station Closed could do much better than last time in a field like this after a 5lb drop, but it won't be easy trying to successfully concede weight all around and preference is for SAUCYSIOUX, whose returned to form last time and from the same mark she looks capable of going one better, particularly if the headgear proves positive. The Golden Hour is not ruled out, while Broadway Belle should again be in the hunt for the minor prizes.