14:25 Haydock

Saturday 25 November 2017

All12:1012:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:35

Betfair Stayers' Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)

Off time: 14:26 | Winning time: 5m 47.60s

Silsol^b,t³⁹²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Henry Morshead⁽⁷⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 156| C

25/1

Not seen since winning last year's Grade 2 West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby (3m, good). Stays well, acts on any ground and goes into this following a 2lb drop in the handicap. Not ruled out with claimer up, despite top weight.

Form: 3132/81-

Zarkandar^b,t²³¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 150| CD

20/1

Multiple Grade 1 winner over hurdles and although not as good as he was, he was still up to winning a Grade 2 here in February. Goes well fresh, so his absence since April is no big concern. Each-way claims from this mark.

Form: U57170-

The Worlds End²³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Adrian Heskin| T: T R George| OR: 149| CD

5/1

Enjoyed a superb novices' campaign and picked up the Grade 1 at Aintree when last seen that many thought he might have also done at Cheltenham, had he not fallen two out. Looks capable of handling this mark and being a leading player.

Form: 3111F1-

Gayebury^p1²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽⁵⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 148

25/1

Has won on heavy ground and scored in Listed company on his final start of a progressive novices' campaign at Perth. 14-1 and beaten a long way out/pulled up on his return in a Wetherby Grade 2, so needs to come back from that.

Form: 22101-P

Minella Awards^t²¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: N D Fehily| T: H Fry| OR: 145

6/1

Made good strides after joining this stable last season, winning Grade 3 novices' final at Sandown (2m4f, soft) and a very competitive handicap at Punchestown. Up 11lb and in very good company, but no reason to suggest he can't handle it.

Form: 225/211-

Champers On Ice^b1²⁵⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 143

13/2

Returns to hurdles after losing his way just a little over fences in latter half of last season. Stays 3m, has won on heavy and his Cheltenham Festival form from 2016 would give him every chance from this mark if headgear helps him recapture it.

Form: 33/126P-

Robbin'hannon²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 142| D

16/1

Won on heavy on his rules debut at Warwick (2m5f) in March. 4lb better off with Gayebury for almost 4L at Perth in April and almost matched that on his reppearance at Cheltenham last time. Each-way claims.

Form: 112-12

No Hassle Hoff³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 141| D

8/1

Put together a very respectable novices' campaign with a wide margin maiden win and some good placed runs in Grade 2 company, including here. Enjoyed a confidence-boosting win last time and should be very competitive. Yet to race on heavy.

Form: 13224-1

Le Rocher⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Lizzie Kelly⁽³⁾| T: Nick Williams| OR: 141

8/1

Goes very well on bottomless ground, so has that in his favour, while he is just 3lb higher than when scoring at Uttoxeter (2m4f) in January. Dropped 2lb since a respectable reappearance and with 3lb claimed he is not ruled out.

Form: 1/4212-0

Three Musketeers²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Bridget Andrews⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 140

16/1

All four of his wins have been on soft ground, though the last couple have been over fences. Arguably best at around 2m4f up to press, but handicapper is giving him some rope and a better showing is possible.

Form: U167-05

Sam Spinner⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Joe Colliver| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 139

6/1

Progressed nicely as a novice last term, winning three races from 2m½f-2m3½f, the last of them under a penalty and by 13L on soft. Returned with a very good effort in a Chepstow Grade 3 last month. Up 3lb and in trip and likely to be more to come.

Form: 2/1211-2

Theo's Charm^b³³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: D A Jacob| T: N J Gifford| OR: 137

16/1

Has some very solid hurdling form to his name despite not winning one since January 2016. Dropped just 1lb since being well beaten in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham in March and reappearance was over fences. Tough enough task for him here.

Form: 22730-3

The Dutchman^t1²¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 135

12/1

Recorded both wins at Wetherby (one on heavy) when with Sandy Thomson, for whom he ran well without winning over fences last season. Now debuts for this yard from a reasonably attractive mark and would be no surprise to see him go well.

Form: 32F227-

Templeross²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: Jamie Bargary⁽³⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 131| BF

14/1

Has won a bumper and couple of novices' hurdles so far and made the frame in a couple of decent handicaps earlier in the year from slightly lower marks. Back over hurdles after two chase runs but needs to eek out a bit more to pick up some money.

Form: 1023-45

Fingerontheswitch^p,t¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: James Bowen⁽⁵⁾| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 127| D

40/1

Has been chasing for well over a year until reverting to hurdles at Ffos Las (3m, soft) last time, when beaten 8L from 3lb lower. Not easy to envisage him turning that into a positive return from a competitive race such as this.

Form: 725P-P2

Ibsen^p,t³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 124

25/1

Was off for over a year before returning with a win on the Flat at Tipperary in August. Stays this far over hurdles, but 6lb out of the handicap going into this and it would a surprise if he can win from this mark from what we have seen.

Form: 1200/42-

Forecasts

The Worlds End (5/1), Sam Spinner (6/1), Minella Awards (6/1), Champers On Ice (13/2), No Hassle Hoff (8/1), Le Rocher (8/1), The Dutchman (12/1), Templeross (14/1), Theo's Charm (16/1), Three Musketeers (16/1), Robbin'hannon (16/1), Zarkandar (20/1), Ibsen (25/1), Gayebury (25/1), Silsol (25/1), Fingerontheswitch (40/1)

A tremendous contest in prospect with a number of these reverting to hurdles to try their luck at a big pot. Whichever way you look at the race, THE WORLDS END appears to have an excellent chance, judged on a superb novice campaign. A thorough stayer, he could have had two Grade 1s to his name but for coming a cropper when going really well at the Cheltenham Festival and he looks capable of winning from this mark. Minella Awards also catches the eye and there is surely more to come from him, while Champers On Ice makes more appeal than most of those who have been chasing. The Dutchman is interesting on his first start for Colin Tizzard, while Zarkandar, Sam Spinner and mudlark Le Rocher are others to consider in a tricky race for punters.