13:50 Haydock

Saturday 25 November 2017

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

Betfair Exchange Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 4m 47.0s

Clyne³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽⁵⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 149| CD

9/4

Loves it around here as well as these conditions. Won over both 1m7½f and today's C&D at the track last year, the latter from 9lb lower and has since remained very competitive in defeat. Nudged up 2lb for Ffos Las comeback but should go close.

Form: 1/1123-2

Value At Risk¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 145| D

7/1

Former Grade 2 hurdle winner who did not progress as anticipated over fences last season and returned to hurdles with a very good effort in top company at Aintree last time. Even a loose interpretation of that performance gives him claims here.

Form: 1/4175-2

El Terremoto³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: D A Jacob| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 142| CD

7/1

Won this last year (heavy) from a 16lb lower mark and is 4lb worse off with Clyne after being beaten by him in the fog over C&D in December. Had a confidence-boosting reappearance win at Stratford last time but needs to improve to follow up.

Form: 11380-1

Verni²⁵³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 139| D

7/1

Was very competitive in similar races last year, finishing 7L behind Clyne over 1m7½f here (now 3lb better off) and also finding just one too good in the Martin Pipe (2m4½f) at Cheltenham when last seen. Goes well fresh and is short-list material.

Form: 31/1212-

Chti Balko¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 135| C

10/1

Backed up a Catterick maiden hurdle win with a novices' success here over 1m7½f (heavy) in March. Returned from a summer break with an equally good effort at Newbury last time and scope for further improvement now upped in trip.

Form: 53119-3

Diamond Fort²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 131| D

7/1

Improving at a steady rate this year and won both his final start of last season at Chepstow and on his return at Wetherby (2m3½f, soft). Gave impression there was more to come there, so not ruled out despite a 10lb hike for that.

Form: 48331-1

Limited Reserve²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: James Bowen⁽⁵⁾| T: Christian Williams| OR: 125

9/2

Very competitive for this stable in his last five starts without managing to win. However, has given impression that his form has reached a plateau and after another 2lb nudge up on ground that he has never encountered, he needs some improvement.

Form: 125-242

Intense Tango^p,t²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: T Scudamore| T: K R Burke| OR: 125| C

50/1

Former Grade 2 hurdle winner who has not won in this form of the game since that day on January 2015. Goes well here on the Flat, stays well and handles cut in the ground, but it takes a leap of faith to see her being good enough to win this.

Form: 56/40-04

Man Of Plenty^p,t²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: B S Hughes| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 119| BF

28/1

Stays 2m5f and acts with cut in the ground, although has probably never encountered conditions as testing as forecast. 4lb out of the handicap here and his CV suggests that he will do well to get competitive when push comes to shove.

Form: 9-54223

Forecasts

Clyne (9/4), Limited Reserve (9/2), Verni (7/1), El Terremoto (7/1), Value At Risk (7/1), Diamond Fort (7/1), Chti Balko (10/1), Man Of Plenty (28/1), Intense Tango (50/1)

Another tremendous race for punters to get stuck into and again cases can be made for several. Clyne is entitled to enter anyone's calculations given his record here and on this type of going, but the handicapper might just have the edge over him. Value At Risk is likely to be popular after finishing 1½L behind multiple Grade 1 winner Unowhatimeanharry at Aintree last time and although that may have flattered, he has to be taken very seriously. Last year's winner El Terremoto has a much stiffer task from today's mark, while Chti Balko and particularly Diamond Fort have potential for improvement and could both be very competitive. However, the suggestion is VERNI, who loves some cut, goes well when fresh and also has scope to climb further up the ratings.