14:30 Wetherby

Wednesday 29 November 2017

All12:2512:5513:2514:0014:3015:0515:35

Follow Racing_UK On Twitter Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:31 | Winning time: 5m 21.70s

Becky The Thatcher²²

Age: 4| Weight: 12-0| J: Finian O'Toole⁽⁵⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 122

33/1

Did well last year with two wins and now goes handicapping from a mark that looks stiff enough. Claimer up to lighten the load, but will need to have improved a few pounds again to come back with another win.

Form: 1U221-

Only Orsenfoolsies¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-13| J: H Thompson Brown⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 121

9/1

No win over hurdles since 2013 but not beaten far from 3lb higher at Ayr (2m5½f, soft) in January, so has the ability to get involved from this mark. Should be better for return run and this step back up in trip and interesting under 10lb claimer.

Form: P/2524-7

Away For Slates¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 120

9/4

Won a handicap hurdle at Sedgefield (2m1f, soft) for Keith Dalgleish last year but not then seen until earlier this month for this yard at Lingfield, when he was entitled to need it. Possibilities from the same mark this time.

Form: 41P51/4

U Name It³¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: C O'Farrell| T: R M Smith| OR: 120| D

66/1

Was a promising hurdler two or three years ago but has lost his way and only completed in one of his last five starts, that being a 52L defeat. Impossible to recommend him until we see signs of a revival.

Form: 2UPP5/P

Mr Snoozy^p²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Henry Brooke| T: M Walford| OR: 116| CD

7/1

Won a couple of sellers (including over C&D) earlier in the year before picking up a handicap at Market Rasen (good to soft) last time. Up 4lb for that 3½L success and has to enter calculations.

Form: 20121-1

Thorpe^p,t¹⁰²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Blair Campbell⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 115| BF| D

16/1

Was in good form in the summer, winning back-to-back races at Perth (2m4f, good to soft). Held from this mark back there when last seen in August (soft) and now returns after a short break. Not ruled out.

Form: 0-44112

Reverant Cust^t²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: B S Hughes| T: P Atkinson| OR: 113

10/3

Won a Newcastle novices' hurdle (2m½f, heavy) in March and put in a couple of decent efforts from this mark in handicaps before the season was out. Never in it from 1lb higher on his return but entitled to need that and should be more competitive.

Form: 23133-8

Glingerside¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Aidan Coleman| T: R M Smith| OR: 113

25/1

Won an Ayr novices' hurdle (2m, heavy) in January and bettered that when runner-up under a penalty next time (2m4½f). Has not been able to provide the handicapper with an answer over hurdles or fences since and probably one to watch.

Form: 7120-P5

Sir Tommy^t⁵²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Dale Irving⁽³⁾| T: M A Barnes| OR: 111

50/1

Best effort by far was when taking a Perth novices' contest (2m, good to soft) in September. Handicapper raised him 22lb for that and he was well beaten in novices' company last time. 4lb drop here but this looks a tough ask.

Form: 544P16

Mcvicar^p⁷²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: W T Kennedy| T: J J Davies| OR: 111

28/1

Won a Doncaster handicap over this trip in March (soft) from a mark of 104 and ran a couple of respectable races over staying trips on the Flat since, without winning. Will need improvement today, but conditions fine and not ruled out.

Form: 7P33/51-

Road To Rome²⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: L P Aspell| T: O Sherwood| OR: 110

7/1

Best effort over hurdles was when a 5L runner-up at Bangor (2m½f, good to soft) last time out in March, when with William Kinsey. First start for this trainer today and it would be no surprise to see improvement from this unexposed gelding.

Form: 252/4P2-

Billy Flight⁹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: A Thornton| T: N Wilson| OR: 110

66/1

Won a 3m1f Ballinrobe handicap hurdle (good) from a mark of 95 in May when trained by Noel Meade, though badly out of sorts since. Resumes from three-month break for new trainer today with a watching brief suggested.

Form: 17678P

Staigue Fort²⁷³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: James Corbett⁽⁵⁾| T: S Corbett| OR: 109

33/1

It is over four years since he won a race, though he has been limited to just seven runs since. 100-1 but showed he retains a bit of ability when placed at Musselburgh in March. Has fitness to prove on this first start since.

Form: 7048/P3-

Freewheel¹⁸⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: A Nicol| T: Miss T Jackson| OR: 102

25/1

Placed once from four attempts over hurdles, that being at Sedgefield (2m4f, good) in May. Record when fresh not good, though does act with cut underfoot, but probably one to watch this time.

Form: P4-35

Forecasts

Away For Slates (9/4), Reverant Cust (10/3), Mr Snoozy (7/1), Road To Rome (7/1), Only Orsenfoolsies (9/1), Thorpe (16/1), Freewheel (25/1), Glingerside (25/1), Mcvicar (28/1), Becky The Thatcher (33/1), Staigue Fort (33/1), Sir Tommy (50/1), Billy Flight (66/1), U Name It (66/1)

Becky The Thatcher is not ruled out here but stablemate Only Orsenfoolsies is probably even more interesting today with his rider's 10lb claim to help and he could go close. Away For Slates should be capable of another competitive effort along with Mcvicar, Mr Snoozy and Thorpe. However, preference is for ROAD TO ROME, who is lightly-raced and open to improvement and his new trainer might be able to eek out enough of that first time to enable him to break his hurdling duck from a workable mark.