13:40 Doncaster

Saturday 16 December 2017

All12:0012:3013:0513:4014:1014:4515:20

bet365 Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:40 | Winning time: 3m 57.0s

Flying Tiger¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: Nick Williams| OR: 140| D

4/1

Smart hurdler over the minimum trip and won last season's Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival. Latest 4½L second to champion hurdler was another improvement and he commands plenty of respect in this line-up. Softer ground preferable.

Form: 1414-33

Amour de Nuit¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Bryony Frost⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 137| D

9/2

Progressive over hurdles this year and goes well on a sound surface. Not disgraced last time in Newbury Listed event and 1lb drop for that effort won't harm. Enters calculations.

Form: 1-21215

Mohaayed^t²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Bridget Andrews⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 135| D

7/1

Was decent as a novice last season. Beaten only 3½L in the County Hurdle and 2¼L in the Grade 2 Scottish Champion Hurdle. Was off that level in his Cheltenham reappearance last month and 2lb drop could help with a revival in fortunes.

Form: 4173-10

Always Resolute¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Danny Cook| T: B Ellison| OR: 132| C

25/1

Won a maiden hurdle at Catterick in 2015 and wound up that season with a 7¼L eighth in the Scottish Champion Hurdle. Seen only on the Flat since but warmed up for this with 2L fourth in a Newcastle handicap last week. Market check advised.

Form: 1F428/

Irish Roe¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Henry Brooke| T: P Atkinson| OR: 128| CD

3/1

Well placed to win six of her nine starts and took a liking to this track when giving William Of Orange 4lb and a 2¼L beating over C&D (good to soft) earlier in the month. 4lb worse off with that opponent today but still improving and has claims.

Form: 07-1121

Minellaforleisure³⁹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Kielan Woods| T: A M Hales| OR: 128| D

50/1

Has been off the track for 13 months, so will have fitness/well being to prove on this return. Dropped 7lb since his last run and on his best form that would give him a chance again. Check market for any confidence with stable among the winners.

Form: F52046-

Star Foot^t²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Page Fuller⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss J S Davis| OR: 125| D

20/1

Arrives on the back of his best performance in winning a Huntingdon handicap hurdle (2m, good to soft) under this jockey last time from 3lb lower. More needed in this field, but no reason why he can't remain competitive.

Form: 2-11581

William Of Orange^b,t¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 120

8/1

Meets Irish Roe for the third time in succession with the score at 1-1. 4lb better off with her for his 2¼L defeat here last time. Still appears to be finding improvement and should once again be thereabouts.

Form: 44-P512

Percy Street⁵⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-6| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 120

5/1

Yet to win in handicap company over hurdles. Slightly hampered last time approaching last flight at Cheltenham but still beaten almost 10L from this mark and does look to be in the grip of the handicapper at present.

Form: 2663-64

Forecasts

Irish Roe (3/1), Flying Tiger (4/1), Amour de Nuit (9/2), Percy Street (5/1), Mohaayed (7/1), William Of Orange (8/1), Star Foot (20/1), Always Resolute (25/1), Minellaforleisure (50/1)

Flying Tiger may have been slightly flattered by the margin of defeat behind Buveur D'Air in the Fighting Fifth, but that is nonetheless a Grade 1 event and he should make a good fist of trying to successfully concede weight all around here. Ideally, however, he wants some cut in the ground and preference is therefore for AMOUR DE NUIT, who made a decent reappearance at Newbury and can come on for that. Irish Roe and William Of Orange both have claims and should not be far apart, while Mohaayed has a bit to prove after his latest effort.