12:20 Catterick

Tuesday 19 December 2017

All12:2012:5013:2013:5014:2014:5015:20

racinguk.com Amateur Riders' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:21 | Winning time: 4m 48.35s

Rocket Ronnie^p,t²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: C J Todd⁽⁷⁾| T: B Barr| OR: 99

12/1

Lowly rated on the Flat, and his 100/1 second at Exeter in early October (2m2f+ good) is looking increasingly like an 'outlier' on his career profile. Makes his handicap debut from a mark 55lb above his Flat rating.

Form: 42495

Permission Granted³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr D Delahunt⁽⁷⁾| T: R Dobbin| OR: 98

14/1

Caught the eye at Newcastle last time, not given a hard time when finishing midfield at 200/1 in a 2m novice hurdle. Goes handicapping on a reasonable mark and needs a good look in the market, as support would be significant.

Form: 9-897

Dragonfli¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Aaron Anderson⁽⁷⁾| T: L Egerton| OR: 97

33/1

Modest form in bumpers and maiden/novice hurdles so far, and wouldn't appeal as an obvious candidate for significant improvement now switched to handicaps.

Form: P7407-4

Running In Heels^t,v⁴¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Mr S Lee⁽⁷⁾| T: R Menzies| OR: 93

4/1

Improved markedly since joining this stable (debut scorer at Market Rasen in June). Proficient twice over fences at Musselburgh, but no match for comfortable Irish scorer Mullaghmurphy Blue. 18lb above her last winning hurdles mark.

Form: 3-56162

Irish Hawke^t⁵²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Ella McCain⁽⁵⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 92

8/1

Capitalised on a falling mark when winning at Sedgefield in August (2m5f good), and probably had excuses on his next start at Huntingdon. However, offered far less at Kelso latest, so for that reason is best overlooked.

Form: 6-76140

Log On^p1⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr Liam Ruddy⁽⁷⁾| T: R Dobbin| OR: 92

12/1

Seemingly hasn't taken to fencing under rules, and goes back over hurdles from a falling mark. Hard to know exactly what to make of him at present (mainly disappointing), but perhaps most telling is that cheek-pieces are now applied.

Form: 4349-PP

Russian Royale²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr Joe Wright⁽⁵⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 92| C

14/1

Quirky mare who has refused to race in the past, so not a horse to really trust. Falling to a very winnable mark and she does possess ability, but finding the key to unlock that ability is proving troublesome at present.

Form: 8559-97

Frankie Ballou^p²⁸⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: J M Andrews⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss J E Foster| OR: 88

12/1

Inconsistent, but has gone well fresh after a break before, so the fact he's been absent since March is of no concern. The question mark is this trip, as his best form has come over shorter (2m). Others preferred.

Form: 06P3P5-

Pertuis^p²¹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-0| J: Miss C Walton| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 87| C

20/1

Old timer who proved that he still had the legs for the Flat when winning at Ripon in June 2016. However, not so pleasing in 2017, and remains and 19 race maiden over hurdles, so easily ignored.

Form: 07/U76-9

Notebook³⁶⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Amie Waugh⁽³⁾| T: S Waugh| OR: 87| C

14/1

Has been inked firmly into the starters notebook on a couple of occasions (refused to race), and he returns to action following a year off the track. A guessing game as to whether or not he's a reformed character.

Form: R34/86R-

Armorous³⁹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Miss E Todd⁽³⁾| T: Miss J E Foster| OR: 85

20/1

Runner up at triple figure odds over 2m at Hexham in June; albeit beaten 21L. Offered little in both subsequent starts, but now goes handicapping for the first time.

Form: 78/P238-

Down Time^v⁴⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Tom Midgley⁽⁷⁾| T: P T Midgley| OR: 84

8/1

Proved a shade frustrating for previous trainer Brian Ellison, but has produced some decent efforts in the past, including over C&D. Moved on cheaply in May, and feasibly handicapped if a spell on the Flat has freshened him up.

Form: 53266-P

Toarmandowithlove^t²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: D B Hurst⁽⁷⁾| T: S Corbett| OR: 80

8/1

A 33 race career maiden who has made the frame on a couple of occasions during the spring months. Respectable enough in a couple of runs this winter, including in hock deep ground at Hexham latest. Should win a race eventually.

Form: 573-245

Oskar Denarius^h,t¹⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Mr Tommie M O'Brien| T: J Mason| OR: 78

12/1

Former Flat racer for Marcus Tregoning (in 2015) but has made little impact over hurdles so far. Pulled up when last in action at Southwell in July.

Form: 486-57P

Cadore^p³⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-5| J: Abbie McCain⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs L B Normile| OR: 78

10/1

Has in the past been capable of better form over hurdles winning over 2m off a mark of 97 at Ayr in 2015. However, his last run after a break was only modest and this trip is a question mark. Declared at Musselburgh (Mon).

Form: 964-357

Shalamzar⁴²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Miss Becky Smith⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 75

14/1

A 15 race maiden over hurdles and well beaten in a 2m seller here in March. Ran for the first time since at Redcar (Flat) last month, but hard to enthuse over in a race where his trainer saddles three runners.

Form: 70/7665-

Forecasts

Running In Heels (4/1), Irish Hawke (8/1), Toarmandowithlove (8/1), Down Time (8/1), Cadore (10/1), Oskar Denarius (12/1), Rocket Ronnie (12/1), Log On (12/1), Frankie Ballou (12/1), Notebook (14/1), Permission Granted (14/1), Shalamzar (14/1), Russian Royale (14/1), Pertuis (20/1), Armorous (20/1), Dragonfli (33/1)

It is far easier to cross off those who can't win than form a short-list of likely winners, and with all respect to connections, few make any obvious appeal. Rebecca Menzies has transformed the fortunes of Running In Heels, and that's testament to her training abilities, and this mare could play a positive role despite a fast rising hurdles handicap mark if turned out quickly after Musselburgh yesterday. Down Time is well treated and could be fancied if able to reproduce his March 2016 C&D effort (runner up) whilst Toarmandowithlove will win eventually, and this certainly isn't a deep contest. However, the potentially most interesting horse is the Rose Dobbin trained handicap newcomer PERMISSION GRANTED, and there's every likelihood this lightly raced Oscar gelding could prove strongest in the market.