Mitie Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Sky Pirate very much looked the part when winning at Worcester in October, but that form hasn't been well advertised by the runner up Kings Ryde since. Furthermore, the Jonjo O'Neill trained four-year-old was a disappointment himself at Southwell last month, although it might be wise to ignore that effort as that sharp jumps track isn't every horses bowl of oats. The handicapper appears reluctant to drop The Mighty Don, and whilst he could well be proved correct here, the over-riding feeling is that he's 7lb too high in the weights. Good Man Vinnie is an unknown in handicaps over hurdles and should be in the shake up, but a speculative shout goes up for INVICTA LAKE. He was entitled to need a couple of runs to regain his match fitness, and whilst he is knocking on eleven years of age now, he looks undeniably attractively weighted from a mark 12lb below his last winning one at Sandown in early 2015.

1. Invicta Lake
2. Sky Pirate
3. The Mighty Don