Specialist Surface Solutions Selling Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:06 | Winning time: 4m 19.6s

Cliffside Park¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: C Poste| T: O Murphy| OR: 120| D

1/1

Winner of similar contests at Leicester and Southwell and had a difficult task at the weights in between. Has looked better on quicker ground but this will take little winning.

Form: 135121

Ninepointsixthree^p,h³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 107| D

7/2

18-race maiden who has been known to cause problems at the start. Has to be tenderly handled and the amount of headgear he wears indicates he may not be too genuine. Will need to have a lot in hand in order to win.

Form: R-55436

Akula^p²⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-9| J: Alain Cawley| T: B Leavy| OR: 103| D

7/1

Had two wins and a second from three runs in this grade last season. Has not been at his best this term but may enjoy the drop in class and the opportunity to dictate the pace.

Form: 1173-5U

Friendship Bay²³

Age: 13| Weight: 10-0| J: T Dowling⁽⁵⁾| T: H J Evans| OR: 93

10/3

Lightly raced veteran who was fifth in this last year from 10lb higher. Has shown bits and pieces to indicate he could make his presence felt but his comeback effort was woeful.

Form: 83/54-60

Exit To Freedom^p,h¹⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 10-0| J: Miss Becky Smith⁽⁷⁾| T: J S Wainwright| OR: 71

22/1

His good days are few and far between and this could see him suffering another hangover from 23lb out of the handicap.

Form: U25P9P

Forecasts

Cliffside Park (1/1), Friendship Bay (10/3), Ninepointsixthree (7/2), Akula (7/1), Exit To Freedom (22/1)

This should be straightforward for CLIFFSIDE PARK given his current wellbeing and a useful turn of foot. His best form has been shown on quicker surfaces, but despite running several pounds below his best he did manage to beat a poor field in the mud last time. This looks little better and he has most to fear from Akula who had a good record at this level earlier in the year.