14:50 Musselburgh

Monday 1 January 2018

All12:3013:0513:4014:1514:5015:25

totepoolliveinfo.com Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:50 | Winning time: 4m 58.0s

Mister Showman^p¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 117

6/1

Won a novice hurdle at Towcester in May over minimum trip, though didn't build on that in three further outings. Makes handicap debut from what appears a high enough mark, but is race-fit from recent AW outings. Not discounted.

Form: 1233

Thorpe^p,t³³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Blair Campbell⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 115

14/1

Won back-to-back conditional riders events at Perth in the summer under this pilot off much lower marks (101 & 107). Ran well when trying to complete hat-trick at same venue. May have needed run on return, but still work to do off increased mark.

Form: 441127

Craig Star^p²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 115

4/1

Winner over 2m5f (good) at Kelso in October off a mark of 105. Unseated back there next time but since put in credible effort at Carlisle (2m1f, soft) and not discounted despite latest ratings hike.

Form: 4331U2

Buyer Beware¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Joe Colliver| T: P Holmes| OR: 113

7/1

Maiden hurdle winner in Ireland for Gordon Elliott in March 2016 at Downpatrick (2m2f, good). Not exactly threatening in two runs this term but handicap mark is nearing a dangerously low spot.

Form: 4230-66

Benny's Secret^h⁵¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Lucy Alexander| T: N W Alexander| OR: 112

7/1

Has suddenly come into his own capitalising on a falling mark to win at Kelso after a break and following up over the same C&D (2m5f) last time. Put race to bed very quickly in a falsely run contest, winning by 4L; 8lb higher now.

Form: P3P-P11

Argent Knight^b⁴⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Reed⁽⁷⁾| T: C N Kellett| OR: 110

40/1

Showed some promise in novice hurdles in 2015 for Donald McCain, sent off 100/1 at Cheltenham in November in Class 3 novice handicap returning from 474 days off and showed nothing. Up against it seemingly.

Form: 227/0

Titus Bolt¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Callum Bewley⁽³⁾| T: J S Goldie| OR: 106| C

5/1

Winner on the Flat here in 2015, returned in recent months from two years off with couple of Flat run before fair effort here over timber (1m7½f, good) in a handicap hurdle, finishing 9L fifth of 14 a fortnight ago.

Form: 77653/5

Staigue Fort³³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: James Corbett⁽⁵⁾| T: S Corbett| OR: 105| D

11/1

More than four years since he won a race, missing big chunks of time in that spell. Ran just under 9L third of 10 here in March (3m, good) but pulled up at Wetherby in November on sole outing since.

Form: 048/P3-P

Castletown^b²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Craig Nichol| T: Miss P Robson| OR: 100

4/1

Remains a maiden over jumps, though shaped well on soft ground at Carlisle (2m1f) in November and also made frame at Kelso previous to that (2m5f, good). Forgiven poor effort since over fences at Southwell and could go well again.

Form: 764-326

Forecasts

Craig Star (4/1), Castletown (4/1), Titus Bolt (5/1), Mister Showman (6/1), Benny's Secret (7/1), Buyer Beware (7/1), Staigue Fort (11/1), Thorpe (14/1), Argent Knight (40/1)

BENNY'S SECRET is just about the most appealing of these, despite an 8lb hike for his most recent success at Kelso. He did things fairly smoothly there and may still be on the right side of the assessor. He looks sure to go close again. Castletown has twice shaped with promise over timber this term, while he's forgiven a lesser effort over fences since. Still a maiden over jumps, he can get involved in this now back over smaller obstacles. Mister Showman and Craig Star complete the shortlist.