15:45 Catterick

Thursday 11 January 2018

All12:3013:0013:3014:0514:3515:1015:45

catterickbridge.co.uk Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:45 | Winning time: 4m 0.95s

Hit And Run^p1¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 105| BF

6/1

Came good for the first time at Sedgefield (2m4f, soft) on Boxing Day, when awarded race after finishing second. Up 5lb for that, dropped in trip and now cheek pieces fitted. Remains of interest with claimer up.

Form: 63-3621

Akula^p¹⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 11-10| J: Ross Turner⁽⁷⁾| T: B Leavy| OR: 103| CD

33/1

Suited by 2m and cut in the ground and won a selling handicap hurdle over C&D in March when 2lb lower. Not beaten far from today's mark in a similar race last time, but needs to eek out a bit more, which looks a tough ask.

Form: 173-5U2

Artic Milan^p1¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: B S Hughes| T: S Gollings| OR: 99| BF

16/1

Showed a bit of ability in Ireland at up to 3m and was sent off as joint favourite on his British/stable debut at Market Rasen on Boxing Day (2m4½f), but was well beaten. Cheek pieces now on and dropped in trip but still a bit to prove.

Form: 8F05-98

Nendrum^t⁸^{(ex 7)}

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Jamie Hamilton⁽³⁾| T: A M Thomson| OR: 92| D

11/10

Has looked to be back on an upward trajectory prior to his recent Musselburgh run and a 24L success can't have been a surprise given that he justified favouritism. 7lb penalty may not be able to stop him if he is as effective on soft ground.

Form: 26/0731

Snowed In^p¹⁰^{(ex 7)}

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: Sean Quinlan| T: B Butterworth| OR: 91| CD

11/1

Has won here on New Year's Day for three of the past four seasons, the latest of those being on soft ground over C&D. Carries a 7lb penalty for that and previous efforts from these sorts of marks have largely been in vain.

Form: 4230P1

Steel City²⁴⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-3| J: W T Kennedy| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 96| D

5/1

2-25 under rules and without a win for four years. Handicapper has consistently asked too much of him, though he has gone close a few times. Goes into this stable debut fresh and on career-low mark, so market check suggested.

Form: 88357-0

Hartside^t¹⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: Ryan Winks⁽⁵⁾| T: P Winks| OR: 90| BF| CD

9/1

Has been on a lengthy losing run since scoring at Wetherby (2m, good to soft) in April 2016 and now 27lb lower. That has proved attractive enough to make him favourite in two recent visits here, but fell/held and plenty still to prove.

Form: 8996F3

Calypso Delegator^v¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Finian O'Toole⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 90

33/1

Won a Ripon seller (1m2f, good) in August. 0-5 over hurdles, but best effort was over C&D last time when beaten just over 2L by stable companion in a selling handicap. Nudged up 1lb for that and needs to find a bit more to break his duck.

Form: P-8003

Shalamzar^p,t¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Miss Becky Smith⁽⁷⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 79| CD

25/1

Finished ahead of Calypso Delegator when scoring over C&D (good to soft) in a selling handicap hurdle last time for a maiden hurdling success under this pilot. 4lb rise makes it tougher but clearly not one to rule out.

Form: 7665-01

Copt Hill^p¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: Ross Chapman⁽⁵⁾| T: Julia Brooke| OR: 64

150/1

1-40, including several near misses, but has been on the slide just lately and was well beaten by Shalamzar here last time. Out of the handicap and very difficult to make a case for.

Form: 3P-6000

Forecasts

Nendrum (11/10), Steel City (5/1), Hit And Run (6/1), Hartside (9/1), Snowed In (11/1), Artic Milan (16/1), Shalamzar (25/1), Calypso Delegator (33/1), Akula (33/1), Copt Hill (150/1)

Money for Steel City on his debut for Mick Easterby would be very interesting with Will Kennedy booked, while Snowed In goes well here and is respected, but he has more often than not been found out from this sort of mark. Shalamzar will have to improve on his recent performance here to win again and Artic Milan and also Hit And Run each has positives for punters. However, NENDRUM romped away with his race at Musselburgh last time and if still in that mood today, he will take some stopping under a 7lb penalty.