13:40 Wetherby

Saturday 13 January 2018

All12:3013:0513:4014:1514:5015:2515:55

Bet At racinguk.com Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:43 | Winning time: 4m 20.0s

Gran Maestro^b²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Ryan Winks⁽⁵⁾| T: P Winks| OR: 109

9/2

Was not far off registering his first win since 2015 when a head second at Doncaster (2m½f, good) last month. Has won on heavy (a long time ago) but that 4lb nudge back up is not ideal. Could be competitive without winning.

Form: 446072

Walsingham Grange^p²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Kielan Woods| T: Mrs P Sly| OR: 107| BF| D

7/2

Sole hurdles win was at Catterick (1m7½f, soft) in February and he ran well in a handicap next time from a mark of 113. Was unable to take advantage of a drop to this mark last time, but should again be thereabouts.

Form: 1256-73

Coroberee^v1³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: R Johnson| T: T Coyle & K Wood| OR: 107

14/1

Debut Nottingham winner (1m2f, soft) for John Gosden in 2016. Unable to add to that for either Dan Skelton or this trainer. Showed enough in novices' to suggest he can be competitive from this mark. Interesting with champion up for first time.

Form: 64237

Strike West¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Finian O'Toole⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 103

20/1

Has shown steady improvement in novices' company, though still been comfortably held at best. Handles heavy ground and there was a bit of support for him ahead of his handicap debut over C&D last month when he unseated. Each-way squeak.

Form: 753-86U

Perseid⁹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 101

6/1

Won from 6lb higher than today at Sedgefield 13-months ago and has been versatile trip-wise over his career. Has been chasing, but 0-5 in that sphere, so reverts to hurdles, though best form has been on better ground.

Form: 445433

First Up^t¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: Ian Popham| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 108

9/1

Has shown a bit of improvement in three hurdles, finishing 6L second in the most recent of them at Market Rasen last month. Mark looks stiff enough on what he has achieved ahead of this handicap debut and he may have to wait for other days.

Form: 562

Skywards Reward⁵²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Henry Brooke| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 94

3/1

Well held in all completed starts over hurdles, including on heavy at Hexham (2m4f) last time. Drops a further 3lb here and stable been in better form since then, while drop in trip also potential positive. Support would be interesting.

Form: 6536-U6

Jacarno¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Ross Turner⁽⁷⁾| T: A Crook| OR: 93

25/1

Put up his best effort yet on heavy ground at Hexham (2m) in November and was on the retreat when unseating here on his handicap debut last time. 5lb drop for that will help and he could get involved if putting his best hoof forward.

Form: 85-456B

Notebook²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-1| J: Amie Waugh⁽⁷⁾| T: S Waugh| OR: 84| D

17/2

Both hurdles wins were over this sort of trip at Catterick in the 2015/16 season, on soft. Has developed a few quirks in recent times and now down to a basement sort of mark. Not easy to fancy on recent evidence.

Form: 34/86R-6

Forecasts

Skywards Reward (3/1), Walsingham Grange (7/2), Gran Maestro (9/2), Perseid (6/1), Notebook (17/2), First Up (9/1), Coroberee (14/1), Strike West (20/1), Jacarno (25/1)

Gran Maestro came back to form last time, though his inconsistently is a concern from a punters' perspective and a 4lb rise for that narrow defeat is a little offputting too. Walsingham Grange handles cut and is not ruled out from this mark, despite being beaten off it last time out, but preference is for COROBEREE. Richard Johnson is an eyecatching booking on this former John Gosden and Dan Skelton inmate. He handles cut in the ground and could be very effective from this mark if the visor acts as a positive. Perseid has the ability, though may not be able to show it on this ground, while money for either Skywards Reward or Jacarno would be interesting.