13:40 Kelso

Sunday 14 January 2018

All12:4013:1013:4014:1514:4515:1515:45

Kristoffersen Carpets & Flooring Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:40 | Winning time: 4m 1.22s

Chti Balko²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 142| D

9/2

Relishes bottomless ground and recorded a second Haydock win on heavy (1m7½f) last time. Up 7lb for that but still open to further progress and is entitled to go on short-lists again.

Form: 119-341

Mirsaale¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Callum Bewley⁽³⁾| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 135| CD

33/1

Won here over C&D (good) in September under today's pilot and from this mark. Has won on soft, though predominance of winning form has good in description. Has had some stiff tasks lately, but this trip is more to his liking and can do better today.

Form: 131459

Katgary^b⁴³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Craig Nichol| T: Miss P Robson| OR: 132

18/1

Won on heavy in France, though best form in Britain has been on ground with good in the description and around 2m4f. 1lb better of with Mirsaale for over 12L defeat by him here in August and he has no easy task.

Form: 243444

Cornborough³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Henry Brooke| T: M Walford| OR: 127| D

10/1

All his best efforts have come on good/good to soft ground, so conditions may be plenty slow enough for him. Certainly on a competitive mark if he can prove as effective in these conditions as he tries to bag first jumps win since June 2016.

Form: 24-4524

Jassas⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: B S Hughes| T: J Ewart| OR: 120| D

16/1

Handled very soft in France, though both wins have been on good. Good effort to beat a subsequent winner at Newcastle in November (2m½f) on stable debut, though not as good over further last time. Drop in trip may help. Each-way claims.

Form: 7/42-16

Charmant^h²³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: C O'Farrell| T: J Ewart| OR: 118| D

9/2

Has picked up the winning thread just lately with success at Sedgefield (2m1f, soft) and Ayr (2m, heavy) after an 8lb rise. That ready success has prompted the same again, but going right way now and should make a bold hat-trick bid.

Form: 5324-11

Imada⁶⁶⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: R D Day⁽³⁾| T: N G Richards| OR: 118| BF| D

6/1

Hasn't been the easiest to train but clearly has some ability, having won both a bumper and a novices' hurdle at Ayr. Not seen for almost two years again, but trainer has what it takes to have him ready, so market check prudent after handy 8lb drop.

Form: 13143/

Blue Hussar²²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Joe Colliver| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 118| C| D

8/1

Won a couple of novices' hurdles in the spring (on good/good to soft) and ran quite well in Wetherby handicap in November. Not as good when upped in trip on heavy last time, but looks interesting from 3lb lower back over this trip.

Form: 2112-64

Dexcite⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: James Bowen⁽⁵⁾| T: T R George| OR: 115| D

11/4

Won back-to-back races at Bangor (maiden hurdle) and Southwell (novices') in 2016 o good ground, but flopped next time and was off for 18-months before very promising return at Doncaster last month. Has a squeak under his good claimer.

Form: P/2116-4

Monfass^h⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: R Dobbin| OR: 112

16/1

A slide in the weights saw him record a second success over hurdles when he stuck on well at Carlisle (2m1f, soft) last month. Up 9lb for that, but still 4lb out of handicap here and it would be some effort if he managed to follow-up.

Form: 5177-81

Forecasts

Dexcite (11/4), Charmant (9/2), Chti Balko (9/2), Imada (6/1), Blue Hussar (8/1), Cornborough (10/1), Monfass (16/1), Jassas (16/1), Katgary (18/1), Mirsaale (33/1)

Potentially competitive on paper. Dexcite is very interesting under a good claimer and a feather racing weight, though he has it to prove on soft ground and that is not the case with CHTI BALKO, who loves it deep and is taken to defy another 7lb rise and make further progress. Imada is interesting after another absence and if straight enough he would be a concern from this mark, while Mirsaale and Blue Hussar are others considered.