Gerry McGladery Is 50 Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:20 | Winning time: 3m 54.57s

Traditional Dancer^p¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Ross Chapman⁽⁵⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 123

7/1

Steadily slipping in the weights, and now 2lb lower than when a ready 4L winner at Carlisle (2m1f soft) in October 2016. However, lacked fluency when beaten 21¼L by Sir Chauvelin in a valuable Class 2 C&D handicap on New Years Day.

Form: 330-044

Asum^h,t²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: A Nicol| T: P A Kirby| OR: 122| D

5/1

Lightly raced, but already onto his third trainer. Made all when winning on debut for this yard at Wetherby on Boxing Day (2m soft). Raised 7lb for a neck success, and is upped in grade.

Form: 10F-571

Treshnish²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 120| D

3/1

A game winner at Newcastle on his penultimate start (2m soft), this youngster can be excused his latest Haydock defeat, which came on virtually unraceable ground. Potentially has more to offer on his handicap debut.

Form: 63-213

Mr Kite^t³⁰¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: James Corbett⁽⁵⁾| T: S Corbett| OR: 113| CD

20/1

Bolted up off a 6lb lower mark over C&D in March (Class 4 handicap good), but surprisingly hasn't been seen in action since. Clearly very well suited by this track, but needs a career best off a ten month break, and that's asking plenty.

Form: 3P6331-

Meadowcroft Boy¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Kieron Edgar⁽³⁾| T: A C Whillans| OR: 113| D

9/2

Once promising youngster who landed a touch at Kelso in October (2m good), and has largely continued to deliver the goods since despite climbing back up the weights. Finished third, just in front of Traditional Dancer over C&D on New Years Day.

Form: P-91293

Stags Leap^p⁴⁸³

Age: 11| Weight: 10-13| J: Henry Brooke| T: Julia Brooke| OR: 110

50/1

Has evidently proved tricky to train over the past few years, with racecourse appearances few and far between, and never since September 2016. Stays much further than this (up to 2m6f), is high in the weights, and looks vulnerable.

Form: 9P111/2-

Je Suis Charlie^p1¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: B S Hughes| T: J & S Quinn| OR: 117| BF

2/1

Turned over at short odds in a juvenile hurdle here earlier in the month on just his second start over timber. Pitched in at the deep end by his trainer in the first time cheek-pieces, and this looks a tough ask on handicap bow.

Form: 32

Forecasts

Je Suis Charlie (2/1), Treshnish (3/1), Meadowcroft Boy (9/2), Asum (5/1), Traditional Dancer (7/1), Mr Kite (20/1), Stags Leap (50/1)

A race which is tough to weigh up. Handicap debutantes Treshnish and Je Suis Charlie are unknown commodities, but of the pair the former makes more appeal with a 'free pass' allocated for his latest Haydock defeat in desperate ground conditions. However, it is safer to focus upon rock-solid handicap form, and both Meadowcroft Boy and TRADITIONAL DANCER bring that to the table despite being no match for a progressive pair of rivals in a valuable Class 2 contest here on New Years Day. The top-weighted Iain Jardine trained runner has 6L to make up on the Alistair Whillans trained charge, but that was his first hurdles start since August, and if leaping with more fluency throughout this afternoon, he could realistically be expected to turn around those placings. Therefore, Traditional Dancer rates as the clear value play in an tricky race.