16:05 Catterick

Wednesday 24 January 2018

All13:2013:5514:3015:0015:3516:05

Happy 18th Birthday Andrew Lacey Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:10 | Winning time: 4m 8.50s

Snowed In^p¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Quinlan| T: B Butterworth| OR: 97| CD

11/2

A horse to remember on New Years Day 2019, a winner here on that day in three of the past four years. Not quite strong enough late on from a revised mark latest, and a similar scenario looks most likely to develop here.

Form: 230P15

Bering Upsun^h³²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Steven Fox⁽⁵⁾| T: J Ewart| OR: 96| BF

5/1

Not too many miles on the clock and posted a decent enough effort on his penultimate start to suggest he can take a hand in this company. Not so good latest, so possible the market can guide in terms of expectations of a return to form.

Form: 4548-38

Grecian King^h²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: R D Day⁽³⁾| T: Laura Morgan| OR: 96

14/1

Low grade maiden on the Flat, and well beaten on all three hurdles starts so far. However, has had a sight of this track, and should be better suited by handicap company (debut). Tough to consider nevertheless.

Form: 706

Aza Run²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: J M Quinlan| T: S A Harris| OR: 95| D

8/1

A winner over this trip on his penultimate start at Uttoxeter in November (good to soft), but that wasn't a strong race, and he was beaten off a revised mark next time. Dropped 2lb.

Form: 133-016

Quill Art³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: B S Hughes| T: R A Fahey| OR: 91

12/1

His sole career success over hurdles came at Doncaster in January 2016, but there's no doubting that he races from a fair mark nowadays (6lb lower). Never figured on his first start since May at Doncaster last month, but could be sharper now.

Form: 3U89-F0

Derrynane^t¹¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 91

3/1

Showed a reasonable level of form in bumpers (without winning), but has been slow to find his feet over hurdles and is now verging on disappointing. Still deserves a fraction more time following a break on only his second start in a handicap.

Form: 347F6-4

Notebook¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Amie Waugh⁽⁷⁾| T: S Waugh| OR: 84| CD

6/1

Has been inked firmly into the starters notebook on a couple of occasions (refused to race), but he is attractively handicapped and a dual C&D winner (soft). On the premises at Wetherby latest, so every chance if electing to jump off.

Form: 4/86R-63

Rockliffe⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Henry Brooke| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 82

25/1

A career record of 1 from 33 tells it's own rather sorry tale. Well beaten at Sedgefield in early December (2m1f soft), his turn doesn't look near despite a falling mark and representing a stable that is going fairly well.

Form: 44-906

Hey Bob^t²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Callum Bewley⁽³⁾| T: C Grant| OR: 79| D

5/1

Came good at the 36th attempt at Southwell (1m7½f, good) in November, with the runner up Vado Forte a winner since. Reverted to type next time at Musselburgh despite making the frame, so the percentage call is to oppose.

Form: 445013

Atlas Peak^b¹²⁸²

Age: 13| Weight: 10-3| J: Alex Chadwick⁽⁷⁾| T: V Thompson| OR: 74

33/1

Veteran who hasn't raced under rules since being pulled up at Ballinrobe in July 2014. Hard to understand why he still remains in training at the age of 13, and has no chance whatsoever barring accidents.

Form: 46099P/

Forecasts

Derrynane (3/1), Bering Upsun (5/1), Hey Bob (5/1), Snowed In (11/2), Notebook (6/1), Aza Run (8/1), Quill Art (12/1), Grecian King (14/1), Rockliffe (25/1), Atlas Peak (33/1)

With all due respect to connections, this race lacks much in the way of quality. Notebook is attractively weighted, and a dual C&D winner, but you'd be playing Russian Roulette backing him pre-race given his regular antics at the start. If jumping off on terms, he's likely to trade shorter in-running, but think of that as an insurance policy if he's the play. Quill Art should be capable of winning races off his current mark, but he might just need another run before attracting more interest, whilst Southwell winner Hey Bob make no appeal in the consistency stakes whatsoever. In a contest where buttons are far better wagered than pounds BERING UPSUN is a speculative choice, with his latest (disappointing) effort at Newcastle looking more respectable with the added benefit of time.