16:10 Doncaster

Friday 26 January 2018

All12:5013:2513:5514:3015:0515:4016:10

Play Sporting Life Pick 7 Now Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:13 | Winning time: 6m 14.31s

Big Penny^p1,t⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 122| D

16/1

Ran well in a similar race for mares here over C&D (good) last time, for which she went up 3lb. Cheekpieces added to tongue tie this time. Stays well and acts on soft ground, so another very competitive effort is anticipated.

Form: 2-21622

Wicked Spice⁵⁶⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: R D Day⁽³⁾| T: N G Richards| OR: 122| CD

33/1

Has a C&D win (good to soft) to his name and returns to the track after a 19-month absence on the back of a Perth success over fences when last seen. Higher mark to contend with over hurdles and percentage call is to take a watching brief today.

Form: 8P3/551-

Muthabir⁶⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Daniel Hiskett⁽⁵⁾| T: R T Phillips| OR: 122| C| D

12/1

Handles soft ground, though possibly significant that the majority of his runs have been on good/good to soft ground. Stuck on gamely to win at Kempton (3m½f, good to soft) when last seen in November and not ruled out from 6lb higher.

Form: 14-4431

Kansas City Chief^p³¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: N D Fehily| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 120

9/2

Both his wins in Ireland were over fences, where he made the frame just once over hurdles. Well held on both starts over hurdles for this yard, but should appreciate step up in trip and 3lb drop. Can't rule out a better effort.

Form: 18-2755

Volt Face^t¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Paul O'Brien⁽⁵⁾| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 119

33/1

Hasn't won since April 2014 over hurdles and never in handicap company. Generally competitive from slightly lower marks than this over fences in the past year, but lost his way lately and not easy to fancy for win purposes back over hurdles.

Form: 2-234P5

Western Rules⁴²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Craig Nichol| T: N G Richards| OR: 118| BF

12/1

Won two soft ground bumpers and a novices' hurdle on heavy, so has conditions to suit. Has returned well from an enforced absence, with good efforts over similar trips at Wetherby and Bangor. Has claims from 1lb higher than last time.

Form: 1324/43

Allez Jacques⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: James Banks| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 118

18/1

Succumbed by just a head in a Uttoxeter maiden hurdle (2m4f, good to soft) in November and made an encouraging handicap debut at Warwick last time. Steps up again in trip, which should help and handles soft ground. Considered.

Form: 404-523

Dovils Date³⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 117

50/1

Has won on soft ground, though arguably better on a faster surface. Stays 2m4½f, though failed to convince when stepped up over further previously, even though he won over 2m on AW. Drops 2lb and may find one or two too good.

Form: 35-5685

Little Bruce^p³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: A Nicol| T: P A Kirby| OR: 115| BF

20/1

Won 3-4 at one stage last season to rise 19lb in the handicap. Has run well for a long way on both starts at Wetherby this season and proved he gets this trip in the process. Needs to eek out a bit more to win from this mark.

Form: 31-5P33

Kiwayu^t⁵⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: B S Hughes| T: M E Sowersby| OR: 115WS

66/1

Won a Uttoxeter maiden hurdle last season (2m4f, good) but was off the track for 15-months before being pulled up on reappearance at Catterick last month. Has had a wind op since and interesting jockey booking here. Has a bit to prove upped in trip.

Form: PP/213-P

Hidden Cargo⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 115

12/1

Was reasonably promising as a novices' hurdler and went close to winning at Wincanton (good to soft) last season. Yet to get going so far this term and well held from 2lb higher last time. Steps up in trip, which may help.

Form: 5243-P6

Now Mcginty³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: C Gethings⁽³⁾| T: S Edmunds| OR: 114

14/1

Looks capable of winning a race on the evidence of his first two starts for this trainer at Uttoxeter and Chepstow, but has been disappointing from this mark on his two handicap efforts, including when upped to 2m7f last time. Bit to prove.

Form: 43-33P0

Dreamsoftheatre^p,t⁹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-5| J: Killian Moore⁽³⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 113| D

50/1

Multiple winner over fences/hurdles, the latest being in this discipline at Huntingdon (3m1f, good) in October from 8lb lower. Well held last time from 1lb higher and there are also concerns about his ability to produce the goods on this ground.

Form: P6-4215

Bardista³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr Alex Ferguson⁽⁷⁾| T: B Pauling| OR: 112

25/1

Showed a bit of ability a couple of times in novices' company at up to 2m7f, including on soft ground. Looks to have been given a decent mark here for his handicap intro and with the stable's runners going okay, he could come into this.

Form: 3-P406

Desilvano⁵⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: T Dowling⁽⁵⁾| T: H J Evans| OR: 112| D

50/1

Ran up a hat-trick in a bumper and novices/maiden hurdles in 2014/15, all on soft ground. Not seen much action since and has not convinced that he retains his previous ability in three starts since a layoff. Looks best watched.

Form: 3U0/P-P9

Lady Mix^p1²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Danny Cook| T: N J Hawke| OR: 112

25/1

Won a soft ground Newbury bumper on debut last March and has gradually got back to that sort of form over hurdles. Ran well over C&D from 3lb lower two starts ago and cheekpieces could help put her right in the picture this time.

Form: 2-66536

Top Billing³⁰⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: C O'Farrell| T: N G Richards| OR: 110| CD

50/1

Another who was in cracking form with a four-timer in the 2014/15 campaign, but he has not won since then. Now 13lb below his last winning mark, his form has tailed off and he looks risky on what we were seeing from him in the spring.

Form: 72P75P-

One Of Us³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Lizzie Kelly⁽³⁾| T: Nick Williams| OR: 109| D

9/4

Made the frame a few times before coming good at Ascot in a 2m7½f novices' handicap hurdle (good to soft) last time. Up 4lb for that, he idled a little in front there and was probably better value than the winning margin of 1¾L. Claims again.

Form: 3343-41

Golden Milan^t²⁶⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-13| J: Stan Sheppard⁽³⁾| T: A Phillips| OR: 107| D

50/1

Was in terrible form when last seen regularly under rules in 2016, though did at last win a point-to-point (4m½f, good) on his last run in May. Handles cut, but mark stiff enough on old form and a watching brief is suggested.

Form: P4532-1

Amberjam^p¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Maxime Tissier⁽⁷⁾| T: L Wadham| OR: 105| D

12/1

Ran up a truncated hat-trick in just three runs from November 2014 to January 2017, all on testing ground. Beaten just 1½L from 3lb lower over C&D (soft) last time. Tends to either run well or pull up and if he does the former then he can go close.

Form: 1PP-2P2

Non-Runners

Kings Temptation³⁴

Weight: 10-10| Age: 6

T: B I Case J: D A Jacob

Forecasts

One Of Us (9/4), Kansas City Chief (9/2), Amberjam (12/1), Western Rules (12/1), Hidden Cargo (12/1), Muthabir (12/1), Now Mcginty (14/1), Kings Temptation (14/1), Big Penny (16/1), Allez Jacques (18/1), Little Bruce (20/1), Lady Mix (25/1), Bardista (25/1), Volt Face (33/1), Wicked Spice (33/1), Dovils Date (50/1), Desilvano (50/1), Top Billing (50/1), Dreamsoftheatre (50/1), Golden Milan (50/1), Kiwayu (66/1)

A very tricky race for punters as several have claims. At the head of the list Big Penny is one of those, while Muthabir is also very much respected after scoring last time. Allez Jacques left a good impression on his handicap debut and should be capable of being thereabouts, along with handicap newcomer Bardista. Lady Mix and Amberjam are others with claims, but preference is for ONE OF US, who perhaps had a bit more up his sleeve than he showed when scoring at Ascot and from just 4lb higher he can follow-up.