Six Nations Rugby At 188Bet Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:05 | Winning time: 4m 10.1s

Clayton²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 120| CD

2/1

Back to form when winning over C&D two starts ago, but was well held in a much better race at Sandown last time off 3lb higher. Should be more competitive and warrants respect.

Form: 2/2-0417

Away For Slates^b1¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 120

7/2

Still looking for his first win for current trainer and was beaten a long way at Hereford on his latest start. Hopes seem to lie on a resurgence in first-time blinkers.

Form: 51/4267

Vicenzo Mio^p,t¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Tom Cannon| T: C Gordon| OR: 117| D

10/3

Fair performer when trained by Paul Nicholls, but is without a win in four starts for this trainer. Has dropped to a favourable handicap mark, but needs to step up on recent displays.

Form: 33-8644

The Game Is A Foot⁵⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 11-5| J: T Dowling⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Z C Davison| OR: 113| CD

6/1

Enjoying a golden autumn in his career and completed a hat-trick of wins when successful at this track last month. Has gone up 14lb for those victories and, although clearly in the mix, may find this mark just beyond him.

Form: 07-4111

Northandsouth^h⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Bryony Frost⁽⁵⁾| T: S Drinkwater| OR: 94| D

5/1

Won twice for Nigel Twiston-Davies and has shaped creditably on both starts for this trainer. May need a little more assistance from the handicapper if he is to return to winning ways.

Form: R5-6555

Forecasts

Clayton (2/1), Vicenzo Mio (10/3), Away For Slates (7/2), Northandsouth (5/1), The Game Is A Foot (6/1)

The Game Is A Foot has defied his advancing years to register a hat-trick of wins and will have his supporters despite a steep rise in the weights. Away For Slates needs to improve markedly for the fitting of blinkers and Vicenzo Mio requires a return to something like the form he showed when trained by Paul Nicholls if he is to figure. So, as Northandsouth seems in the grip of the handicapper, the vote goes to top-weight CLAYTON, who is a C&D winner who will find this much easier than the stronger race he contested at Sandown last time.