15:55 Leicester

Wednesday 31 January 2018

All13:1513:4514:1514:5015:2515:55

Six Hills Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:58 | Winning time: 4m 14.8s

Ardmayle¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Joshua Newman⁽⁷⁾| T: A Stronge| OR: 107| BF| C| D

4/1

Twice a winner over fences last season, including over this trip at Lingfield on heavy going in March. Took a few runs to get going last term and could be on a lenient mark after three hurdles runs time in if ready to get on with it now.

Form: 114-047

Sporty Yankee^p,t²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Stock⁽⁷⁾| T: M Keighley| OR: 105| D

12/1

Won a Ffos Las maiden hurdle in December 2016, but has cut little ice since and was beaten over C&D earlier this month. Others have more convincing claims and may need some more relief from the assessor.

Form: 156-637

Dark Invader⁶⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: R Johnson| T: Evan Williams| OR: 104

5/1

Showed some promise in pair of maiden hurdles at Ffos Las in November, both over 2m4f and on testing ground. Down in trip for handicap debut but booking of Richard Johnson catches the eye.

Form: 42-34

Handsome Sam^p1,t¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr Ed Bailey⁽⁷⁾| T: M Sheppard| OR: 103| C

20/1

Has rather lost his way over fences since joining this yard and become prone to throwing in the towel. Returns to hurdling rated 7lb higher and needs first-time cheekpieces to perk up his ideas.

Form: P6-P53P

Hear The Chimes⁶⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: J M Quinlan| T: S A Harris| OR: 103| D

14/1

Reappearance at Sedgefield (2m1f, soft) in November had some merit to it and acts on this sort of surface. Remains on career-low mark if able to build on that effort.

Form: 363-243

Chandos Belle^t1³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: C Gethings| T: S Edmunds| OR: 100

11/2

Ran well for a long way over 2m4f at Warwick on New Year's Eve, fading a bit close home and finishing 4L fourth of nine in the end. That was on heavy ground and could mount big challenge now with first-time tongue tie dropping trip.

Form: 325-04

Johnny Yuma²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Katy Price| OR: 99

40/1

Irish point-to-point winner at the third attempt, though beaten out of sight in all four starts under rules. Better expected now handicapping, but he has a tough task here based on form to date.

Form: 3-18985

Georgieshore^h⁸^{(ex 7)}

Age: 10| Weight: 11-1| J: T Dowling⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Z C Davison| OR: 87| CD

4/1

Solid start to the season and duly landed a C&D handicap under this rider last week. Carries a 7lb penalty in a potentially tougher field but must enter calculations.

Form: 75P-431

The Blue Bomber^h¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Bridget Andrews⁽³⁾| T: C Fryer| OR: 93

14/1

Was a fair maiden hurdler at his best when with Mick Channon but rather appears to have lost his way and has shown very little in four runs for this yard. Hood (retained) failed to bring a change in fortune last time out and remains opposable.

Form: F6-9966

Kayf Charmer⁴¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: Conor Smith⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss L Blackford| OR: 91| D

33/1

Successful at Ffos Las just over a year ago, but has not shown anything this term in three runs to suggest she is ready to add to that any time soon.

Form: 07-4P0U

What's Up Rory^p1,t⁴⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: L Heard| T: R J Price| OR: 90| D

25/1

Winner over fences at Chepstow in March (2m, soft) off a mark of 90. Lost his way since and well beaten last month at Bangor. Bit to prove on handicap debut as a result.

Form: 4213-85

Ice Konig³²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-9| J: Bryony Frost⁽⁵⁾| T: J D Frost| OR: 88

80/1

His losing run now stretches back to June 2015 when he landed a selling handicap at Newton Abbot and he's offered very little of late, including pair of wide margin defeats at Taunton (2m3f) this winter. Down in trip now.

Form: 55-7400

Dragon Khan^t³¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-1| J: P J Brennan| T: Mrs R Gasson| OR: 80| D

17/2

Won a handicap hurdle in Ireland off a mark of 96 in January 2016 over this trip on testing ground. Doesn't always find a great deal in a finish but just a third start for this trainer and jockey booking is notable. Watch betting.

Form: 963-675

Non-Runners

Tactical Manoeuvre⁶⁶

Weight: 11-6| Age: 7

T: Alexandra Dunn J: Tom Cheesman

Hartside¹¹

Weight: 10-12| Age: 9

T: P Winks J: Ryan Winks

Forecasts

Ardmayle (4/1), Georgieshore (4/1), Dark Invader (5/1), Chandos Belle (11/2), Dragon Khan (17/2), Hartside (10/1), Sporty Yankee (12/1), Tactical Manoeuvre (12/1), The Blue Bomber (14/1), Hear The Chimes (14/1), Handsome Sam (20/1), What's Up Rory (25/1), Kayf Charmer (33/1), Johnny Yuma (40/1), Ice Konig (80/1)

Dark Invader is a likely improver now sent handicapping for the first time and the booking of the champion jockey boosts the notion he can go well. Hear The Chimes could be up to running a big race in conditions that will suit on a handy mark while Dragon Khan is another potentially well-handicapped sort on third start for this yard with a notable jockey booking. Hartside has toyed with the notion of running well this season and cannot be ruled out but a chance can be taken on ARDMAYLE. He took a few runs last season to get up to speed before notching a double over fences. He's shown some signs in three runs this season he can win over hurdles and his dropping mark is aided now by Josh Newman's 7lb claim, ensuring the lightly-raced six-year-old has a chance in this field.