16:00 Taunton

Sunday 4 February 2018

All13:0513:4014:1514:5015:2516:0016:30

Bathwick Tyres Bridgwater Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (Div 1)

Off time: 16:00 | Winning time: 5m 2.50s

Mister Drifter^b1⁷⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Michael Heard⁽³⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 102

4/1

Drop in class a positive following some unexciting efforts in better handicaps, but still needs to improve in first-time blinkers.

Form: 7-56646

Scales³⁶

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: R Patrick⁽³⁾| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 100| CD

6/1

C&D winner who was still travelling well when falling here last time out. Won a weak race at Newton Abbot in October holds claims on that and other recent form.

Form: 5-7216F

Minellatillmorning⁶⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Philip Donovan⁽⁸⁾| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 99

7/1

Didn't show too much in novice hurdles and needs to improve now moving into handicap company for the first time.

Form: U34-479

Mr Lando^t⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr Garry Lavery⁽⁶⁾| T: J Farrelly| OR: 93

8/1

Second here on his last start over hurdles was encouraging and he's on a similar weight here, despite a poor run on the Flat in the interim.

Form: 344-502

Calarules³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: James Bowen| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 93

7/2

Showed improvement to finish a decent fourth on stable debut at Catterick last time out and has a positive jockey booking with a 1lb drop in the weights not doing his chances any harm.

Form: 42469-4

Yellow Kangaroo⁶⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 91

5/1

Doesn't look particularly favourably treated on handicap debut but should still find this a more suitable level and jockey is good value for his claim.

Form: 5-085

Scrumpy Boy⁷³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Mr Robert Hawker⁽³⁾| T: K Woollacott| OR: 86| BF

8/1

Eight-race maiden, including in handicap hurdles of around this level, and probably needs more help from the handicapper before becoming a factor.

Form: 40-9756

Whiskey John⁵⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Stan Sheppard| T: Mrs L J Young| OR: 76

20/1

Excuses for poor effort at Exeter last time out but hasn't been able to build on the occasional ability he's hinted at in the past.

Form: 33-U36P

Victorian Teo^b1,t1⁴⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: T Symonds| OR: 71

25/1

Won a couple of minor races on the Flat in France but has shown little over jumps in this country. Application of headgear unlikely to make much difference.

Form: 7F87/P7

Centreofexcellence^h1,t⁹³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: C Gethings| T: S Flook| OR: 70WS

25/1

Latest effort easily his best for this yard so far but still has plenty to find. Hood applied following wind surgery.

Form: 368078

Forecasts

Calarules (7/2), Mister Drifter (4/1), Yellow Kangaroo (5/1), Scales (6/1), Minellatillmorning (7/1), Mr Lando (8/1), Scrumpy Boy (8/1), Whiskey John (20/1), Centreofexcellence (25/1), Victorian Teo (25/1)

Yellow Kangaroo is the type to do better now handicapping but ultimately needs to improve to get in the mix here, while the same can be said of Calarules (who benefits from James Bowen in the saddle). SCALES has been round the block a few times but in winning at Newton Abbot in October (admittedly in a weak race) he showed he can still get his head in front and returning to a C&D he has been successful over in the past this could be his chance to resume winning ways.