15:50 Bangor

Friday 9 February 2018

All13:4014:1014:4515:2015:5016:2516:55

Excel Signs Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:51 | Winning time: 4m 28.9s

Cape Hideaway^p¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 12-2| J: Miss E Todd⁽⁷⁾| T: M Walford| OR: 112

5/1

1-15 over hurdles (2m4f, good) but has proved his adaptability with regard to trip of late and was beaten just a head over 2m1f (soft) at Sedgefield last time from this mark and under this pilot. Claims in a slightly weaker contest.

Form: 4P7722

Walsingham Grange^p²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Kielan Woods| T: Mrs P Sly| OR: 108

6/1

Sole hurdling win was on soft at Catterick (1m7½f) last season in juvenile company. Comes here in good form after his best two performances at Fakenham and Wetherby, both on soft and enters calculations despite 1lb rise.

Form: 256/732

Grania O'Malley²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 107

16/1

Runner-up in four successive bumpers last year, but has not yet eclipsed that form in four hurdles runs. Well held from 2lb higher on handicap debut last time out at Warwick and others makes more appeal.

Form: 224579

Rebel Collins³³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: R T Dunne| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 105

8/1

Made the frame in a couple of bumpers but yet to do so over hurdles. Well beaten in all three novices' runs but kept on well last time at Plumpton. Handles soft ground, though whether he can handle this initial handicap mark remains to be seen.

Form: 022/-775

Dun Scaith^t¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: James Best| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 105| C

14/1

All three of his wins have been over at least 2m3½f (including here) and on good/good to firm ground. Did well to be beaten just 2L over this trip on heavy at Uttoxeter last time, but 1lb rise suggests that he will again find one or two too good.

Form: 6-63502

Lord County^p¹⁰^{(ex 7)}

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: Ross Turner⁽⁷⁾| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 107| D

6/4

Steadily improving over hurdles and comes here in good form after wins at Doncaster and Newcastle (both 2m½f, soft), the latter by 9L. Carries 7lb penalty for that today but entitled to be short-listed and should give another good account.

Form: 556311

Steel City²⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: W T Kennedy| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 103| D

7/1

Soft/heavy ground suits as he underlined when recording his first win in four years at Catterick (1m7½f) last month, with two last-time winners in second and third. 7lb rise probably fair and couldn't rule out a bit of improvement despite his age.

Form: 8357-01

Boxer Beat¹¹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-4| J: Miss L Brooke⁽⁷⁾| T: Lady S Brooke| OR: 100| D

66/1

1-67 under rules and well beaten last in his only recent completed start. From the same mark today he is not difficult to overlook.

Form: 532-UP0

Glorvina³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: R Johnson| T: C J Mann| OR: 110| D

8/1

In good form last summer when winning a Yarmouth seller (1m, soft) and then a Cartmel juvenile hurdle (2m1f, good to soft) on her debut for this trainer next time. Well held in a decent juvenile contest last time but interesting now handicapping.

Form: 172363

Shininstar¹⁰¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Lee Edwards| T: J Groucott| OR: 97

100/1

Best effort over hurdles was on debut (2m, good to soft) at Ludlow in 2016 and has been unable to come close to that in five subsequent runs. Not easy to envisage a maiden success back in handicap company from this mark.

Form: 3/9888-0

Forecasts

Lord County (6/4), Cape Hideaway (5/1), Walsingham Grange (6/1), Steel City (7/1), Rebel Collins (8/1), Glorvina (8/1), Dun Scaith (14/1), Grania O'Malley (16/1), Boxer Beat (66/1), Shininstar (100/1)

Several in here with chances include Catterick winner Steel City, hat-trick seeking Lord County, Walsingham Grange and Dun Scaith, though the suggestion is top weight CAPE HIDEAWAY. Admittedly, Mark Walford's charge is proving tricky to win with, but he went very close when dropped to a similar trip from this mark last time and in this weaker race he may be able to end a frustrating spell.