15:30 Musselburgh

Wednesday 14 February 2018

All14:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:3017:00

188bet.co.uk Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:34 | Winning time: 3m 46.0s

Suprise Vendor¹⁵

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: Henry Brooke| T: W Coltherd| OR: 100| D

20/1

Prolific winner under both codes at up to 2m2f and on all types of ground. Goes into this 3lb lower than his latest win at Ayr in April and although not in same form since, he hinted at a revival last time out and enters calculations after 2lb drop.

Form: 17-43P3

Sleep In First^b1⁴²

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: Steven Fox⁽⁵⁾| T: J Ewart| OR: 100| D

8/1

Has won nine times over hurdles/fences, all at around 2m. Made a decent reappearance from long absence at Sedgefield in November, though not as good here last time. 2lb drop and blinkers make him interesting. Conditions no problem.

Form: 13P4-25

Titus Bolt¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Callum Bewley⁽³⁾| T: J S Goldie| OR: 100| C| D

11/2

Both his wins over hurdles were back in 2014 and on slower ground than this. Didn't run in this code from March 2015 until last December and three recent efforts have not been as good. On a good mark here and interesting if supported.

Form: 653/579

Petapenko^b⁹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: B S Hughes| T: Miss P Robson| OR: 96| BF

9/2

Former inmate of the late Malcolm Jefferson and also Donald McCain, who disappointed when sent off favourite on stable/chase debut at Kelso in November. 4lb drop will help and also returns to hurdles, but a bit to prove here.

Form: 530/44-7

Lady Clitico^h²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Tony Kelly| T: R Menzies| OR: 96| D

28/1

Triple Flat winner at up to 2m on good/fast ground, but is 0-13 over hurdles. Not seen in this sphere from May 2016 until a 55L defeat over over C&D last month. Is on a good mark based on her 2016 form, but was a long way from that last time.

Form: F84/38-8

Devils Water^h¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Sam Coltherd⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs J Walton| OR: 96

18/1

Ran well here in a 2m3½f maiden hurdle last spring, when with George Charlton. Lost form with that trainer and signs weren't good on debut for this one at Catterick earlier in the month. Needs to get back on track.

Form: P38P-PP

Grecian King^h²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Patrick Cowley⁽⁷⁾| T: Laura Morgan| OR: 91

50/1

Didn't show a huge amount in qualifying for his handicap mark and lacked fluency on his handicap debut at Catterick (1m7½f, heavy) last month. 5lb drop and better ground might help him, but he has it all to prove at present.

Form: 7067

Our Lucas⁵⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Dale Irving⁽³⁾| T: R M Smith| OR: 91

11/2

Showed improvement for his first run for this trainer when a 5L second at Ayr (2m, heavy) in December. Handicapper has actually eased him a further 1lb for that run and he shouldn't mind conditions, so not ruled out this time.

Form: 7/8008-2

The Compeller^t⁵³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 90

11/1

Won a 1m5f (heavy) Bath handicap in 2015 on the Flat, though after a promising start over hurdles for this stable, he lost form and was off for 19-months before being pulled up on his return at Newcastle in December. Others preferred.

Form: 336/6P-P

Toarmandowithlove^b,t¹²

Age: 10| Weight: 10-8| J: James Corbett⁽⁵⁾| T: S Corbett| OR: 82

7/2

1-36, though the encouragement from that statistic is that she broke her maiden last time out at Catterick (2m3½f, good to soft) from 6lb lower. Made the frame from this mark last spring and that looks a realistic goal here.

Form: 245441

Rockliffe⁶⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: Finian O'Toole⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 82

11/1

Rated just 46 on the Flat and has yet to make the frame from five starts over hurdles. Has plummeted a stone since October and looks up against it, though support for him now would probably be significant.

Form: 44-906

Pc Dixon⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-6| J: Alex Chadwick⁽⁷⁾| T: V Thompson| OR: 80

25/1

Showed very little in his first four hurdles starts, but put that behind him when runner-up (beaten 11L) at Newcastle (2m½f, soft) last week. From the same mark he at least has the chance to show us that he can back up that sort of effort.

Form: 00672

Marbeth¹⁷²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: H Burns| OR: 76

50/1

Very moderate mare whose best form has been on good ground and even that would only realistically give her a squeak of making the frame. Out of form when seen in both spring and summer last year and readily taken on after six months off.

Form: 4368P-9

Forecasts

Toarmandowithlove (7/2), Petapenko (9/2), Our Lucas (11/2), Titus Bolt (11/2), Sleep In First (8/1), Rockliffe (11/1), The Compeller (11/1), Devils Water (18/1), Suprise Vendor (20/1), Pc Dixon (25/1), Lady Clitico (28/1), Grecian King (50/1), Marbeth (50/1)

SURPRISE VENDOR hinted at a return to form last time and given that he is back below his last winning mark, he is a sporting suggestion with top weight in this grade. Sleep In First could be a danger but needs the blinkers to have a positive effect after his latest run, while Titus Bolt, Toarmandowithlove and Our Lucas are all respected in opposition.