13:40 Fakenham

Friday 16 February 2018

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

Cowan's Late Night Accidental Auction Bid Selling Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:40 | Winning time: 4m 19.2s

Hill Fort^b,t¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Conor Smith⁽⁵⁾| T: Alexandra Dunn| OR: 100| D

12/1

Second run for a yard that can rejuvenate one and runners from this stable are often worth watching in the market. Ended his time with his previous yard in the doldrums though and didn't show much on his first start for this stable on the Flat; mark slips again though.

Form: 230083

Akula^p²⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Alain Cawley| T: B Leavy| OR: 100| D

10/1

Second in this race last year when on a career-low mark and was well backed in first-time cheekpieces. That proved to be the catalyst for two subsequent wins (both in selling handicaps); not won since but has run with credit in open handicaps of late.

Form: 5U2933

Hurricane Rita^p,t²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: R Johnson| T: O Murphy| OR: 100| CD

13/8

From a yard that do well with their runners here (32% strike-rate over hurdles) she left behind a poor run on her second start to score over C&D last time out. She showed plenty of heart on that occasion and this looks a slightly easier grade than she faced last time.

Form: 612-2P1

Beyeh²⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: Jack Sherwood⁽³⁾| T: M Appleby| OR: 97| D

9/2

Eased in grade and fairly plummeting down the weights she showed a little more than of late last time out when finishing 4th over 2m4f here. Dropped a further 2lb for that run she could well take a hand here.

Form: 550504

Hollywood All Star^p1³⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: Kielan Woods| T: D Killahena & G McPherson| OR: 96| D

9/2

His two runs so far back from a break have failed to make much of an impression although the handicapper is starting to relent a little now. Dropped in class now but the losing run continues to grow and others have stronger claims here.

Form: 626P-68

Yasir^p²²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: N P Madden| T: C R Dore| OR: 94| D

11/1

Sparked back into life by a run over hurdles (first for a year) when winning at Uttoxeter in November but is a moody sort overall. Managed to hold his form after that for a while but ran poorly back on the Flat last time and hard to be confident about his performance here.

Form: P/0-1224

Royal Etiquette^p,t¹⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 11-0| J: Adam Wedge| T: Mrs L Hill| OR: 88

20/1

Getting towards the veteran stage now and has still to win over hurdles (0/17) but did shape with encouragement after a break last time out in claiming grade. Hard too totally discard but his overall record is off putting and others have more chance.

Form: 25-5493

Cocker⁵²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Mr Alex Ferguson⁽⁷⁾| T: A Blackmore| OR: 85

14/1

Continues to show little over hurdles and was pulled-up last time out at Huntingdon after struggling from early on. Hard to make a case for him here even in this grade.

Form: 3/535-4P

Millen Dollar Man²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-10| J: Tom Cheesman⁽⁵⁾| T: Alexandra Dunn| OR: 84

25/1

Returned to form from out of the blue when winning a low-grade handicap hurdle in Ireland early last year. Never really matched that form since for his previous yard or this one and continues to struggle.

Form: 5P0797

Forecasts

Hurricane Rita (13/8), Beyeh (9/2), Hollywood All Star (9/2), Akula (10/1), Yasir (11/1), Hill Fort (12/1), Cocker (14/1), Royal Etiquette (20/1), Millen Dollar Man (25/1)

Any Olly Murphy runner at this track needs respecting and his Hurricane Rita won well here last time out over C&D in a slightly better race and she must be respected again here. AKULA ran second in this race last year and that provided the springboard for two subsequent wins and she’s given a chance to go one better this time around. Hollywood All Star continues to drop in the handicap without really looking as though he’s likely to win while Bayeh is given a chance to improve on her 4th here last time out which was a better run than she’s turned in of late. Yasir is a rather moody sort who could take a hand while any market support for Hill Fort would be of interest.