15:50 Haydock

Wednesday 21 March 2018

All14:1014:4015:1515:5016:2016:55

Howdens Joinery Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:52 | Winning time: 4m 54.02s

Secret Legacy³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 120

4/1

Would have gone close to winning at Leicester on his debut for this yard but for falling at the last. Went well to make the frame at Carlisle last time (2m3½f, heavy). Needs some improvement to defy this initial handicap mark.

Form: 133F3

Absolutely Dylan⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 115

4/1

Best effort so far came in a Market Rasen novices' hurdle (2m2½f, soft) in January. Did not need to be at that level to oblige by 11L at Newcastle (2m½f, soft) last time. Fair initial handicap mark to play with here and not ruled out.

Form: 4-66321

Subcontinent³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Hugh Nugent⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 113

11/2

Without a win under either code since 2015 but has shown glimpses of promise in two runs at Chepstow this term, both over 2m3½f on heavy. Not as good over 2m last time and needs to improve from the same mark.

Form: 5-P467

Snougar¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 113

8/1

Has shown improvement since going hurdling, making the frame at Wetherby (2m, heavy) and then earning a short head win at Ayr (2m , soft) last time. Initial mark presents a challenge, but should be improvement in him and not ruled out.

Form: 031

Outnumbered³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Callum Bewley⁽³⁾| T: C Grant| OR: 110

11/1

Best effort so far was when fourth, albeit it beaten 20L, in a Kelso novices' contest (2m6½f, soft) in January. Beaten 52L on handicap debut back there last time and from the same mark he will need to improve plenty to figure.

Form: 7748

Mighty Thunder^t³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 109

5/1

Perth bumper winner (good) who has shown some promise in his two most recent hurdles runs, both at Kelso over 2m on heavy. Step up in trip looks positive for this, while initial handicap mark offers possibilities and he could go well.

Form: 16935

Lord County^p⁴⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Ross Turner⁽⁷⁾| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 117| BF

15/2

Won back-to-back handicaps at Doncaster and Newcastle (both 2m½f, soft) in January and reached similar level in defeat at Bangor last time. Up another 3lb here, so needs to raise his game again to add to the win column.

Form: 563113

Eagle Ridge²³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Grant Cockburn⁽³⁾| T: N W Alexander| OR: 107

16/1

Looked to have some potential in Irish bumpers and came closest to unearthing that so far over hurdles when 16½L third at Ayr (2m, heavy) last month at 66-1. Will need to improve on that to defy this initial handicap mark.

Form: 3-92673

Randy Pike^t1⁵²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: Mr William Easterby⁽⁷⁾| T: T D Easterby| OR: 104WS

14/1

Won a Market Rasen novices' handicap (2m4½f, soft) off a mark of 95 in December. Well held/pulled up since and since had wind surgery. Needs improvement and a check on the market should be a good guide as to his chance of finding it.

Form: 98916P

Non-Runners

Doc Carver²³

Weight: 11-11| Age: 7

T: Henry Oliver J: J McGrath

Forecasts

Secret Legacy (4/1), Absolutely Dylan (4/1), Mighty Thunder (5/1), Subcontinent (11/2), Doc Carver (7/1), Lord County (15/2), Snougar (8/1), Outnumbered (11/1), Randy Pike (14/1), Eagle Ridge (16/1)

A number of these make their debuts in handicap company here, creating a bit of a conundrum for punters, but one of those, MIGHTY THUNDER, gets the vote. Lucinda Russell's five-year-old should welcome this step up in trip after a couple of decent efforts over shorter and he looks potentially well treated. A similar comment applies to Doc Carver, though he does have a bit to prove after his last two runs. Absolutely Dylan also looks to be fairly treated and is not ruled out, while Snougar is the other to catch the eye.