13:45 Sedgefield

Friday 23 March 2018

All13:4513:5014:2014:5015:2516:0016:3017:05

Betfred 'Home Of Goals Galore' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:45 | Winning time: 5m 23.07s

Adherence^p³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Robert Hogg⁽⁷⁾| T: Kenneth Slack| OR: 97

9/2

Makes just his second start in handicap company over hurdles (dropped 3lb). Shown very little thus far, but upped in trip today and we'll see if that leads to an upturn in fortunes.

Form: 7-787

Ange Des Malberaux^b³⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Steven Fox⁽⁵⁾| T: J Ewart| OR: 93| CD

9/2

A winner off this mark over C&D in September 2016, and whilst he has won elsewhere since, he's not exactly been upwardly mobile. However, beaten just 4L by subsequent winner Nefyn Bay at Musselburgh (3m) latest, so has claims.

Form: 303873

Roxyfet¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Finian O'Toole⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 91| BF| C

5/1

Disappointing under a penalty here over fences last week (2m), just a couple of days on from a decisive 14L Market Rasen success (2m1f soft). Generally suited by Sedgefield and reverts back to hurdles for the first time for a few months.

Form: 312215

Russian Rascal^t¹²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Dale Irving⁽³⁾| T: M A Barnes| OR: 90

33/1

Finished a poor third at this track in maiden company in May 2017 (2m1f), and the switch to handicaps has brought about next to no improvement. Falling in the weights, and off the track since mid November.

Form: 7-43887

Towerburn^p1,t²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: Mrs A C Hamilton| OR: 86WS

25/1

Still to yield any prize money under rules, and has been pointing since his last rules appearance in May 2017. Wind surgery hasn't proved beneficial just yet it seems, so first time cheek-pieces are now applied to a tongue tie.

Form: 11-5F2P

Malpreedy^p,t1¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Alain Cawley| T: D Loughnane| OR: 81

10/1

Showed the first sign of minor ability when filling the second place spot behind Queen Of The Wind at Southwell latest (2m soft), but it's probably unwise to get too carried away about that effort. Wears a first time tongue tie today.

Form: 7-50PP2

Classical Sound¹²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Craig Nichol| T: R Dobbin| OR: 79

11/1

Generally struggling to complete in his races, being pulled up on two of his last three starts. In free-fall in the handicap, and lines up today for his first start since November in preference to Wetherby on Tuesday (NR).

Form: 4F8P-9P

Dolly's Dot¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: Thomas Dowson⁽³⁾| T: V Thompson| OR: 74

13/2

Beaten 20L by The Jam Man over C&D last week (fourth) when racing from out of the handicap. Now a seven race hurdles maiden, and whilst she might feasibly force the pace, she rates as unappealing.

Form: P-86494

Sory¹⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 10-3| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss T Jackson| OR: 74| BF

8/1

Runner up to Wazowski over C&D in January (beaten 6L) and sent off favourite at Carlisle recently on the strength of that effort. However, bitterly disappointing there and the odds look stacked against this veteran here (0 from 14 career).

Form: P5/7234

Fiddler's Flight^p¹⁰

Age: 12| Weight: 10-2| J: Colm McCormack⁽³⁾| T: J R Norton| OR: 73| C

33/1

Tailed off over C&D last week, finishing well behind Dolly's Dot (fourth) and needs a total transformation in order to reverse those placings.

Form: 038667

One In A Row^v⁵⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 10-0| J: J Kington⁽³⁾| T: Julia Brooke| OR: 71

15/2

Plugged on to finish 7½L third to Age Of Glory at Wetherby (2m3f+ heavy) in late January, but now 0 from 27 under rules, and makes minimal appeal from the foot of the weights.

Form: 4/04643

Forecasts

Ange Des Malberaux (9/2), Adherence (9/2), Roxyfet (5/1), Dolly's Dot (13/2), One In A Row (15/2), Sory (8/1), Malpreedy (10/1), Classical Sound (11/1), Towerburn (25/1), Fiddler's Flight (33/1), Russian Rascal (33/1)

A healthy turnout following a recently barren spell in the Northern region in recent weeks, but with the greatest of respect, not masses to get excited about in the opening contest. Malpreedy and One In A Row line up after producing slightly better efforts on their most recent starts, but both horses remain maidens after 10 and 27 attempts respectively. Roxyfet should always be in one's thoughts at this track, but he tries hurdling for the first time in a while, so the confident selection is ANGE DES MALBERAUX. He's a previous C&D winner off today's mark and arrives on the back of a fair effort behind a subsequent winner at Musselburgh last month (3m).