14:40 Haydock

Saturday 31 March 2018

All14:0514:4015:1515:5016:2517:0017:35

Smarkets Challenger Two Mile Hurdle Series Final Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:40 | Winning time: 3m 55.9s

Chti Balko²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 138| CD

11/2

Winner over C&D on heavy ground in December and ran well at Kelso subsequently. Disappointed the last twice but back down to a mark just 3lb higher than for his latest success.

Form: 341539

Joke Dancer³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 129| CD

13/2

Winner of three of his last four starts including on heavy ground over an extended 2m at Newcastle last time out. One for the shortlist despite a 4lb rise in the weights.

Form: 621511

Applesandpierres^p¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 128| D

10/1

Running well without winning this season including when finishing third over 2m4f at Uttoxeter (heavy) last time out. Drop in trip shouldn't inconvenience today.

Form: 558223

Super Sid³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: N D Fehily| T: T R George| OR: 124| D

11/1

Made a winning debut over hurdles for this yard on soft ground at Southwell in December. Beaten favourite next time and more needed today having finished well held on handicap debut last time.

Form: 23-147

Sleepy Haven^b1⁵¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 123| CD

14/1

Finished runner-up to Chti Balko over C&D on heavy ground in December and best effort since came when finishing runner-up over 2m4f at Uttoxeter (heavy) in January. Wears blinkers for the first time today.

Form: 532635

Wolfcatcher^p,t³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 120

11/2

Put a disappointing soft ground Kempton effort behind him when finishing third of 14 on good ground at the same course last time out. Interesting to see how he performs today.

Form: P-65303

Zulu Oscar⁸⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J Scott| OR: 119| D

8/1

Handicap mark is falling following some moderate efforts this season and he comes into this on a mark 3lb lower than when successful at Chepstow (2m, good) just under a year ago.

Form: 1-78784

William Of Orange^b,t²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 118| C| DWS

8/1

Victorious over 2m at Wetherby (good-to-soft) in November and placed off this mark subsequently. Has had a wind operation since finishing third in a jumpers bumper earlier this month.

Form: P51253

Spectator^t1,v⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 114| D

17/2

Winning for the second time over hurdles when successful at Musselburgh (soft) over an extended 2m3f on his penultimate outing. Wears a visor and tongue tie for the first time today.

Form: 13-2514

Percy Street^b1⁷³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-1| J: J McGrath| T: N J Henderson| OR: 113| BF| D

13/2

Decent fourth on good ground at Cheltenham in October but struggled in two subsequent outings and wears blinkers for the first time on his return from a break.

Form: 63-6480

Non-Runners

Holryale¹²⁶

Weight: 10-1| Age: 6

T: D Skelton J: Bridget Andrews

Forecasts

Chti Balko (11/2), Wolfcatcher (11/2), Holryale (6/1), Percy Street (13/2), Joke Dancer (13/2), William Of Orange (8/1), Zulu Oscar (8/1), Spectator (17/2), Applesandpierres (10/1), Super Sid (11/1), Sleepy Haven (14/1)

JOKE DANCER has been in good form so far this season and he can record his third C&D victory of the season in this valuable handicap contest. The selection was a winner at Newcastle last time and looks capable of taking this event at the chief expense of top weight Chti Balko who is another to have won over C&D this season. Sleepy Haven placed here back in December and with blinkers applied today he can finish third.