14:10 Market Rasen

Monday 2 April 2018

All14:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:35

Rase Equine Handicap Hurdle

4YO plus | Class 5 | 2m 2f 140y | 10 Runners | Turf

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 102

Far from convincing but has shaped with some degree of promise at times in maiden/novice hurdles. Disappointing when pulled up on his handicap debut at Fontwell but dropped 3lb and this looks a weaker race.

Form: 466-7PP

Sneaking Budge^p⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: C Gethings| T: S Edmunds| OR: 100WS

Sole win came at Sandown (2m, heavy) over two years ago. Well held in handicaps so far, including in cheekpieces at Warwick last time. For all that, his mark has plummeted to interesting levels and he is worth a second look after wind surgery.

Form: 1/P-4566

Alfiboy^h¹²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 98WS

It's a long time now since he made the frame in a novices' hurdle for Paul Webber and showed next to nothing in a trio of novice hurdle events at Wetherby in the autumn. Handicap debut here after wind surgery, watch market.

Form: 02/P-FP0

Hollywood All Star^p³⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Conor Shoemark| T: D Killahena & G McPherson| OR: 98

Without a win since 2015. Came closest to ending his barren spell in a Fakenham selling handicap hurdle (2m, soft)in February. Pulled up in a similar race at Southwell last time and remains unpersuasive.

Form: 6P-682P

Dakota Grey⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 97

Scored at Carlisle (heavy) two years ago in novices' company, but unable to add to that since. Back in better form in December when making the frame off a higher mark but has gone off the boil since. More needed.

Form: 643F50

The Blue Bomber⁷^{(ex 7)}

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Bryony Frost⁽³⁾| T: C Fryer| OR: 90| C

Frustrating sort for Mick Channon and initially for this yard but took full advantage of a plummeting mark when winning over 2m here (good to soft) last week. Bigger questions asked under a penalty but not ruled out.

Form: 666621

Booborowie²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Brendan Powell| T: A Stronge| OR: 96

Not without ability on the Flat (at around 1m) but has struggled to get competitive in three hurdle starts so far. Goes handicapping off a lowly mark as a result but better ground would probably have been appreciated.

Form: 895

Pc Dixon⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Thomas Dowson⁽³⁾| T: V Thompson| OR: 94

Finally got his head in front at the 19th attempt when springing an upset in a 2m novice event at Hexham (heavy) last month. A runner-up off a revised mark at Carlisle and running well enough to be considered.

Form: 242212

Strait Run^p,t²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Joe Colliver| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 87

Landed a minor touch (33s to 11s), when winning at Sedgefield (2m1f, soft) in February and ran to a similar level when a 1L third behind Instingtive on desperate ground at Carlisle latest. Raised a further 3lb but respected in a moderate affair.

Form: P2P-013

Grays Choice⁵⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: James Davies| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 85

Sole success came in a heavy ground Ayr bumper almost two years ago. Has been unable to get close to repeating that over hurdles and has more recently toiled badly over fences. Questions to answer as he starts out for a new yard.

Form: 4550-P5

Forecasts

The Blue Bomber (4/1), Pc Dixon (9/2), Strait Run (5/1), Sneaking Budge (5/1), Hollywood All Star (8/1), Dakota Grey (10/1), Alfiboy (10/1), Booborowie (14/1), Radical Archie (14/1), Grays Choice (14/1)

Not a strong contest with The Blue Bomber, PC Dixon and Straight Run bringing the best recent form into the race. For all that, none of the trio set the pulse racing and wind surgery returnees SNEAKING BUDGE or Alfiboy may offer better value. Of that pair, preference is for the former - Stuart Edmunds' lone Buckinghamshire raider - who wasn't beaten that far in a much stronger event at Warwick last time.