16:15 Exeter

Sunday 8 April 2018

All14:0514:3515:1015:4016:1516:4517:15

Grand National Betting At 188Bet Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:15 | Winning time: 6m 47.80s

De Bene Esse^h,t⁷^{(ex 7)}

Age: 8| Weight: 11-13| J: Lorcan Williams⁽⁷⁾| T: A Wintle| OR: 94| C

4/1

Scored by 11L on second start for this yard and with a fair amount in hand. Sure to face stiffer tasks than this when reassessed and leading claims in similar conditions.

Form: FP-4831

Steel Express¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Conor Smith⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss L Blackford| OR: 100| C

5/1

Course winner who is well-handicapped with De Bene Esse if using Garrane as a yardstick. However, he is not the most consistent of horses and the topweight has improved again.

Form: 6-03972

Mister Drifter^b⁶³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 100

18/1

Has shown some ability but not recently and surprising the handicapper has been unsympathetic. Looks a difficult ride and hard to be confident about his prospects.

Form: 566466

Quinto^t⁶³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Bryony Le Clerc⁽³⁾| T: J D Frost| OR: 98

12/1

Winning point-to-pointer who has been placed in four of his eight starts here. Weighted to give another good account if handling the conditions (withdrawn previously when heavy ground).

Form: PP0235

Shoofly Milly^b,t²²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Matt Griffiths| T: J Scott| OR: 95| CD

16/1

Course specialist would make short work of these on last year's form, but she has looked moody this season and was easily brushed aside last time.

Form: PP6853

Gonnabegood^p⁵⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J Scott| OR: 92| C

6/1

Has won two of his last three over hurdles. Victories on soft ground here and at Towcester prove he is equipped for a task like this and handicapper has not overreacted to his latest performance.

Form: P-412P1

Bact To Black⁹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Harry Cobden| T: R Walford| OR: 92

9/2

Subject of gamble on his handicap debut here in December but never threatened to get involved. Has been rested following another dismal display last time and steps up in trip.

Form: 6-U975

The Model County^p1¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: S Bowen| T: A Phillips| OR: 90

33/1

Two wins and four pulled up efforts on his last six starts and cheekpieces now fitted. Has struggled around here previously and current mark may be up with events.

Form: 1-PP1PP

Deckers Delight^p,t¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Tom Buckley⁽¹⁰⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 87

25/1

Defied odds of 33-1 to win a Hereford handicap in December, 2016, but has struggled since and held by a couple of these on a form line through Garrane.

Form: 6-PP99U

Boola River²²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Kevin Jones⁽⁵⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 82

50/1

Moderate point-to-pointer and tailed off on al three starts under rules. Makes little appeal despite the current form of the yard.

Form: 143-307

Brother Norphin¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Daniel Sansom⁽⁵⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 80

5/1

Has been threatening to win one of these but he was very tired when third to Gonnabegood over this trip at Towcester and this promises to be a more searching test.

Form: 5-36322

Kayf Tiger^t¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Hugh Nugent⁽⁷⁾| T: M Sheppard| OR: 67

12/1

Very lightly-raced for a nine-year-old, returned from 854 days off with promising effort at Wincanton (2m4f, soft) a month ago. Not as good over the minimum trip next time, but there is stamina in his pedigree and he is worth noting in the market.

Form: 9P50/35

Non-Runners

Admiral Blake¹³

Weight: 10-8| Age: 11

T: Mrs L J Young J: Non Runner

Forecasts

De Bene Esse (4/1), Bact To Black (9/2), Admiral Blake (9/2), Steel Express (5/1), Brother Norphin (5/1), Gonnabegood (6/1), Quinto (12/1), Kayf Tiger (12/1), Shoofly Milly (16/1), Mister Drifter (18/1), Deckers Delight (25/1), The Model County (33/1), Boola River (50/1)

Steel Express, De Bene Esse, and ADMIRAL BLAKE have all come up against Garrane in recent weeks and that line would favour the former. However, the other pair have improved significantly since and the selection receives plenty of weight on ground that may be attritional. The veteran was most unlucky next time and he is taken to gain compensation. Gonnabegood is the principal danger and Quinto will go close if handling the ground.