attheraces.com Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:10 | Winning time: 6m 43.5s

Surtee Du Berlais^b⁴⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Harrison Beswick⁽⁷⁾| T: O Sherwood| OR: 132

20/1

Struggling over fences this season and fell at Exeter last time. Good record of four wins from 10 races over hurdles, however, and can get involved off a fairly lenient rating.

Form: 3-4564F

Game On³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Aidan Coleman| T: L Wadham| OR: 129

3/1

Back-to-back wins at Plumpton and Uttoxter before finishing seventh of 17 in a much stronger contest at Sandown. Back in calmer waters and has to enter calculations.

Form: 4-42117

Flashjack³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Andrew Tinkler| T: H D Daly| OR: 127| CD

7/2

Has defied the handicapper to win four successive races - one of them in a dead heat - and the latest was by a short head over C&D. Up another 5lb, which poses a serious question, but he is impossible to rule out given his will to win.

Form: P-41111

Malapie¹⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: S Bowen| T: Mrs Caroline Bailey| OR: 127

7/2

Never in the hunt in a valuable contest at Haydock last time, but had previously run well to be a close third at Market Rasen. Has a chance if returning to his best.

Form: 181839

Vieux Lille^b1³³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: T J O'Brien| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 123| BF

11/2

Won three times over hurdles in the 2015/16 season, but has been trying his luck over fences without success since then. Interesting back over timber and any market confidence behind him could be significant.

Form: 24P-645

Groundunderrepair^p⁶⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Thomas Greatrex⁽⁷⁾| T: W Greatrex| OR: 119

4/1

In good form this season without being able to get his head in front. The handicapper has done him no favours, but he is a solid sort who should deliver his true running again.

Form: 50-3223

Non-Runners

Cougar Kid⁵²

Weight: 10-8| Age: 7

T: J G M O'Shea J: Miss Brodie Hampson

Forecasts

Game On (3/1), Malapie (7/2), Flashjack (7/2), Groundunderrepair (4/1), Vieux Lille (11/2), Surtee Du Berlais (20/1), Cougar Kid (20/1)

Surtee Du Berlais and Vieux Lille are interesting back over hurdles and Flashjack cannot be written off after reeling off four wins on the spin. Groundunderrepair and Cougar Kid look to have been caught by the handicapper, but Malapie and GAME ON are feasibly weighted and the latter gets the vote after running respectably in a much stronger race at Sandown last time.