15:55 Bangor

Saturday 21 April 2018

All13:3514:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0017:35

Weatherbys General Stud Book Handicap Hurdle (Div 2)

Off time: 15:55 | Winning time: 4m 53.10s

Cowslip^p⁶⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 12-1| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 102| C| D

17/2

Been a grand mare to both this trainer and her previous handler George Moore. She's versatile in terms of trip and ground, with her most recent success coming over 2m7f (soft) here in December. Now 6lb higher.

Form: P37135

Robert De Bruce^t⁴¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Theo Gillard⁽⁷⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 99

20/1

Not caught the eye in any of his five hurdles starts, and set against his stablemate Cowslip (a five-time hurdles winner), his opening handicap mark of 99 looks to be a pure over-inflated guess.

Form: U476-45

For Jim⁷²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 94

6/4

Dropped out quickly after leading on handicap debut at Huntingdon in February (2m soft). Goes over further than 2m for the first time under rules from a 4lb lower mark.

Form: 4-46665

Helf^t³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: David England| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 94

9/1

Modest on the Flat (62-rated) and a similar story over hurdles so far (0 from 3), but is upped in trip on handicap debut seeking more.

Form: 995

Time And Again^t¹²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 88

16/1

A 20-race maiden with a couple of placed efforts over fences in the not too distant past. Possible he's most effective over a shorter trip and absent since pre-Christmas, but couldn't be ruled out in a poor race.

Form: 23-6957

Am I Appropriate^p¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: David Bass| T: B Pauling| OR: 83

7/1

Runner up in a Southwell bumper on debut in June 2017, but not set the pulses racing since, including in a couple of recent handicap spins (eased a total of 9lb).

Form: 6P0805

Medieval Bishop^p²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-4| J: Mr J Drinkwater⁽⁷⁾| T: A Forbes| OR: 77

33/1

Rated just 41 on the Flat and is 0 from 6 over hurdles with his last three timber starts reading U,P,P. Hard to imagine he'll feature with prominence.

Form: 336BP/P

Sundance Boy^b²⁰⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-1| J: Brendan Powell| T: G Fierro| OR: 74

25/1

Dropped 7lb since his handicap debut at Uttoxeter in September 2017, and perhaps that performance wasn't as moderate as the finishing position implies (didn't stay 3m). That said; evidently not one for the short-list.

Form: 05/0P-70

Centreofexcellence^h,t⁵⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Benjamin Poste| T: S Flook| OR: 70

8/1

Well beaten most starts and although he grabbed third last time, it was a distant one in a very weak race. At the foot of the weights for a reason.

Form: 807843

Kayf Tiger^p1,t¹³

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

9/2

A six race hurdles maiden of limited ability. Races from out of the handicap in first time cheek-pieces, but his claims are stronger than some having finished less than 3L third at Wincanton last month (2m4f soft).

Form: P50/356

Forecasts

For Jim (6/4), Kayf Tiger (9/2), Am I Appropriate (7/1), Centreofexcellence (8/1), Cowslip (17/2), Helf (9/1), Time And Again (16/1), Robert De Bruce (20/1), Sundance Boy (25/1), Medieval Bishop (33/1)

A contest every bit as weak as Division 1, so a most disappointing mid-point of the Saturday action. This rates as an ideal opportunity for the likeable mare COWSLIP to record a sixth hurdles success. She's versatile in terms of both trip and ground, so drying conditions wouldn't hinder her chance in the slightest, and she's probably well-treated off a mark of 102 set against her seemingly moderate stablemate Robert De Bruce. Time And Again is a rather reluctant shout for the forecast.