19:10 Sedgefield

Monday 23 April 2018

All17:1017:4018:1018:4019:1019:4020:10

Paxtons Season Finale 15th May Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 19:12 | Winning time: 5m 2.8s

Danceintothelight^t⁴¹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-13| J: Abbie McCain⁽⁷⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 111| CD

8/1

Something of a standing dish around here having run here 12 times over hurdles winning twice. Last seen in winning form here in August over shorter trip off a 2lb lower mark he has the ability to go well but lacks consistency; front runner.

Form: 644624

Local Show^b⁴⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: D A Jacob| T: Mrs S J Humphrey| OR: 110

10/3

Formerly quite a smart chaser when he was with Ben Pauling he's looked regressive for his current handler. First-time blinkers last time failed to show any revival he now reverts to hurdles in the hope that may help him gather some spark.

Form: 8P-64PP

Newstart^p³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: B S Hughes| T: B Ellison| OR: 108| D

4/1

Didn't run too badly last time out (minus his usual headgear) at Bangor having been sharpened up after a break in a jumpers' bumper. His mark still looks rather high though after he was raised for an earlier Kelso win.

Form: 221526

Allfredandnobell^v²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Joe Colliver| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 103| D

9/2

Second run back from a wind operation and a first-time visor plus a longer trip than previously tried appeared to be the catalysts for his Wetherby win. That victory was rather fortunate though but only up 3lb and should continue to go well.

Form: 38-3641

Rock Of Leon^p,t²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽⁵⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 102

20/1

Not the most reliable and handed a very easy lead and win at Wetherby in a weak selling hurdle with the favourite performing below-par. That win can't mask the fact that he's not the most genuine of animals and still needs treating with caution here.

Form: P82341

Raid Stane^b⁶⁶⁶

Age: 12| Weight: 11-3| J: Aaron Anderson⁽⁷⁾| T: L Egerton| OR: 101

16/1

Returns from a very long absence to see if he can complete a hat-trick having won his last two starts before disappearing. One can only assume that his long break has been due to an injury and he may well need this outing.

Form: 45P4/11-

Walkers Point¹⁵⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Mr N McParlan⁽³⁾| T: S McParlan| OR: 100

17/2

Best recent form came when 4th at Clonmel (3m, soft) in October although his stamina did look a little tested by that trip. Both his runs since off similar marks have been modest and he comes here off a career-high mark.

Form: 4P7400

Chocolat Noir^p¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Henry Brooke| T: M Todhunter| OR: 96

25/1

Hardly deserved the sort of mark that she got for handicaps having achieved little despite looking capable of better in novice hurdles. Started at 40/1 on her handicap debut and quickly dropped 6lb but still needs to show more stepping up in trip.

Form: 5487

Ajabindejaw²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Finian O'Toole⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 92

33/1

Tried at various trips unsuccessfully in handicaps hurdles the last two for this yard and now dropped to a career-low mark. Not much so far to build a case for him although this better ground and lower mark may help.

Form: 49P970

Ever So Much^p⁸⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: R P McLernon| T: B Haslam| OR: 91| C| D

7/1

Approaching two years since he won and now resides 13lb below that winning mark. Did show a little more enthusiasm in the autumn (looked in good spirits) but didn't exude the same demeanour when last seen in January over C&D.

Form: P-65350

Naasik⁵⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: Colm McCormack⁽³⁾| T: J R Norton| OR: 89

33/1

His mark judge on his bumper form doesn't look too bad although he did show very little over hurdles. Now goes handicapping which may see some improvement but hard to build a case given his recent runs.

Form: 4-33005

Russian Royale^p⁴¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: Miss Becky Smith⁽⁵⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 89

17/2

Not beaten far last time and it looked as though she showed a little more than she has of late but the form may not be that solid. Cheekpieces worn for the first time last time are again employed and she's not written off with the yard in good form.

Form: 59-9753

Forecasts

Local Show (10/3), Newstart (4/1), Allfredandnobell (9/2), Ever So Much (7/1), Danceintothelight (8/1), Russian Royale (17/2), Walkers Point (17/2), Raid Stane (16/1), Rock Of Leon (20/1), Chocolat Noir (25/1), Naasik (33/1), Ajabindejaw (33/1)

Fairly modest fare and quite a few of these will need to find some improvement to take a hand. Danceintothelight won this in 2015 when trained by Micky Hammond and given an easy lead you would not rule her out going close again. Rock Of Leon put his quirks to one side last time in a weak affair but can he be relied on to do so again back in handicap company while Russian Royale is another who has to step up on what she achieved last time. The aforementioned Micky Hammond may well have a good chance of winning this race again though via ALLFREDANDNOBELL who was a fortunate winner last time but has displayed better form in the past and a wind operation looks to have helped.