19:10 Taunton

Wednesday 25 April 2018

All17:1517:4518:1518:4519:1019:4020:10

St Michaels Church Orchard Portman Mares' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 19:10 | Winning time: 5m 51.7s

Welcome Polly^p³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Angus Cheleda⁽¹⁰⁾| T: C J Mann| OR: 100

25/1

Her Newbury run in January (in a much better race than this) hinted at something better to come, but poor again last time out and hopes pinned on this easier task now handicapped and better ground.

Form: 3/P06P

Double Accord^b1⁵⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Aidan Coleman| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 100| CD

9/1

Needs good ground to show her best but even when made favourite for races last year kept coming up short. Handicapper not cutting her much slack and after another poor effort when last seen, is best watched.

Form: 332-U6P

Kiwi Myth^t⁵⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: T Scudamore| T: Mrs F M Shaw| OR: 100

12/1

Third at Exeter (at 100/1) last December her first sign of ability and she ran to a similar level at Plumpton last time on her handicap debut. Needs another step forward here but lightly enough raced to do so and step up to 3m may help.

Form: 009396

Neetside^t¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: David Dennis| OR: 100

13/2

Has stuck to the task well enough over slightly shorter to think that this step up to 3m may help her cause, and she's shown enough from similar marks to consider her for the places at least here. Good jockey booking and not to be discounted.

Form: F54494

Robin Deuz Pois⁸⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: R P McLernon| T: P R Webber| OR: 98

22/1

Going nowhere quickly in five starts so far, and mark already falling quickly after just the two goes in handicaps. Hard to see how she turns things around here.

Form: 2P4-570

Tir Dubh^p³⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: Philip Donovan⁽⁷⁾| T: R Stephens| OR: 93

12/1

Winner over a furlong shorter at Worcester back in 2016 and now 1lb lower than that win, so nothing wrong with her mark. May have needed recent run (on heavy) after a long absence and back on better ground, could do better again here.

Form: 91437-5

We'll Be There^p,t³⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Nick Scholfield| T: W S Kittow| OR: 88

8/1

Yet to win in eight starts but showed ability in novice hurdles and has had recent wind surgery too. Bit better last time and with yard going well, she could get involved from a basement mark. Market will guide as to chance.

Form: 22-7804

River Dun^b,t1³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Rex Dingle⁽⁷⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 88

14/1

Has twice plugged on into the four over C&D on last two starts but has been a bit disappointing over all and this better ground is unlikely to play to her strengths either. Not hard to look elsewhere for the winner.

Form: P-25P44

Anndarrow¹²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 86WS

9/2

Should appreciate this step up in trip on her pedigree, well beaten all four starts to date but now in an easier race on handicap debut and has had wind surgery since last seen. Risky, but could do much better here and not to be ruled out.

Form: 0P35

Madame Claud^h¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: James Davies| T: Mark Gillard| OR: 85

66/1

Very moderate form shown to date and hard to see where the necessary improvement is going to come from tonight.

Form: B0PP7P

Hija^p²⁹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: David Noonan| T: Miss G Haywood| OR: 81| CD

10/1

Not seen out since last July but on the plus side, is a C&D winner on quick ground and is only 1lb higher here. Has won after an absence before so can't be ruled out, and change of jockey may wake her ideas up too.

Form: 81-3U55

Hoola Hula^p1¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-6| J: Page Fuller⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs S Gardner| OR: 80

25/1

Going nowhere quickly on recent evidence and the only straws to cling to are the addition of cheekpieces and big step up in trip. Yard can land the odd gamble from leftfield so needs a glance in the market, but in truth, hard to fancy.

Form: 300PP0

Stonebrigg Legend⁵⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Bryony Frost⁽³⁾| T: Mrs S J Humphrey| OR: 79

8/1

Looks moderate on what we've seen so far and she was well beaten on her most recent start. Unexposed enough to improve but has to.

Form: 43-4937

Boola River¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: Kevin Jones⁽⁵⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 77| D

50/1

Well beaten off on all her most recent efforts and can't be considered a likely winner in current frame of mind.

Form: 43-307R

Hollow Park^t³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Katy Price| OR: 75

9/1

Not disgraced in better company a couple of times in novice hurdles and return to better ground will definitely help her cause. Needs to prove she stays but of those at the foot of the handicap she makes the most appeal.

Form: 747593

Celestial Chimes⁵¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: J M Quinlan| T: R Dickin| OR: 74

14/1

Plugged on into a modest fifth at Southwell last time and worth a try at this sort of trip but this may just be asking a bit too much of her at this stage of her career.

Form: 6-0F7P5

Non-Runners

Bonza Girl¹⁶

Weight: 11-2| Age: 5

T: J Scott J: Mr Robert Hawker

Forecasts

Anndarrow (9/2), Neetside (13/2), Bonza Girl (7/1), Stonebrigg Legend (8/1), We'll Be There (8/1), Hollow Park (9/1), Double Accord (9/1), Hija (10/1), Tir Dubh (12/1), Kiwi Myth (12/1), River Dun (14/1), Celestial Chimes (14/1), Robin Deuz Pois (22/1), Hoola Hula (25/1), Welcome Polly (25/1), Boola River (50/1), Madame Claud (66/1)

Another open looking handicap and plenty with some sort of chance. BONZA GIRL takes a big step up in trip here but judging by the way she was outpaced for much of her Wincanton run last time before finishing off strongly, there's a good chance she needs it and she may improve plenty for it too. Hollow Park is one of plenty that come with some sort of risk attached but she's no weight and if recapturing some of her better novice form, could go close. We'll Be There is another that could take a big step forward tonight. The market is going to be the best guide as to her chance, a remark that applies to Neetside, Anndarrow and Hoola Hula too.