20:45 Worcester

Friday 25 May 2018

All17:4018:1518:4519:1519:4520:1520:45

Brittons & The Helliers Still Believing Mares' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 20:46 | Winning time: 5m 10.60s

Foxy Act^p1¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Page Fuller⁽⁵⁾| T: C J Down| OR: 110

12/1

Promising in novice company last year but disappointing in handicaps so far, and improvement now needed in first-time cheek pieces.

Form: 17P40-P

Marvellous Monty⁵⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: R Johnson| T: J Farrelly| OR: 108| BF

5/2

On the same mark as when running well at Hereford last time out, and though she's still a maiden she has run well in a similar races to this in the past. Softer ground would probably be preferable.

Form: 2/29493-

Undisputed⁵⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Harry Teal⁽⁷⁾| T: Noel Williams| OR: 105| BF

7/2

Fairly well beaten despite finishing third when favourite at Towcester last time out, and on the same mark here having failed to find her stride in handicaps up to now.

Form: 712743-

Libby T Valance¹⁷⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Adam Wedge| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 105| C

11/2

Beat only one rival at Taunton in November when making her handicap debut (in a novice handicap), and improvement needed on that effort down 2lb.

Form: 13/36-

Owners Day^t²⁶⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: James Best| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 105WS

28/1

Yet to fire in handicap company, and down 4lb from her last run she needs a much better effort here having had wind surgery.

Form: 114/6P8-

Tara Mac^p¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Reed⁽⁵⁾| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 103| D

12/1

Hat-trick seeker who won over fences last time and now reverts to hurdles. Yet to win off a mark this high, but has taken her form to a new level in the past few months and could well win again.

Form: 2FUP1-1

Mrs Burbidge^p,t⁵⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: T Scudamore| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 102| BF| C| D

12/1

Just 2lb higher than when winning on her last start over hurdles, for all that was a narrow win. Has run well on the Flat/over fences since and should be suited by the return to hurdles; considered.

Form: 113/123-

The Mistress^p1,t¹¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Harry Skelton| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 95

25/1

Didn't really make an impact for Dan Skelton including when switching to handicaps last time out, and so she's best watched on her first start for this yard.

Form: 9/3760P-

Mirzam¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: James Davies| T: T Symonds| OR: 98

20/1

Improved for the switch to handicaps at Kempton last time out and steps up in trip here. Looked like this longer distance should be a help to her given the way she performed there.

Form: 5567-4

Westerbee⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: Daniel Sansom⁽⁵⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 87

5/1

Has shown little form since winning a novice hurdle in November 2016, and there's a reason his handicap rating is sinking quickly.

Form: P3/0F67-

Non-Runners

Solstalla²³²

Weight: 11-8| Age: 6

T: D Weston J: David Bass

Theatre Rouge¹²

Weight: 11-4| Age: 6

T: N P Mulholland J: R T Dunne

Dry Ol'party⁶¹²

Weight: 10-13| Age: 8

T: W S Kittow J: David Noonan

Glanvilles Guest¹⁸

Weight: 10-12| Age: 6

T: Nick Mitchell J: Ned Curtis

Forecasts

Marvellous Monty (5/2), Undisputed (7/2), Westerbee (5/1), Libby T Valance (11/2), Solstalla (10/1), Mrs Burbidge (12/1), Tara Mac (12/1), Foxy Act (12/1), Glanvilles Guest (12/1), Dry Ol'party (16/1), Mirzam (20/1), The Mistress (25/1), Theatre Rouge (25/1), Owners Day (28/1)

She may never have won off a mark this high, but TARA MAC has shown a very good level of ability on her last couple of starts (coinciding with when cheek pieces were fitted), and having won over fences last time out she should go very here again if she continues in that sort of form. In a fairly competitive handicap, she is the suggestion at the expense of the similarly in form Mrs Burbidge, and Solstalla, especially if she doesn't need the run first time back after a break.