14:10 Cartmel

Wednesday 30 May 2018

All14:1014:4015:1015:4016:1016:4017:15

Mail Picnic Day Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:11 | Winning time: 5m 33.70s

Volcanic^b1,t²³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 115| BF| CD

3/1

Twice a winner at this track, including over C&D, but hasn't won anywhere since December 2015. Beaten favourite on his first start since wind surgery at Ayr earlier this month (3m good), and now blinkered.

Form: 33253-8

Wood Breizh^p²¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: S Bowen| T: James Moffatt| OR: 113WS

25/1

Pulled up on debut for this trainer at Aintree in October (2m4f good to soft), but this ex Willie Mullins trained gelding has undergone wind surgery since then. Races off a fair handicap mark.

Form: 3000/4P-

Rock Of Leon^p,t²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽⁵⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 106

5/1

Justified favouritism in a Worcester seller latest (2m4f good) which was a continuation of his decent enough form overall. Tackles a longer trip in a better race, but remains respected.

Form: 23412-1

Doctor Thea¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Joe Colliver| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 105

5/2

Broke her duck on handicap debut at Market Rasen earlier this month (2m4f+ good) when driven right out to beat Benton's Lad by almost 4L. Front running tactics suited to this track, but has an 8lb rise to overcome.

Form: 35585-1

Allfredandnobell^v²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Miss Becky Smith⁽⁵⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 102

4/1

Fairly solid since undergoing wind surgery, winning on his penultimate jumps start at Wetherby in late March (2m5f+ soft). Stable continue to go well and he was narrowly beaten in a Class 6 Flat handicap latest (1m6f).

Form: 8/36410-

Stags Leap^p³⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 10-11| J: Henry Brooke| T: Julia Brooke| OR: 100| CD

6/1

Won on back-to-back starts over C&D in 2015 (good), and is handicapped to show that level of form. However, rarely spotted in competitive action since late 2016, so it's surely debatable as to whether or not he's past his best.

Form: 1112/77-

Perseid²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Sean Quinlan| T: B Butterworth| OR: 89

12/1

Well beaten over C&D on Monday (11th of 16), and not the most reliable of performers overall. Headgear quickly discarded, but remains win-less since his days with Sue Smith.

Form: 73355-0

Exit To Freedom^h¹⁹

Age: 12| Weight: 10-0| J: Amie Waugh⁽⁷⁾| T: J S Wainwright| OR: 69

100/1

Veteran who has managed to win just once in 52 career starts (April 2014), and looks to have next to no chance from so far out of the weights.

Form: 5P9P5-7

Forecasts

Doctor Thea (5/2), Volcanic (3/1), Allfredandnobell (4/1), Rock Of Leon (5/1), Stags Leap (6/1), Perseid (12/1), Wood Breizh (25/1), Exit To Freedom (100/1)

Not too many of these can be relied upon to run their race, so we'll focus upon those in the best recent form. Rock Of Leon has only been racing in sellers, but assuming that he stays he's well placed by connections back in handicap company. Wood Breizh could be a totally different horse following wind surgery, and he was most likely bought by James Moffatt with Cartmel in mind, but this track will suit the prominent racing style of DOCTOR THEA who remains unexposed in this grade despite an 8lb rise for her Market Rasen success.