17:15 Nottingham

Sunday 10 June 2018

All13:4514:2014:5515:3016:0516:4017:15

188Bet Casino Handicap

Off time: 17:16 | Winning time: 3m 0.73s

(8)

Navajo Star⁴^{(ex 6)}

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: Daniel Muscutt| T: R Brisland| OR: 67| D

4/1

Bounced back to form when dropped back to this trip at Wetherby (good to firm) on Wednesday. This is all together tougher under a penalty and conceding weight all round. Requires a clear career best to win this.

Form: 162P41

(12)

Hope Is High¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-10| J: S De Sousa| T: John Berry| OR: 72| D

7/4

Rounded off last season with a hat-trick of victories, but the handicapper took his revenge and he has been well held in three starts so far this year. Back down to that last winning mark and Silvestre De Souza back on board. Leading claims.

Form: 111-560

(10)

Cray^p⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: K Stott| T: J D Bethell| OR: 69| BF| D

9/2

Only one win in 14 starts now but was backed into favouritism at Doncaster (1m6½f, good) last week when leading and weakening to be beaten a very long way. Down another 2lbs but impossible to fancy on that evidence.

Form: 665-375

(3)

Fort Jefferson^p²²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Patrick Pilley⁽³⁾| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 69

16/1

Seems to have appreciated the switch to hurdling of late and won a maiden hurdle at Bangor last time. More than capable on the flat but still 3lbs higher than for last win and maybe playing for minor honors once more.

Form: 80801-8

(1)

Paddys Runner^v²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-6| J: William Cox⁽⁵⁾| T: D Killahena & G McPherson| OR: 68

14/1

Turned into a fairly decent hurdler. First flat run for four months here but is on a nice mark in this sphere and is fit from hurdling so could be a lively danger.

Form: 458/2-34

(6)

Brigadoon¹⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 9-2| J: Alistair Rawlinson| T: M Appleby| OR: 64| D

7/1

Ran as well as could be expected in a race won by a handicap blot at Nottingham (2m, good to firm) last time. That rival has won again since and having been dropped a couple of pounds he s big player here down in trip.

Form: 264383

(9)

Conkering Hero^v¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Oisin Murphy| T: J Tuite| OR: 64

10/1

Form figures of last three runs could have been better with more luck. Not certain that this drop in trip will suit however and may find one or two too good.

Form: 249343

(11)

Belabour²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: P Mulrennan| T: W M Brisbourne| OR: 64

16/1

Only win to date came in 1m4f mKempton AW maiden in January 2017. Ran well enough when second in a five-runner contest at Wolverhampton (2m½f, AW) last time. This requires much more for win purposes.

Form: 628-652

Non-Runners

(2)

Scrafton³⁸

Weight: 9-6| Age: 7

T: A W Carroll J: Aled Beech

(5)

Lungarno Palace¹²

Weight: 9-4| Age: 7

T: J Gallagher J: B A Curtis

(4)

Foresee²⁴⁰

Weight: 8-13| Age: 5

T: A W Carroll J: T Eaves

(7)

Ocean Gale¹⁷

Weight: 8-6| Age: 5

T: R J Price J: J P Sullivan

Forecasts

Hope Is High (7/4), Navajo Star (4/1), Cray (9/2), Scrafton (5/1), Brigadoon (7/1), Conkering Hero (10/1), Lungarno Palace (10/1), Ocean Gale (10/1), Paddys Runner (14/1), Fort Jefferson (16/1), Belabour (16/1), Foresee (33/1)

Navajo Star won well at Wetherby earlier in the week but could find this tougher going off top weight. Paddy's Runner is fit from hurdling and on a nice mark back on the level so is respected. Preference in the finale is for the old boy BRIGADOON to get back to winning ways. He's of strong interest down in the weights and back in trip having run well over further behind a handicap good thing last time.