William Hill Leading Racecourse Bookmaker Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:45 | Winning time: 6m 21.20s

Bon Chic^b1²²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: R Johnson| T: James Moffatt| OR: 118| D

22/1

Benefitted from a positive ride when winning at Aintree last year (element of some ill-judged rides behind) and hasn't come close to repeating that form this year. Raced clear here last time (2m6f) but soon folded; unreliable sort.

Form: P17R-67

Alfie's Choice⁵⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: B S Hughes| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 117| C

6/4

Made his debut for this yard a winning one returned to novice company over C&D. That may have been a fairly weak event and he's yet to win a handicap but there looks to be more come and the yard are in much better form of late.

Form: 53/285-1

Court King⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: S Bowen| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 117

10/3

Very temperamental sort who is becoming a harder and harder ride and didn't look in love with the game at all last time at Newton Abbot (pulled up 8th). Needs strong handling but not one to trust even for a stable in good form.

Form: 33P-30P

Dreamsoftheatre^p,t²²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-5| J: Alain Cawley| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 111| CD

11/2

Dual C&D winner from a yard that are in good form but despite taking advantage of a much reduced mark last time he's not that reliable. Despite winning his run was full of his usual quirks (went in snatches; good ride); no banker to follow-up.

Form: 50P-561

Camillas Wish²²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Miss Becky Smith⁽⁵⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 107| CD

8/1

Five wins last year with two coming here over fences at this trip she's flirted with the same form this year without really moving forward. Ran poorly here last time over fences (never involved); 5lb below her last winning chase mark.

Form: 50P4-25

Chocolat Noir^v⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Ross Turner⁽⁷⁾| T: M Todhunter| OR: 90

5/1

Yet to win over hurdles but could claim to be well handicapped on her Flat form and went well in a first-time visor last time over the 2m6f trip here. Didn't have the smoothest of trips on that occasion; this is tougher but not written off.

Form: 4876-62

Non-Runners

Loud And Clear¹⁸

Weight: 11-11| Age: 7

T: I Jardine J: Ross Chapman

Forecasts

Alfie's Choice (6/4), Court King (10/3), Loud And Clear (9/2), Chocolat Noir (5/1), Dreamsoftheatre (11/2), Camillas Wish (8/1), Bon Chic (22/1)

Martin Todhunter won this last year with a mare (Pretty Miss Mahler) and he looks to have another decent chance of landing the prize again with Chocolat Noir who is out of the handicap and up in grade but doesn’t look too badly handicapped on her Flat form. There are a few questionable types in this and Dreamsoftheatre is no banker to follow-up his C&D win here last time; he’ll need an equally good ride to go close again. Neither Court King or Bon Chic can be trusted and ALFIE’S CHOICE can build on his win over shorter here last time with his yard back in form and his mark still underestimating him. Loud And Clear should appreciate this test and looks a danger with a positive ride.