14:20 Uttoxeter

Thursday 18 October 2018

All14:2014:5515:2515:5516:3017:05

Brian Mellor Financial Services Celebrating 25 Years Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:20 | Winning time: 4m 56.10s

Exotic Friend⁵²⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: David Noonan| T: A Wintle| OR: 99| D

50/1

Sprang a 22/1 surprise at Bangor 18 months ago and off the track since pulling up on subsequent start.

Form: F9P01/P-

Tanacando¹⁶⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 97

10/1

Second in a poor race at Warwick on heavy ground last winter. Form before and since raise doubts he can perform to a similar level here.

Form: 67823-0

Celtic Monarch^t²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: T Scudamore| T: M M McNiff| OR: 97| CD

9/1

Caused a shock when winning over C&D in June and below that level since. Returns just 2lb higher and in the hope the track inspires him again.

Form: 7P-1368

Meldrum Way¹⁶⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: James Best| T: Mark Campion| OR: 97

66/1

Failed to trouble the judge in four starts over hurdles for his previous yard and probably best watched on his stable debut.

Form: P/900-9

Kingston²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: R T Dunne| T: A W Carroll| OR: 96| D

7/2

Beat a subsequent winner on penultimate start and no disgrace over C&D last time when taking on much stronger company than this.

Form: 347213

Golden Sandstorm²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: L Heard| T: D M Loughnane| OR: 95

66/1

Unplaced in nine career starts over a variety of trips. Drops 4f here but hard to be optimistic after he finished tailed-off in last three starts.

Form: P-44780

Georgian Firebird²⁰⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: C Gethings| T: B Leavy| OR: 95

40/1

Towcester winner 32 months ago who has only had four starts since. Pulled up when last seen in March and advisable to see how he fares today.

Form: U1/F63P-

Flemen Majic⁸⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: James Bowen| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 94

8/1

Hard to recommend on performances but the booking of a top rider by an in-form Irish yard takes the eye.

Form: 0855-U0

Downloadtheapp¹⁸⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Daniel Hiskett⁽⁵⁾| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 91

25/1

Beaten an aggregate of 182L in two handicap starts. Mark has slipped 11lb but may have further to go.

Form: U06677-

Kublai⁷^{(ex 7)}

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Adam Wedge| T: Alexandra Dunn| OR: 82| D

9/4

Had the race in the bag when left clear last week. Probably beat little that day but that appears the case again here. Will be racing off a 3lb higher mark next week.

Form: 780621

Scorpion Star^p¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-10| J: Bryony Le Clerc⁽³⁾| T: J D Frost| OR: 83

7/1

Opened his account under Rules at the 19th time of asking when taking a poor Newton Abbot seller. A line through Rocket Ronnie gives him plenty to find with Kingston.

Form: 563P41

Sunset Skye^t⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-6| J: J J Burke| T: Mrs L Hill| OR: 79

40/1

Managed to complete the course last time but did so in her own time. Hard to fancy at present.

Form: 8UPP-4

Time For Champers^h⁵¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: James Davies| T: Mrs N S Evans| OR: 76

50/1

Threw a winning opportunity away when last seen almost 18 months ago. That effort and the absence make her hard to recommend.

Form: P5PP6/2-

Bertie Blake^p1⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: A Nicol| T: P A Kirby| OR: 75

14/1

Yet to live up to expectations and there have been few positives to extract from his performances. Cheekpieces will need to make a big difference.

Form: 5P8-0P0

Helamis¹⁹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Sean Houlihan⁽⁵⁾| T: B Leavy| OR: 73

28/1

Chepstow winner three years ago but has had little racing since. Neither run in the spring suggested he was close to that level nor one that would be good enough here.

Form: 1645/58-

Forecasts

Kublai (9/4), Kingston (7/2), Scorpion Star (7/1), Flemen Majic (8/1), Celtic Monarch (9/1), Tanacando (10/1), Bertie Blake (14/1), Downloadtheapp (25/1), Helamis (28/1), Sunset Skye (40/1), Georgian Firebird (40/1), Exotic Friend (50/1), Time For Champers (50/1), Meldrum Way (66/1), Golden Sandstorm (66/1)

KINGSTON and Kublai bring the best recent form into this and look the most viable options in a race that will take little winning. The latter sauntered home last week by 18L to end a three year drought. He is undoubtedly well-treated judged on historical form and on his revised mark which kicks in after this. However, the selection probably achieved more in beating Rocket Ronnie, who has upheld the form since. Kingston has also gone well here since in a higher grade contest and merits the pick as a result.