Bet At racinguk.com Intermediate Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:05 | Winning time: 4m 0.4s

Cause Toujours^h,t²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 12-1| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 127

6/4

The handicapper appeared to thwart his progress with a 7lb rise for his June Aintree (2m, good) win; that said, has broadly favourable ground conditions today and is fresh from a break, so deserves respect despite racing from a tricky looking mark.

Form: 9/42-114

Evron¹⁹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: D A Jacob| T: W Greatrex| OR: 119

7/2

Former French racer for F-M Cottin; has far more chasing (0-4) than hurdling (0-2) experience; dam was a 2m2f hurdles winner; with top connections for GB and handicap debut; market useful.

Form: 777523-

Ex S'elance¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 118| D

50/1

Bumper and hurdles winner in France for Guy Cherel, ploughing through soft ground in a Vichy claimer (2m1f+) in May; tailed off (20/1) on stable debut in a Hexham novice (2m, soft) 12 days ago.

Form: P51-417

Placedela Concorde^t²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Dale Irving⁽³⁾| T: M A Barnes| OR: 116

28/1

Twice a winner over hurdles (2m novices); found out in handicap company of late, beaten 23L by 1/12f Dinions at Sedgefield (2m4f) in September and has finished a modest third of four to Alfie's Choice at Hexham (2m4f) since.

Form: 124823

Nendrum^t¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Rachel McDonald⁽⁵⁾| T: A M Thomson| OR: 114

7/1

Consistent sort who appears to handle most surfaces (good through to soft); on the premises, beaten 2L when finishing third of five on return to the track at Kelso (2m, good) recently; on balance, others appear slightly better handicapped.

Form: 219-223

Maire Banrigh^t¹⁶⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 112| D

85/40

Cost £320,000 in March 2017; stopped quickly in each of her first two starts over hurdles (2m-2m5f soft), but returned from a five month break following wind surgery to make all in a 2m1f Market Rasen maiden (good) in May; handicap debut.

Form: 1/87-1

Non-Runners

Schmidt⁴⁸

Weight: 11-10| Age: 6

T: S R B Crawford J: A E Lynch

Black Art²¹⁶

Weight: 11-6| Age: 6

T: J Parkinson & S Smith J: Danny Cook

Forecasts

Cause Toujours (6/4), Maire Banrigh (85/40), Evron (7/2), Nendrum (7/1), Black Art (8/1), Schmidt (14/1), Placedela Concorde (28/1), Ex S'elance (50/1)

A muddling contest, with the market potentially most useful in assessing the chance of the Munir/Souede-owned GB newcomer Evron. Cause Toujours carries top-weight and will require a career best from a tough looking handicap mark, with similar comments applicable to both Black Art and the reliable Nendrum. Therefore, the advice is to take the plunge on the handicap debutante MARIE BANRIGH. She'll never repay her £320,000 price tag, but connections will be keen to win more races with her for breeding purposes, and with her wind seemingly sorted is feasibly treated off an opening mark of 112.