Pertemps Mares' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:56 | Winning time: 5m 47.75s

Martila^h¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Craig Nichol| T: Miss P Robson| OR: 119

11/4

Relatively lightly-raced and back on the same mark as when winning at Ayr (2m, heavy) just over a year ago. Steps up in trip (is sister to a 2m4f chase winner), and could go well after a respectable reappearance back at Ayr.

Form: 215-244

Keep The River²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Ross Chapman⁽³⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 114

11/2

Won a mares' maiden hurdle over a similar trip at Ayr last time, on just her second start over hurdles. Handicapper has taken a dim view of that and, while she is unexposed, she needs a fair bit of improvement to follow up.

Form: 21431

Hillcrest Fire²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: C Gethings| T: S Edmunds| OR: 110| BF

5/2

Trainer/jockey combination won this race last year with a mare of similar ability. This filly stays 1m6f on the Flat, so this trip should not be an issue over hurdles, to which she returns with every chance of being competitive from this mark.

Form: 13433-

Potters Sapphire^p¹⁹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: J M Quinlan| T: Miss A Murphy| OR: 107

16/1

Was 0-9 for Lucy Wadham, for who she showed some promise at Huntingdon in January and also here next time. Pulled up last two runs for that trainer and now makes debut for this one, from an initial mark that looks workable. Interesting.

Form: 3/532P-P

Glorvina¹⁸⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Bannister| T: C J Mann| OR: 107

25/1

Won a Cartmel juvenile hurdle on debut in this discipline last year, but has been unable to get back to that level of for since. Drops 3lb here, but looks best watched on recent evidence.

Form: 723637-

Maggies Legend^t²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: A M Hales| OR: 105

12/1

Not devoid of ability, and can probably pick up a minor handicap, but initial mark looks stiff on what we have seen so far.

Form: 005-47

Queen Of The Wind¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: T Scudamore| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 104

7/2

Scored on handicap debut at Stratford (1m7½f, soft) in March, when 7lb lower. Thrashed back against novices under a penalty at Ludlow in April, her sole run since. This mark looks within her compass if she can bounce back.

Form: 4P16-71

Forecasts

Hillcrest Fire (5/2), Martila (11/4), Queen Of The Wind (7/2), Keep The River (11/2), Maggies Legend (12/1), Potters Sapphire (16/1), Glorvina (25/1)

This could prove more competitive than many races of its type, with northern raiders Martila and Keep The River both interesting, while last year's winning trainer Stuart Edmunds will know more than anyone about the relative merits of Hillcrest Fire, who on the face of it, looks capable of being involved. Potters Sapphire is on a mark that could be exploited and the same applies to QUEEN OF THE WIND, who looks the one to beat if able to match the form of her Stratford success.