14:15 Wetherby

Saturday 8 December 2018

All12:0512:4013:1013:4014:1514:5015:25

Racing UK Profits Returned To Racing Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:17 | Winning time: 3m 56.6s

Wakanda²³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: W T Kennedy| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 140| C| D

9/1

Goes well here and has won at Grade 2 level over fences, but hard to see him being at his best back over hurdles at a trip this short.

Form: 2521P0-

Nuts Well²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Danny McMenamin⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs A Hamilton| OR: 137| D

7/2

Smart over both hurdles and fences, switching back to the former here after being pulled up in a Carlisle chase last time. Interesting, on ground that suits, and from a very competitive mark.

Form: 15/21-1P

Aristo Du Plessis²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Lucy Alexander| T: J Ewart| OR: 132| CD

8/1

Won this race last year when 1lb higher. Well held both starts this autumn, but career record shows that he can put a poor run behind him and bounce back. Not ruled out.

Form: 4P/11-5P

Sakhee's City^p¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: A Nicol| T: P A Kirby| OR: 130| D

17/2

6lb worse off with Aristo Du Plessis for a 6L beating by him in this last year. Has improved since, but like that reopposing rival, he is badly in need of a revival after his last two performances.

Form: 5401-60

Cornerstone Lad³²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 129| BF| D

11/2

Loves to get his toe in, and this dual juvenile hurdle winner of last season enters handicaps on a feasible looking mark here. Could go well.

Form: 312223-

Only Orsenfoolsies³²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Joe Colliver| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 128| C| D

8/1

Has won around here, but most of his best form has been at around 2m4f and he will do well to win a competitive heat over this far from this high in the handicap.

Form: 4/73152-

Melody Of Scotland²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: J M Quinlan| T: B Haslam| OR: 124| D

33/1

Won on soft in France, though kept only to good ground both both Alan King and this trainer in the past 19-months. Best form would give her a chance, but last two starts leave plenty to be desired.

Form: 332607

McGowan's Pass²⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: A M Thomson| OR: 119| BF| D

9/4

Dropped 6lb going into this handicap debut, and that looks a workable mark. Acts on deep ground. Interesting.

Form: 1/51534-

Forecasts

McGowan's Pass (9/4), Nuts Well (7/2), Cornerstone Lad (11/2), Aristo Du Plessis (8/1), Only Orsenfoolsies (8/1), Sakhee's City (17/2), Wakanda (9/1), Melody Of Scotland (33/1)

A decent contest, where McGowan's Pass and Cornerstone Lad both start out their handicapping careers from marks that could look lenient by the end of the race. However, the more experienced NUTS WELL also has plenty going for him from his current mark, now reverting to hurdles, and is given the nod. Aristo Du Plessis and Sakhee's City are others of interest.