Racebets Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:11 | Winning time: 5m 47.6s

Kansas City Chief^p²⁷⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: T Scudamore| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 135

13/2

Trip and ground suit and proved a more than useful hurdler last season. However, likely to need to be somewhere near his best from this mark on his reappearance, and his record when fresh is not encouraging.

Form: 551220-

Kaki De La Pree^p1³³

Age: 11| Weight: 11-7| J: Benjamin Poste| T: T Symonds| OR: 130| D

7/1

Inconsistent, but has the ability to make an impact from this mark if at his best. Ran no sort of race last time. Heavy ground a possible excuse there, but he acts well on soft and in first-time cheekpieces, a revival is possible.

Form: F4/P5-3P

Knock House^b⁵⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 127WS

5/1

Not beaten far from this mark at Carlisle (3m1f, soft) in April. Below that level in all three starts since, but a market check looks necessary now, to gauge any confidence in a revival on his first run after wind surgery.

Form: P/62-857

Salmanazar²³²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-1| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 124

6/1

Made the frame from this or similar marks on his last two starts in the spring. Aside from winning on his bumper debut in 2012, his record when fresh is nothing special, but if he is ready, he has each-way claims.

Form: P2/7423-

Crixus's Escape⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Sean Quinlan| T: G Boanas| OR: 124

14/1

Hasn't seen much action, but is 2-4 so far (both Hexham, 2m, soft). Was a market drifter from this mark on his handicap debut at Carlisle last month, when an early mistake ended his chance. Potential improver if he can hurdle more fluently.

Form: 7/11-7

Atomic Rumble^t⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: S Bowen| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 117

10/3

Got off the mark at the ninth attempt at Ffos Las (2m6f, good) in May and followed-up at Aintree (2m4f) a month later. 5lb higher here, and may have needed his reappearance, so not ruled out now stepped up again in trip.

Form: 400-117

Valadom^p,t²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: Rex Dingle⁽⁷⁾| T: R Hobson| OR: 116| C

11/4

Four-time chase winner at up to 3m (including here), but 0-8 over hurdles. Decent effort from this mark at Cheltenham last time, but probably an each-way player at best.

Form: 4U4-264

Forecasts

Valadom (11/4), Atomic Rumble (10/3), Knock House (5/1), Salmanazar (6/1), Kansas City Chief (13/2), Kaki De La Pree (7/1), Crixus's Escape (14/1)

Knock House is interesting on his first run post-wind surgery and support for him would probably be an indicator that a revival is anticipated. Crixus's Escape is another to note in the market. He drifted last time ahead of his handicap debut, but is far from ruled out after blundering away that chance. Salmanazar has frame claims, while Kansas City Chief can't be written off, but his record when fresh is offputting. The suggestion, therefore, is KAKI DE LA PREE, for whom it is hoped that cheekpieces can spark a revival from a mark that he can probably still handle.