50 Risk Free On Racing With Smarkets Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:05 | Winning time: 4m 46.1s

Chti Balko²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 147| C

5/2

Prominent racer who has shown a liking for this track and won at this meeting last year. As good as ever in two starts this season and handles plenty of give in the ground.

Form: 5392-23

Ballymoy²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 142| BF

5/6

Progressive novice who won a valuable prize at Sandown in the spring. Winning run came to an end at Newbury last time, but this is an easier contest and underfoot condiitons are not an issue. .

Form: 5111-14

Better Getalong²⁵²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: B S Hughes| T: N G Richards| OR: 135

5/1

Not sighted since pulling up in a Grade 1 contest at Aintree in April, but previous form over hurdles was solid and he showed he acts with plenty of give in the ground. Not one to write off with conditions to suit.

Form: 0/1312P-

Spirit Of Kayf^h1⁷⁵⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Lucy Alexander| T: N W Alexander| OR: 133

33/1

Won two of his three starts over hurdles for Sandy Thomson in 2016, but has not been seen since and starts out for a new trainer. Wears a hood for the first time and, on balance, is best watched.

Form: 1201F1/

Seemorelights⁶⁶⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Rachel McDonald⁽⁵⁾| T: A M Thomson| OR: 127

12/1

Promise in three novice hurdles at the start of last year, but has been off the course since then. Has presumably had his problems and may need the run on his return to action.

Form: 467133/

Forecasts

Ballymoy (5/6), Chti Balko (5/2), Better Getalong (5/1), Seemorelights (12/1), Spirit Of Kayf (33/1)

With question marks hanging over the returning Spirit Of Kayf and Seemorelights, and Better Getalong having his first run of the season, this may be fought out by Chti Balko and BALLYMOY. The former is an admirable sort who likes to race prominently, but BALLYMOY will relish underfoot conditions and may have his measure as long as he does not give him too much rope.