starsports.bet Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:00 | Winning time: 4m 8.20s

Arthington²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Daniel Sansom⁽⁵⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 125| D

13/8

Won over hurdles at Leicester in December of last year but didn't progress much afterwards. Now has a bit to prove despite being on a comparatively lenient mark if he can recapture his old sparkle.

Form: 203-509

Final Choice^v⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Lee Edwards| T: A West| OR: 123| CD

7/1

Won something of a novelty race (for Flat jockeys racing over jumps) over C&D in November but was already beating a retreat when he unseated back in a normal handicap last time. Place claims if his jumping stays intact.

Form: 617-81U

Cabernet D'Alene³³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Thomas Garner| T: D C O'Brien| OR: 122| BF| D

33/1

Won a conditional rider's race at Market Rasen last January but three starts since have been well below par; hard to recommend and probably best watched on debut for a new yard.

Form: 611P-8U

Tara Bridge³⁰¹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-1| J: Tom Cannon| T: C Gordon| OR: 119| BF| CD

9/2

Looked progressive over fences until he fell early last time out. Reverts to hurdles on a very handy mark though and not too much to find to force his way into the thick of the action for a confidence booster. Worth considering.

Form: F1/211F-

Clayton^t²⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 118| CD

2/1

C&D winner from just a 1lb higher mark a year ago; merits consideration when the pick of his form is taken into account. Needs to better his latest effort but this is a weak event and he cannot be discounted in this company.

Form: 04172-8

The Game Is A Foot³³⁷

Age: 12| Weight: 10-10| J: Page Fuller⁽³⁾| T: Miss Z C Davison| OR: 114| CD

12/1

Mopped up in low-key races towards the end of 2017/start of last year. Been off since winning at Towcester in February but goes well here and has gone well fresh in the past. Has to be of interest.

Form: 411141-

Non-Runners

Fiesole¹³

Weight: 11-12| Age: 7

T: O Murphy J: Non Runner

Mr Fitzroy²⁷²

Weight: 10-1| Age: 9

T: Miss J S Davis J: James Davies

Forecasts

Arthington (13/8), Clayton (2/1), Fiesole (7/2), Tara Bridge (9/2), Final Choice (7/1), The Game Is A Foot (12/1), Mr Fitzroy (14/1), Cabernet D'Alene (33/1)

Doubts can be cast over each runner in the field and this far from a select line up. Fiesole and Arthington have claims on the pick of their past form and could easily bounce back in a low-key race such as this, while Final Choicehas a C&D win to his name and can also go close if his latest starts can be bettered. However, a chance is taken that TARA BRIDGE will relish being back over hurdles and, given that he's on a handy mark, the old boy doesn't have too much to find to put a weak race to bed.