14:25 Musselburgh

Monday 7 January 2019

All12:5013:2513:5514:2515:0015:35

Betway Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:25 | Winning time: 3m 47.30s

Imperial Focus^p¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Grant Cockburn⁽³⁾| T: S Waugh| OR: 104

40/1

Placed twice over hurdles last summer but struggled on the Flat since and well beaten on handicap debut and return to jumping last time out.

Form: 4238

Felix Mendelssohn^t¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Sam Coltherd⁽⁵⁾| T: W Coltherd| OR: 100

10/1

Inconsistent but ran a fair race when 12L fifth over an extended 2m at Newcastle (soft) last time out. More needed in this contest.

Form: 65-0595

Captain Brown^p⁶⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 11-5| J: Henry Brooke| T: James Moffatt| OR: 97| D

33/1

Returning from a break when brought down at Sedgefield (2m1f, good) in early November. Worth a check in the market on his first start since.

Form: PP956B

Wot A Shot³²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-3| J: R D Day| T: N G Richards| OR: 95| CD

7/2

Held in two starts since returning from a break. Has won off a higher mark in the past and market support would be notable for a stable in good form (4/15) at present.

Form: 653P65

Elysian Prince²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Colm McCormack⁽³⁾| T: A B Hamilton| OR: 93| D

40/1

Well beaten on debut for this yard over an extended 2m3f at Catterick (good-to-soft) last time out and others hold stronger claims.

Form: 6424P0

Sarvi⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Callum Bewley| T: J S Goldie| OR: 104

4/1

Decent 12L third in a four-year-old hurdle over this C&D last time out. Interesting off the same mark she raced off when 13L fourth at Kelso (2m2f, good) on her penultimate outing.

Form: 4243

Dance Of Fire³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Lucy Alexander| T: N W Alexander| OR: 92

6/1

Dual winner on the Flat but 0/9 over hurdles so far and well held over this C&D last month when returning from nearly a year off the track.

Form: 66/460-6

Frame Rate²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: C O'Farrell| T: I Jardine| OR: 100

14/1

Nine race maiden finished 6L second in a C&D juvenile hurdle on good-to-firm going in November. Failed to finish in two subsequent starts including when pulled up on handicap debut last time.

Form: 62FP

Life Knowledge^b⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: J Kington| T: A Crook| OR: 88

13/2

Placed on his last two starts including over an extended 1m7f at Catterick (good) recently. One to note racing off the same mark on this occasion.

Form: 666-723

Urban Kode^v³⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 10-1| J: Thomas Willmott⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 79| C| D

9/1

Finished third here over further on his two most recent starts. Interesting dropping in trip having been beaten 10½L over 2m4f early last month.

Form: 644633

Painters Lad³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: B S Hughes| T: Mrs A C Hamilton| OR: 78

16/1

Seven race maiden put a couple of non-completions behind him when 16L fifth over C&D on good ground last month. More needed in this contest.

Form: 5/P5-PP5

Hey Bob^t⁶¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Sean Quinlan| T: C Grant| OR: 72| D

28/1

Won just once from 46 starts and has finished well beaten in two starts since a good 7L second at Sedgefield (2m1f, good-to-firm) in October. Racing from out of the handicap.

Form: B39274

Leonasisland^h¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: W Coltherd| OR: 72

50/1

Making his handicap debut when beaten 25L over an extended 2m at Newcastle (soft) last time out. Probably best watched racing from out of the handicap.

Form: 0-PP709

Forecasts

Wot A Shot (7/2), Sarvi (4/1), Dance Of Fire (6/1), Life Knowledge (13/2), Urban Kode (9/1), Felix Mendelssohn (10/1), Frame Rate (14/1), Painters Lad (16/1), Hey Bob (28/1), Captain Brown (33/1), Imperial Focus (40/1), Elysian Prince (40/1), Leonasisland (50/1)

The unexposed SARVI looks capable of recording a first victory over hurdles in this competitive looking handicap. The selection ran a decent race on handicap debut can is taken to get the better of the veteran Urban Kode who has been running well over further in recent starts. Wot A Shot is well handicapped on his old form and he can claim third for an in form stable.