16:15 Haydock

Saturday 19 January 2019

All12:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:4516:15

Old Boston Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:15 | Winning time: 6m 14.8s

Goodbye Dancer³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Jamie Bargary| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 133

12/1

A shock winner when last competing off this mark (133) at Sandown (2m5f+, soft) in March; not at all disgraced in a couple of competitive 3m Cheltenham handicaps so far this season.

Form: PP1/036

Flashjack³⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: R Johnson| T: H D Daly| OR: 132| D

6/1

Rattled off a four-timer over timber in late 2017/early 2018 with staying wins at Warwick (twice), Ludlow and Hereford; continues to find more off an ever rising mark - beaten less than 5L when finishing third to Isaacstown Lad at Carlisle latest.

Form: 1115-23

Highland Hunter³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 128| D

7/2

Relishes some cut underfoot and is a novice on a sharp upward curve; unbeaten in two starts over hurdles, accounting for a subsequent winner (Weakfield) in landing the odds at Hexham (2m4f) latest; intriguing over 3m on handicap debut.

Form: 110-11

Closing Ceremony²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: Adam Wedge| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 127| CD

16/1

Talented in his prime and is a three-time course winner (2m7f); certainly could feel as if he's running loose off an ever-easing handicap mark of 127, but difficult to be overly confident after making just three appearances in 36-months.

Form: 1563/7-7

Courtown Oscar⁴²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: Sean Quinlan| T: P A Kirby| OR: 127| BF| D

8/1

Mud-lark and a dour stayer, with his trainer nominating this race as a preparatory run for the Eider Chase at Newcastle in February; off the track since finishing second to Hainan over fences here (3m4f) in November 2017.

Form: 1224/12-

Teescomponents Lad²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Joe Williamson⁽⁷⁾| T: G Boanas| OR: 126

5/1

Has finished in the frame on all three starts this season, hitting the target off a 6lb lower mark at Wetherby (2m5f+) on Boxing Day when running down Neachells Bridge; first attempt at 3m.

Form: 334-231

Django Django⁷³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽⁵⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 126| D

6/1

Back to winning ways when pushed out by this rider to beat Royal Claret by ¾L at Chepstow (2m7f+) in early November; off since, yet must be considered as a realistic contender off just a 5lb higher mark.

Form: 1409-51

Le Musee^b1,t²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Tom Cannon| T: N J Hawke| OR: 124| BF

8/1

Shown a fair level of ability since switched to Nigel Hawke (from Andre Fabre) and could be suited by stepping up in trip; can race rather lazily (hence the addition of blinkers); a threat on his Newbury second to Champ.

Form: 210-925

Silva Eclipse²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 122

10/1

Still searching for a first win under the care of Sue Smith, with plenty of placed efforts now stacking up on his CV; 2lb higher than when finishing a staying on second to The Hollow Ginge over C&D (heavy) in December.

Form: 228-442

Roycano³⁰⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Harry Bannister| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 122| D

16/1

Progressive during the course of 2016 (2m7f+ Fakenham winner) but has raced only once since April of that year - at Wetherby in March of 2018; impossible to assess; will the market speak positively or not?

Form: 531U3/3-

Sammy B⁴⁴⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: Blair Campbell⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 118| C| D

25/1

Stablemate of Highland Hunter; won three on the bounce in the early part of 2017 (including over 2m7f at Haydock) but off the track since a low-key chasing debut at Carlisle 26-months ago; look elsewhere.

Form: 81116/9-

Forecasts

Highland Hunter (7/2), Teescomponents Lad (5/1), Flashjack (6/1), Django Django (6/1), Le Musee (8/1), Courtown Oscar (8/1), Silva Eclipse (10/1), Goodbye Dancer (12/1), Closing Ceremony (16/1), Roycano (16/1), Sammy B (25/1)

In many respects, at first glance this is a typically competitive and open looking staying handicap hurdle with the likes of Le Musee, Django Django, Goodbye Dancer, Silva Eclipse and Flashjack among the list of possible winners. However, the presence of the Lucinda Russell-trained novice HIGHLAND HUNTER adds a whole new dimension to the race. He is one of the most promising young hurdlers in the northern region and could be in lightly on handicap debut off an opening mark of 128. Furthermore, he encounters a staying trip (3m) for the first time, which is highly likely to generate further improvement.