15:35 Doncaster

Friday 25 January 2019

All12:5013:2513:5514:3015:0515:3516:05

Enter ITV7 Now Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:35 | Winning time: 4m 8.16s

Rafferty²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 0-0| J: P J Brennan| T: Stef Keniry| OR: 99

7/1

Hasn't been seeing out his races over hurdles (at 2m) despite his dam being a winner over 2m3f; handicapper hasn't taken any chances with this opening mark of 99, yet this is a very weak contest; chance.

Form: 36F66

Lochinver³⁷

Age: 12| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 100

Form: 1-4090

Secret Melody^t1⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 0-0| J: James Davies| T: S-J Davies| OR: 94WS

25/1

Tailed-off on both starts for this trainer (formerly with Tim Easterby); eased in the weights (8lb) with all hopes pinned on wind surgery and the newly applied tongue-tie proving a winning combination.

Form: 748-F07

Camile¹⁵

Age: 13| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 99| BF

Form: 09P/012

Maroc^p⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 0-0| J: Max Kendrick⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs N S Evans| OR: 92

9/4

Has won just once in 32 starts under all codes (over 1m2f); 0-8 over hurdles so far but better under a positive ride by Max Kendrick at Market Rasen latest (beaten 5½L by Love Lane).

Form: 3P0P/63

Spader¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 0-0| J: Page Fuller⁽³⁾| T: Miss L V Davis| OR: 90

33/1

Sold cheaply (£1,200) from the Dan Skelton yard in July having seemingly lost his way after winning at Southwell (2m, good) in May; very difficult to enthuse over.

Form: 15804B

Generous Jack⁹^{(ex 7)}

Age: 17| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: J & S Best| OR: 92

Form: 733/361

Bolister¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 0-0| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 89

7/2

Very lightly raced for his age and was a first fence faller on his chasing debut (first run for 17 months) at Plumpton in December; made the frame back over hurdles at Fontwell (2m1f+) 11-days ago and could improve for that run.

Form: 9P2/5-F3

Dew Pond³⁰

Age: 14| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: T D Easterby| OR: 98| C

Form: /5544

Miss Amelia⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 0-0| J: D A Jacob| T: M Walford| OR: 83

4/1

Peak effort over hurdles came at Wetherby 14-months ago, when 66-1 and a 4L fourth in novice company. Form dipped after that, and although she took a step back in the right direction at Bangor over fences last time, others make more appeal.

Form: 685-PP4

Man Of The North^p1¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 0-0| J: Lee Edwards| T: A W Carroll| OR: 83

16/1

A tale of woe over hurdles (0-6) and well beaten at odds of 100/1 in selling company at Leicester latest; cheekpieces now applied; impossible to consider as a realistic winner.

Form: 490PU7

Give Him Time¹⁹

Age: 15| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: N J Gifford| OR: 93| BF

Form: PP323/6

Naasik⁵²

Age: 6| Weight: 0-0| J: Colm McCormack⁽³⁾| T: J R Norton| OR: 76

9/1

Now 0-6 over hurdles and falling sharply in the weights since sent handicapping (dropped 13lb); no reason as to why he should be competitive; look elsewhere with confidence.

Form: 0057-80

Admiral Spice^p²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 0-0| J: C Brace⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 82

16/1

13-race Flat maiden (54-rated on turf); 0-4 over hurdles and never involved at any stage on handicap debut at Uttoxeter (2m, soft) on New Years Eve; can't be considered.

Form: /5880

Little Rich²³

Age: 11| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 100

Form: 743

Dance Of Fire¹⁸

Age: 14| Weight: 0-0| J: Lucy Alexander| T: N W Alexander| OR: 88| C

Form: 6/460-60

Outback Blue³⁸

Age: 13| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: G Bewley| OR: 87

Form: 790584

First Of Never³⁵¹

Age: 20| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: Miss L C Siddall| OR: 68

Form: 66/3405-

Forecasts

Maroc (9/4), Bolister (7/2), Miss Amelia (4/1), Rafferty (7/1), Naasik (9/1), Man Of The North (16/1), Admiral Spice (16/1), Secret Melody (25/1), Spader (33/1)

With respect a thick black line can be safely inked through at least half of the field, with the remainder not at all alluring with regards the future either. However, there will be a winner and that could be Bolister assuming that his recent fair comeback run at Fontwell (2m1f+) can be built upon now dropped back in trip. Having said that and with the strong feeling that the handicapper has erred on the side of caution with an opening mark of 99, we'll chance the top-weight RAFFERTY. He hasn't been seeing out his races in novice company (at 2m) but is bred for a hurdling career (dam was a 2m3f winner) and he couldn't have found a weaker race for his handicap debut.