14:55 Haydock

Saturday 16 February 2019

All12:5013:2513:5514:2514:5515:3516:1016:45

Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:56 | Winning time: 6m 6.60s

Blaklion³⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Jordan Nailor⁽⁷⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 147| C| D

10/1

2017 Becher winner who is a regular feature on this card (runner-up in the Grand National trial in 2017 & 2018); charting a different path this season, weakening from the third last (led) over hurdles at Warwick last month.

Form: 12BP-08

Sykes¹¹²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: Matt Griffiths| T: Nicky Martin| OR: 143| D

10/3

Made most until late in the race in the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival in 2018 (better than his bare finishing position); 4lb higher than when short-headed by The Mighty Don on seasonal return in October.

Form: 12200-2

Full Glass⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: A King| OR: 142

10/1

His chasing career has hit the buffers (let down by his jumping); yet to race over hurdles for new connections but was a timber winner for G. Macaire over 2m3f at Cholet (France) in October 2017.

Form: 1F33-UP

Darlac⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: S Bowen| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 139

10/1

Emphatic Fontwell maiden winner (2m3f, good to firm) in October and has largely held his own in stronger races since; career best second to Alsa Mix at Sandown in December (heavy); new trip for handicap debut.

Form: 27-1427

Champers On Ice^b⁴²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 136| D

12/1

Off the track since December 2017 with the handicapper showing some leniency for that absence (dropped 6lb); no doubt that ability lies within (4-12 career) but with a prominent racing style, it'll be very difficult to make a winning return.

Form: 126P/58-

Down The Highway²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 133| D

10/1

£80,000 purchase in March 2018 (winner of a 3m Cragmore maiden PTP); things haven't quite gone according to plan since his decisive winning hurdles debut at Lingfield in November; remains unexposed and of interest on handicap bow over 3m.

Form: 1-1P4

Solighoster¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Philip Donovan⁽⁷⁾| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 132| D

10/1

Appreciates cut underfoot, but this has the look and feel of a confidence restoring mission after a crashing fall at Newcastle (over fences) last month; first start over hurdles since April 2017.

Form: 5F-8F4F

Sir Will^p,t²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: D J Mullins| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 132| D

20/1

Drops a couple of pounds in the weights on his second start back from wind surgery, yet still 8lb higher than when winning over an extended 2m7f (soft) at Ascot in March 2018; talented rider in the saddle.

Form: F1314-7

Blue Rambler^p²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-9| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 130

12/1

Beaten a head by Commodore Barry off a 5lb lower mark at Doncaster (3m, good) in December and conceivably could've found the shorter trip/different riding tactics against him latest; not dismissed, albeit others preferred.

Form: 2512/25

Burrows Park²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Miss Lucy Turner⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 128| BF

10/1

Has struck up an excellent partnership with today's rider Lucy Turner and went down fighting behind Ballyandy at Uttoxeter (2m4f, soft) last month; another 1lb higher here over a new trip - stays 2m5f+.

Form: PP/6112

Silva Eclipse²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 126

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; inching up the weights, 4lb higher than when beaten a nose by Closing Ceremony over C&D four weeks ago.

Form: 28-4422

Lamanver Odyssey^t⁶³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: G Sheehan| T: Jack Barber| OR: 125

12/1

Lost the race in the stewards room after 'winning' off this mark over 2m3f here (soft) in March 2018; more modest since leaving the care of Harry Fry and she has a bit to prove in terms of stamina over 3m.

Form: P2DP-45

Shoal Bay^t⁸⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: P J Brennan| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 124

20/1

Stablemate of Darlac; his sole win over hurdles (1-8) came on debut in a 2m3f Taunton maiden in November 2017; easing in the weights from a tough opening handicap mark of 132; has raced just once beyond 2m3f.

Form: 6P2-605

Forecasts

Sykes (10/3), Silva Eclipse (10/1), Burrows Park (10/1), Blaklion (10/1), Darlac (10/1), Down The Highway (10/1), Solighoster (10/1), Full Glass (10/1), Champers On Ice (12/1), Lamanver Odyssey (12/1), Blue Rambler (12/1), Shoal Bay (20/1), Sir Will (20/1)

A Pertemps qualifier in which the suggested approach is to take aim and keep everything crossed for hitting the bull. Front-runner Sykes has obvious claims if replicating his seasonal reappearance run at Cheltenham with a clearly mapped out plan for the Festival next month. Sir Will has a talented rider in the saddle on his second start back from wind surgery and the lightly-weighted but progressive pair Burrows Park and Silva Eclipse are possible each-way options. However, the dart is aimed towards the unexposed DOWN THE HIGHWAY. Emma Lavelle's handicap debutante is open to improvement at 3m and has a nice racing weight of 10st 12lb.