13:55 Wetherby

Tuesday 19 February 2019

All13:5514:2514:5515:3016:0016:3517:05

Watch Racing TV In Stunning HD Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:55 | Winning time: 3m 56.4s

Bit Of A Quirke²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Teal| T: M Walford| OR: 100

13/2

Completed a four-timer on the Flat last year, but is 0-6 in this code. Respectable effort on sole start this winter at Leicester last time. 1lb lower here. Can't rule him out but more needed.

Form: 7335-54

Lostock Hall³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Harry Reed| T: T Davidson| OR: 99

4/1

Won a couple over hurdles for David Dennis in 2016, but yet to show that sort of ability for this trainer in three runs after a long absence. Plenty to prove at present.

Form: 317/075

Dew Pond^b²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Billy Garritty⁽⁷⁾| T: T D Easterby| OR: 98| D

4/1

Arrives in decent form with two good recent runs from similar marks under his belt. More needed for the win, but should be thereabouts.

Form: 55442

Wor Verge^t⁵⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: James Corbett⁽³⁾| T: S Corbett| OR: 98

25/1

8lb lower than when third at Sedgefield in November. A repeat of that effort would make him competitive, but he has to put two modest efforts to bed.

Form: P-793P0

Felix Mendelssohn^t⁴³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Sam Coltherd| T: W Coltherd| OR: 97

16/1

Plummeting in the weights on the back of a poor run of form. Has shown the ability to get involved from this sort of mark, but does carry risks on all recent evidence.

Form: 5-05959

Dr Oakley⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr Jason Dixon⁽⁶⁾| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 97

8/1

Best effort over hurdles was his first one, but not shown enough since then to suggest that this initial handicap mark is favourable.

Form: F3-4007

Hartside²⁶⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: R D Day| T: P Winks| OR: 92| CD

14/1

1lb higher than when last winning at Doncaster about a year ago (good to soft) and does usually find a race to win each season. Not seen since last May, however, and others make more appeal when fresh.

Form: 41535-V

Hurricane Rita^p⁵⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Daniel Sansom| T: C R Dore| OR: 86| D

33/1

10lb lower than her second and most recent win on heavy ground at Fakenham last year, when with Olly Murphy. Has been busy since then, but despite some good efforts is on a 16-race losing run. Hard to fancy on recent evidence.

Form: 254856

Turnbury^p¹²²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: Max Kendrick| T: Mrs N S Evans| OR: 84

20/1

Has been running respectably at Stratford lately from today's mark. Drop in trip should not be a concern, but likely to find a couple too good again.

Form: 547-344

Baileys Artist¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Danny McMenamin⁽³⁾| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer| OR: 92

50/1

Well beaten in all three starts in novice events and has a lot of improving to do on that evidence, on his handicap debut.

Form: 400

L'attendue²⁸⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Thomas Dowson⁽³⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 81

25/1

Well held in all starts so far, though did show a glimmer of ability when fourth here in a maiden hurdle last March. 3lb drop won't harm, and interesting if supported in a weak race.

Form: P84P-0

Farlam King^t³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Dale Irving⁽³⁾| T: M A Barnes| OR: 79

12/1

Bit disappointing at Newcastle last time, and on the face of it a 2lb should be insufficient to bridge the gap. However, has a squeak from this mark on a couple of prior efforts, so not ruled out.

Form: 006886

Mac Cennetig^p,t⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: Emma Smith-Chaston⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 77

8/1

0-17 over hurdles, and while some of his best form would give him a chance here, he is inconsistent and it is not difficult to look elsewhere.

Form: 5P6845

Naasik²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Lorcan Murtagh| T: J R Norton| OR: 74

20/1

Step back in the right direction at Doncaster last time out, but has not really shown anything over hurdles so far to recommend him as a potential winner here.

Form: 057-805

Mighty Mustang¹⁰²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: R Patrick| T: Andrew Martin| OR: 69WS

28/1

Has shown very little under rules and looks very much one to take a watching brief over on his first run post-wind surgery.

Form: 84P/7P8

Cyrano Star^t²³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Ross Chapman| T: A Crook| OR: 68

20/1

Moderate 10-race maiden over hurdles and impossible to fancy him from 6lb 'wrong'.

Form: 0-P6P84

First Of Never²³

Age: 13| Weight: 10-0| J: Blair Campbell| T: Miss L C Siddall| OR: 68

40/1

0-35 over hurdles and 0-42 in total. 80-1 third at Sedgefield last time, so those playing at longer prices for each-way purposes might look his way, but otherwise he does not cut an attractive proposition from 6lb 'wrong'.

Form: 6/3405-3

Non-Runners

Bonne Question²⁶³

Weight: 12-0| Age: 10

T: Miss V Williams J: Hugh Nugent

Forecasts

Lostock Hall (4/1), Dew Pond (4/1), Bit Of A Quirke (13/2), Mac Cennetig (8/1), Bonne Question (8/1), Dr Oakley (8/1), Farlam King (12/1), Hartside (14/1), Felix Mendelssohn (16/1), Naasik (20/1), Cyrano Star (20/1), Turnbury (20/1), L'attendue (25/1), Wor Verge (25/1), Mighty Mustang (28/1), Hurricane Rita (33/1), First Of Never (40/1), Baileys Artist (50/1)

A very moderate opener, with nothing really standing out off the page and despite that fact that he has yet to win when fresh, it could be worth chancing topweight BONNE QUESTION, now dropped to this level. L'Attendue represents a yard that does well here and if there is support for her it may well prove significant. First Of Never clearly can't be ruled out of the frame after his latest effort, Bit Of Quirke is entitled to enter calculations, and Dew Pond is another for the short-list.