Racing TV Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:18 | Winning time: 4m 16.7s

Gregarious⁷⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 12-5| J: Maxime Tissier⁽⁵⁾| T: L Wadham| OR: 112| BF

5/4

Won a 0-120 last March (1m7½f, heavy) at Towcester, when 3lb higher. Unproven on good. Took step back in right direction last time, and should appreciate this drop in grade. Stable in decent form. Should have a say.

Form: 134-007

Lough Kent^b⁴⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: James Moffatt| OR: 105| D

9/2

In-and-out performer whose turf wins have all been on good to soft or slower. Needs to improve on his recent switch back to hurdles, when returning from over three months off.

Form: 572454

Pistol^t⁵³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr John Dixon⁽⁷⁾| T: J E Dixon| OR: 104| CD

11/4

Scored over C&D this time last year, when on this mark. Ran well back here in a better race in October. Acts on good and should be very competitive.

Form: 30-0744

War At Sea^t¹⁷⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 95

20/1

16-race maiden under both codes and changed hands for £4,500 in September, shortly after being well held in an AW claimer. Watching brief looks advisable on stable debut.

Form: 577-56

Hartside^v⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 10-13| J: Danny McMenamin⁽⁷⁾| T: P Winks| OR: 92| CD

8/1

On a handy mark, and did win at this time last year. Useful 7lb claimer up, and can't rule out a much better effort this time than on his reappearance at Wetherby on Wednesday.

Form: 1535-V0

Starplex²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Kenny Johnson| OR: 91

25/1

Has dropped to a dangerous looking mark, but not sure how confident we can be in a revival after the form he has shown for this yard under both codes in recent months.

Form: 9/5-P80P

Non-Runners

Bell Ofthe Bongate²⁶

Weight: 10-5| Age: 5

T: Mrs H O Graham J: Thomas Dowson

Forecasts

Gregarious (5/4), Pistol (11/4), Lough Kent (9/2), Hartside (8/1), Bell Ofthe Bongate (10/1), War At Sea (20/1), Starplex (25/1)

Gregarious is dropped in grade here, which should lead to a much more positive effort, but PISTOL rarely runs a bad race at the track and is taken to repeat his success from this mark 12-months ago. Hartside looks next best, although Lough Kent is not written off.