14:10 Wetherby

Tuesday 19 March 2019

All14:1014:4015:1515:5016:2016:55

Like Racing TV On Facebook Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:11 | Winning time: 3m 48.85s

Bonne Question¹¹

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 117| BF| D

5/2

Hacked up when winning at Ffos Las (2m, good to soft) on his penultimate start and caught close home under a 7lb penalty at Sandown (2m, soft) since; races off his true revised mark today (another 8lb higher) which will make life tougher; respected.

Form: 1/95-012

En Meme Temps^p1,t⁶²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: R Johnson| T: T Lacey| OR: 115

4/1

Raced prominently until weakening from the final flight when finishing 7L second to Suggestion on handicap debut over C&D in December; lacked any real fluency early on at Newbury latest (soon detached); cheekpieces are now applied.

Form: 6-64228

Theatre Legend²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: B S Hughes| T: C Grant| OR: 113

9/4

Dual bumper winner; a shade disappointing on hurdles debut at Sedgefield in November (2m1f, good to soft) but much better over an extended 2m3f here (good) last month; interesting to see how he figures in the market on handicap debut.

Form: 1170-33

Walsingham Grange^p⁵²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Jordan Nailor⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs P Sly| OR: 110| D

14/1

Hasn't taken at all well to chasing, so switches back to the smaller obstacles for the first time in almost 12 months; placed on both previous visits to this track and remains feasibly handicapped; conditions are fine.

Form: 34-374P

Snookered^p¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Danny McMenamin⁽⁷⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 110

6/1

Three-time Flat winner (1m-1m3f); unexposed in handicap company over hurdles and might've just needed the run at Newcastle (2m, good to soft) a fortnight ago; each-way possibilities if upping his game.

Form: 3-206

Ilaya^h¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Miss Becky Smith⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 106

22/1

Former French-racer who has been brought along steadily by her current trainer Micky Hammond; ran better than the bare finishing positions imply at Catterick (1m7½f, soft) 13-days ago; sent handicapping for the first time off a mark of 106.

Form: 2-546

Think Ahead^p²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Sean Quinlan| T: James Moffatt| OR: 102

25/1

One-time Godolphin inmate; sole hurdles success in a 2m1f maiden at Cartmel (soft) in July 2017; clearly has had some issues with his breathing, and was pulled up on his first start back from wind surgery at Catterick (2m1f) last month; unlikely.

Form: 24-4PPP

Hartside²³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: Billy Garritty⁽⁷⁾| T: P Winks| OR: 87| CD

33/1

A six-time winner over hurdles, albeit the bulk of those victories were recorded much earlier in his racing career (including as the 2016 race winner); no issues with presenting conditions but likely to find this opposition too hot to handle.

Form: 535-V04

Forecasts

Theatre Legend (9/4), Bonne Question (5/2), En Meme Temps (4/1), Snookered (6/1), Walsingham Grange (14/1), Ilaya (22/1), Think Ahead (25/1), Hartside (33/1)

With the exception of a couple of those declared (Think Ahead and Hartside), it's possible to make a reasoned case for any of the remainder. The introduction of cheekpieces could feasibly assist En Meme Temps, as could the return to the smaller obstacles for Walsingham Grange. However, the in-form horse is the top-weight BONNE QUESTION. The handicapper took swift and decisive action following his Ffos Las romp, but with his trainer and jockey (Charlie Deutsch back in the saddle today) in excellent form at present, the suspicion is that he'll still prove to be a tough nut to crack.