Watch Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Mares' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:00 | Winning time: 3m 59.7s

River Icon¹⁰⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Bruce Lynn⁽⁷⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 118

6/1

Hasn't won over hurdles since the summer of 2017 (2m6f Cartmel); returns fresh to action the beneficiary of a slight ease in the weights after a brief spell over fences; ground fine, trip on the short side; stablemate/half-sister to Keep The River.

Form: 6-43244

Grania O'Malley²²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 118| D

11/2

All out to score on soft ground at Uttoxeter in July 2018 (beat Thelunarschooner by 3¾L); competes from a similar mark here off the back of a 221-day absence; faster ground fine; trainer 0-6 with his previous Newcastle (NH) runners.

Form: 2-31313

Keep The River³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Ross Chapman| T: I Jardine| OR: 112| D

11/2

Produced a solid effort over 2m4f (good to soft) here in January when beaten less than 3L by the progressive Derriana Spirit; disappointing since; eased 2lb in the weights and drying ground will suit; stablemate/half-sister to River Icon; trip?

Form: 315236

Emma Lamb²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Joe Colliver| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 111

6/1

Demonstrated fair form in bumpers (unlucky not to score at Sedgefield); still early days over hurdles but not exactly making giant strides just yet; her best effort was when beaten 2¾L by A Little Chaos at Market Rasen (2m+).

Form: 52UP24

Rubytwo²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Danny McMenamin⁽⁷⁾| T: N G Richards| OR: 104| BF| D

2/1

Disappointing when beaten at short odds in a 2m4f mares' maiden here in November, but she's steadily got back on the right track since; should cope with this drop back in trip; ground fine; has previous with Keep The River in bumpers.

Form: 2-14422

Lady Kyria^h¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: Thomas Dowson⁽³⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 100

7/2

Has shown a reasonable level of form since introduced to hurdling by Phil Kirby without necessarily appearing to be a winner in waiting; finished 14¾L third on handicap debut at Sedgefield (2m1f, soft) 16-days ago - the runner-up has won since.

Form: F333

Forecasts

Rubytwo (2/1), Lady Kyria (7/2), Grania O'Malley (11/2), Keep The River (11/2), Emma Lamb (6/1), River Icon (6/1)

A compact field for the opener, and it's perfectly acceptable to build a reasoned case for the majority of those declared. Grania O'Malley returns to action from a 221-day break bidding to provide Vale Of Glamorgan trainer Evan Williams with a first ever jumps winner at Gosforth Park. Stablemates and half-sisters River Icon and Keep The River should appreciate the drying underfoot conditions but not necessarily the shorter 2m trip, whilst it remains early days for Emma Lamb. However, the tentative vote is for RUBYTWO under the 7lb claimer Danny McMenamin. She hasn't always impressed but does appear to be steadily getting back on track, and should go close.