starsports.bet Mares' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:35 | Winning time: 5m 47.45s

Jet Set⁶⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: J J Burke| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 120

7/2

Beat Cloone Lady by 9L in a 2m4f+ mares' novices' hurdle at Huntingdon in April 2018, but has had a stop/start career since; has unseated her rider at the first on both starts over fences; fair (reduced) mark of 120; trip?

Form: 01-U45U

Coded Message⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Kielan Woods| T: B I Case| OR: 118

12/1

Hacked up in a 2m mares' novices' hurdle (evens fav) run on testing ground at Lingfield in December; has shown little in the way of further improvement since, and looks to be rated plenty high enough on handicap bow; new trip.

Form: 4-31334

Carrolls Milan³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 118

9/4

Reasonably progressive over hurdles (more so since upped to 3m); 4lb higher than when beating the quirky Gold Chain by 1L at Ludlow (good) latest; more on her plate today, but very tough to knock with Paddy Brennan back on top; chance.

Form: 6-24221

Rubenesque^p1,t⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Harry Reed⁽³⁾| T: T Davidson| OR: 114

8/1

Won what was effectively an 'egg and spoon' race on quick ground at Doncaster (2m3f+) in December; shouldn't have too much more improvement in the locker off a mark of 114; cheekpieces now added seeking that extra edge.

Form: 12712P

Peters Cousin³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: B S Hughes| T: N G Richards| OR: 111

7/2

Gritty Kelso mares' novices' winner (2m5f, good to soft) in early December; reasonably consistent since; got going far too late when plugging on to finish 5L second to Its All A Lark at Doncaster (2m+) latest; new trip.

Form: 27-2132

Big Penny^b1³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽⁵⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 110

4/1

2m3f+ Bangor winner (October 2017); well short of her best since undergoing wind surgery (pulled up on three occasions); lurks on a very competitive looking handicap mark if the newly-applied blinkers can provide a much needed spark; risky.

Form: 20-PP4P

Non-Runners

Silent Steps⁸

Weight: 10-11| Age: 8

T: N B King J: J McGrath

Forecasts

Carrolls Milan (9/4), Peters Cousin (7/2), Jet Set (7/2), Big Penny (4/1), Rubenesque (8/1), Coded Message (12/1), Silent Steps (16/1)

Not the kind of race for making bold statements with a number of these mares being untested over the 3m trip. Jet Set shapes as if she will stay, and is reasonably fairly treated off a reduced mark of 120 following a hastily aborted flirtation with fences, whilst the Kelso winner Peters Cousin found things happening far too quickly for her liking over 2m on a sound surface at Doncaster. However, a far safer option is the progressive 6yo CARROLLS MILAN. She has upped her game markedly since competing over 3m and is taken to follow up her recent Ludlow win with the vastly experienced Paddy Brennan back on top.