13:45 Aintree

Friday 5 April 2019

All13:4514:2014:5015:2516:0516:4017:15

Merseyrail Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)

Off time: 13:45 | Winning time: 4m 57.9s

Mohaayed^p,t²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Bridget Andrews| T: D Skelton| OR: 153

33/1

Ran a fair race last month at Cheltenham when attempting to defend County Hurdle crown off this mark, making running and beaten around 9L in seventh in the end. Can give another decent account but vulnerable off top-weight.

Form: 1-47147

Brio Conti²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 148| D

7/1

Remains low mileage and will appreciate the pace that should be on here. Just didn't see things out up the hill at Cheltenham last month in the Coral Cup (2m5f, soft) so this slight drop in distance is favourable. 2lb higher now and firmly in mix.

Form: 15/1-P14

Kobrouk⁷⁰⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 143

16/1

French import whose career has been stalled by absences. Winner over hurdles/fences in his native country, he hasn't been spotted for 700 days and now makes first start for Britain's champion trainer. Has to be respected.

Form: 251F1/6-

Canardier^h²³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: B J Geraghty| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 142

6/1

Running for the first time since October when finishing 2½L fifth in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham, suffering interference and just finding it tough up the hill. Drop in trip fine and well-treated for a challenge off pound higher with Geraghty back.

Form: 123315

Mister Fizz^p²¹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-0| J: Lee Edwards| T: Miss I Pickard| OR: 141| D

50/1

Dual purpose performer who rattled off a hat-trick over hurdles last summer. Faded having raced prominently in the County Hurdle (2m1f, good to soft) at Cheltenham last month and probably going to prove vulnerable again in this hot race.

Form: 711160

Sternrubin^p²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 140

16/1

Twice a winner over fences this season and proved he can compete in this sort of event with a 9L sixth of 24 in last month's County Hurdle at Cheltenham. Mark is unchanged, likely takes place money at best however.

Form: 161326

Mont Des Avaloirs⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Lorcan Williams⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 139| C

17/2

Good effort in Newbury Listed race over 2m½f in December but well beaten by stablemate Mohaayed at Ascot next time and again found wanting in the Betfair Hurdle at that track in February. Up in distance but must find plenty more.

Form: 14-2307

Knight In Dubai^t²³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 138

14/1

Decent novice over timber last season, chasing plans quickly aborted after Cheltenham fall in October and ran well (second) in Newbury handicap (2m4½f, good to soft) in December. Went well for a long way in Coral Cup, might prefer this track.

Form: 340-F20

Mount Mews²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 137

25/1

No win since Kelso Grade 2 novice hurdle in 2017. Ran well in minor chase at that track in December on debut for Donald McCain but rather blotted his copybook when grounding himself at the start of the Martin Pipe last month at Cheltenham. Risky.

Form: 1230-2R

Point Of Principle⁶⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Charlie Price⁽⁷⁾| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 136

25/1

Excellent second on seasonal return in Grade 3 Silver Trophy handicap (2m3½f, good) at Chepstow, which would give him some kind of chance. Ran well next time at Cheltenham and January's Uttoxeter run best forgotten. Could bounce back.

Form: 175-259

Project Bluebook²⁰²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Mark Walsh| T: J & S Quinn| OR: 135

20/1

Fair hurdler, not beaten all that far in this contest last year and returns rated 1lb lower, having not run since September. Well held in the Galway Hurdle (2m, soft) when last spotted jumping. Needs a career-best.

Form: 1/6806-0

Push The Tempo^h²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: T J O'Brien| T: R Stephens| OR: 133

40/1

Winner of his first three starts under Rules (bumper plus two novice hurdles) before losing his unbeaten record in a Chepstow Grade 2 novice in October (2m3½f, good to soft). Vulnerable in the heat of this battle, based on what he's achieved so far.

Form: 1-11153

Three Musketeers^p⁷⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-5| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 132| D

8/1

Well beaten in this race 12 months ago off a 6lb higher mark when trained by Dan Skelton and rather seemed to have lost his way in three starts this term (two over fences). Since switched to this handler however, who could squeeze more from him.

Form: 920-738

Brecon Hill^t⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: S Bowen| T: Mrs S J Humphrey| OR: 132

33/1

Frontrunner boasting improved form this winter with wins at Huntingdon and Leicester but found it tough in Grade 2 novice at Kempton (2m, good) in February and is stepping into deep enough water now. Plenty more called for in this line-up.

Form: 5-41214

Joke Dancer¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 132

25/1

Returned from wind surgery with pleasing Newcastle success over 2m in February and ran well to a point in a better Kelso race last month. Feasibly weighted should this new trip prove to his liking.

Form: 5115-10

Esprit Du Large²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 132| D

8/1

Progressed quite nicely in three starts over hurdles this term, winning twice, and had plenty in hand last month at Hereford when upped to 2m3½f (good to soft) for the first time. This much tougher remains unexposed.

Form: 7141

Tedham⁹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-4| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 131

11/2

Improved with each of three starts in novice/maiden hurdles before Christmas, meeting some decent yardsticks along the way. Off the mark first time of asking in Wincanton handicap (2m5½f, good) in January and needs further progress from 6lb higher.

Form: 3-4321

Admiral Barratry^p1²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: L P Aspell| T: L Wadham| OR: 131| D

14/1

Gained first hurdles win on debut for Lucy Wadham in a Huntingdon novice (2m3½f, soft) on Boxing Day. Shaped ok in better races since but stepping back out of novice company and needs first-time cheekpieces to bring out more in him.

Form: 261486

Caltex³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: J McGrath| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 130

50/1

Won over fences when with Gordon Elliot in Ireland and made a promising debut for this yard over the larger obstacles in December (second). Reverts to hurdles and doesn't appear to have a lot in hand off this rating.

Form: 21F243

Doctor Dex²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 127

20/1

Lightly-raced sort and had won 2-3 over timber prior to running fair seventh of 24 in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham last month over this sort of trip (beaten 16½L). Eased 2lb by the assessor and needs to pull out more now.

Form: 2-22117

Landsman^t¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 127| D

33/1

Easy winner of a Musselburgh maiden hurdle over 2m4f (good) in February before settling for second best on handicap bow at Ludlow over minimum trip since. Up in the ratings and facing his toughest mission so far.

Form: 3/59-312

Non-Runners

Wait For Me²²

Weight: 10-7| Age: 9

T: P Hobbs & J White J: R Johnson

Forecasts

Tedham (11/2), Canardier (6/1), Brio Conti (7/1), Three Musketeers (8/1), Esprit Du Large (8/1), Mont Des Avaloirs (17/2), Knight In Dubai (14/1), Admiral Barratry (14/1), Sternrubin (16/1), Kobrouk (16/1), Doctor Dex (20/1), Project Bluebook (20/1), Wait For Me (20/1), Point Of Principle (25/1), Mount Mews (25/1), Joke Dancer (25/1), Mohaayed (33/1), Landsman (33/1), Brecon Hill (33/1), Push The Tempo (40/1), Caltex (50/1), Mister Fizz (50/1)

Tough start for punters with any amount of viable candidates. Brio Conti went well for a long way in the Coral Cup last month at Cheltenham and should be well suited here, he also brings Canardier into things on that form. Esprit Du Large and Tedham are unexposed contenders that likely have further improvement in them while Wait For Me and Joke Dancer are possibles. Any money for Three Musketeers or Kobrouk will be noted but KNIGHT IN DUBAI is another from the Coral Cup brigade worth paying attention to. He's still unexposed and should be better suited to this track, ensuring he's a value play in this big field.