14:00 Chepstow

Monday 22 April 2019

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:30

County Marquees Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:01 | Winning time: 4m 52.1s

Silk Run^t²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Stan Sheppard⁽³⁾| T: T Lacey| OR: 116WS

6/4

Improved last August to land a pair of races at Bangor (novice and handicap) before finishing third off this mark. Jumped violently left on return but now ought to strip fitter so not ruling out a much improved effort.

Form: F51137

Dancingwith Storms^h²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Adam Wedge| T: W Greatrex| OR: 114

9/2

Connections seen little return on their £65,000 investment in this Cork maiden hurdle winner so far. Unseated at the first latest after laboured efforts before so best watched despite respected connections and relative youth.

Form: 7-1470U

Picture Painter^t1,v²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: David Noonan| T: D Pipe| OR: 107

10/1

3lb lower now than lone previous hurdles win although that for previous trainer and over 18 months back. Will have to perform better than he did when last hurdling but some fair flat form since offers some encouragement.

Form: 410-90P

Rightdownthemiddle^t¹²

Age: 11| Weight: 11-3| J: M Hamill⁽³⁾| T: S Curran| OR: 105

9/2

Won twice in 2018 but since joining this yard after winning a seller he has looked a regressive individual. Beaten 29L latest and that the closest he's got to winning in five starts which explains his omission from calculations.

Form: 187090

Tamarillo Grove^t¹⁶

Age: 12| Weight: 11-2| J: Paul O'Brien⁽³⁾| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 104

5/1

Nine wins all come between months of June and August and back to last winning mark for another summer campaign. Well beaten in recent pipe-opener here over 2m but ground soft enough for him there. This more suitable and could go well.

Form: 121360

Biscay Bay^t¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 96

6/1

Handicap debutant has snuck in off a feather weight after four non-descript efforts in novice company. All of those over 2m however so step up interesting and ground should suit given flat pedigree. May be worth chancing here.

Form: P067

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to board prices only - deduction 20p in the pound

Non-Runners

Jefferson Davis⁶¹

Weight: 12-0| Age: 6

T: Tim Vaughan J: Charlie Price

Cape Hideaway²³

Weight: 11-8| Age: 7

T: Tim Vaughan J: James Davies

Mon Eldorado¹⁹

Weight: 11-8| Age: 7

T: P & M Bowen J: James Bowen

Forecasts

Silk Run (6/4), Dancingwith Storms (9/2), Rightdownthemiddle (9/2), Tamarillo Grove (5/1), Biscay Bay (6/1), Jefferson Davis (8/1), Picture Painter (10/1), Cape Hideaway (14/1), Mon Eldorado (14/1)

In a weak contest where solid recent form is basically non-existent a chance is taken on the completely unexposed BISCAY BAY who has bumped into some fair rivals in three starts in novice company. Getting so much weight off his rivals here it will be highly surprising if we don't at least see big strides forward. Tamarillo Grove and Silk Run both tend to save their best for summer jumping and they should have conditions to suit today.