18:40 Aintree

Friday 17 May 2019

All17:3518:1018:4019:1019:4520:2020:50

Follow RacingTV On Twitter Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 18:40 | Winning time: 4m 52.20s

Fidux³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King| OR: 142

6/1

Dual hurdles winner at Southwell and Ascot last year; showed his best form and the latter track under more patient tactics. Not quite in the same form since although did show a little more up to this trip last time; 7lb above last winning mark.

Form: 411003-

Haul Away^p¹⁸⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: James Bowen| T: N J Henderson| OR: 135| D

10/1

Has on occasions looked a hard ride but that didn't stop him gaining a four-timer over hurdles before his good form was ended with a Kempton defeat off this mark in November. Not seen since the break may well have freshened him up; could bounce back.

Form: 111147-

Irish Roe³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Henry Brooke| T: P Atkinson| OR: 134

6/1

Not scored since her purple patch of four wins in 2017 producing some rather in-and-out form last year. A wind op didn't look to have made much difference first-time although there was some credit in her Ayr fourth last time; mark looks competitive.

Form: F27394-

Big Time Dancer³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽³⁾| T: J Candlish| OR: 133

10/1

Improved steadily off the back of wind surgery to win two handicaps the second the Lanzarote at Kempton (2m5f) in January. Given a break after that the handicapper has looked in control now off marks in the 130's; more needed.

Form: 421107-

Solo Saxophone^b,t³²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 125| D

5/2

Had been looking to go the wrong way before returning from a freshening break to land a gamble at Wetherby in April (blinkers also appeared to help). Easily landed a follow-up effort at Hexham; up 7lb and still has some notable quirks.

Form: 608511-

Trans Express^p²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-6| J: Lucy Gardner| T: Mrs S Gardner| OR: 122| D

16/1

Shown most of his best form at Exeter (0-7 left-handed) winning at his favourite track in March off a 3lb lower mark. Had the run of the race when running respectably at Sandown last time; not hard to have reservations away from Exeter.

Form: 133414-

Neverbeen To Paris¹¹^{(ex 7)}

Age: 4| Weight: 10-1| J: Bryony Frost| T: D W P Arbuthnot| OR: 115

2/1

Dual Flat winner with Michael Bell who has shown his best form over timber since going handicapping winning at Ludlow and Kempton. Won with a little bit in hand last time and a 7lb penalty shouldn't stop him completing a hat-trick.

Form: 5651-1

Non-Runners

Wicked Willy²²

Weight: 11-2| Age: 8

T: N & W Twiston-Davies J: Jordan Nailor

Forecasts

Neverbeen To Paris (2/1), Solo Saxophone (5/2), Irish Roe (6/1), Fidux (6/1), Haul Away (10/1), Big Time Dancer (10/1), Wicked Willy (10/1), Trans Express (16/1)

The form of NEVERBEEN TO PARIS has really taken off since he was switched to handicaps and it may well take more than a 7lb penalty to halt his rise up the handicap and stop his hat-trick bid. Solo Saxophone arrives in good form but he’s still one to have reservations about on his past performances and Fidux coming here off a solid third at Cheltenham looks a bigger danger especially as his attitude is far better than the Skelton charge. A break was probably what Haul Away needed and he’s still unexposed in this sphere while Irish Roe will appreciate this grade off a reduced mark having finished a good fourth in the Scottish Champion Hurdle last time.