Reece, Ben, Jessica & Charlotte Coppola Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:06 | Winning time: 3m 49.60s

Ted Veale³²

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr Kit Alexander⁽⁵⁾| T: N W Alexander| OR: 129| BF| D

20/1

Prolific winning veteran who has scored under both codes. Not at his best at Perth last time, but usually very consistent, goes well here, and should be thereabouts.

Form: 143333-

Manamite²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: R P McLernon| T: B Haslam| OR: 128| D

9/1

Has won three of his last five at Hexham (twice) and Musselburgh, all at around 2m. Acts on good. Further 6lb rise will present a challenge, but has to be much respected at present.

Form: 8141P-1

Cornborough¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Henry Brooke| T: M Walford| OR: 127| D

4/1

Last of his four hurdles wins came at Wetherby (2m, good) in November, when 5lb lower. Went close at Cheltenham last month, when just 2lb lower. Has run well on the Flat since, and he has claims.

Form: 215532-

Nayati⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 124| D

3/1

Scored twice as a juvenile on soft and heavy ground. Came good again at Bangor (2m, good) last time. Up 4lb and also in grade here, but looks capable of picking up some prize money.

Form: 36985-1

Beeno^h³²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-1| J: Danny McMenamin⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer| OR: 118

5/1

4-24 over hurdles, but without a win in 12 attempts since February last year. Has been on the slide since last autumn, having dropped 17lb in that time, so can't write him off.

Form: 365004-

St Gallen¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: R Johnson| T: O Murphy| OR: 116

2/1

Won on both good and soft ground on the Flat in Ireland. Sent off favourite on debut for this stable at Market Rasen recently, and duly obliged in maiden company. More needed in this field, but unexposed and interesting.

Form: 9/5-1

Forecasts

St Gallen (2/1), Nayati (3/1), Cornborough (4/1), Beeno (5/1), Manamite (9/1), Ted Veale (20/1)

A very tricky race to assess. Ted Veale is weighted to be thereabouts yet again, while Manamite and Cornborough are both in really good form. Nayati should be capable of having a say, Beeno could be the fly in the ointment but needs to bounce back, and the suggestion is to chance the unexposed ST GALLEN, who represents the potent Olly Murphy/Richard Johnson combination, after the gelding made a successful debut for that combination last time.