20:55 Cartmel

Wednesday 29 May 2019

All17:4018:1018:4519:2019:5020:2520:55

John Smiths Extra Smooth Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 20:55 | Winning time: 4m 40.05s

Noah And The Ark²⁰³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Harrison Beswick| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 120

10/1

Inexperience was the likely cause of his running poorly in his only handicap start so far at Cheltenham having displayed his ability in novices' (won two). Undone by his double penalty when last seen; will find this more suitable back in handicaps.

Form: 551193-

Movie Set^b¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Billy Garritty⁽³⁾| T: R Spencer| OR: 120

7/2

Rumoured to have been retired after winning a Fakenham seller (2m, good) on his penultimate start but connections have cracked on. Ran with credit back in handicap company at Bangor last time; mark still looks a shade high to win in this sphere.

Form: 1/323-15

Sleepy Haven^v1⁷⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: R Patrick| T: J Candlish| OR: 118| D

15/2

First-time visor now tried in an effort to provide him with some zip that looks to have been missing of late (did look more at home over hurdles last time). Mark would be a favourable one based on his old form; this trip looks sharp enough.

Form: 57/6245-

Zig Zag^p²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Thomas Dowson⁽³⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 118

20/1

Failed to hit the heights f his January win from the front at Wetherby (given good ride) when he was seen to maximum effect. Run poorly on the Flat and over hurdles since then; not harshly treated on his winning form but does need to bounce back.

Form: 64145-6

Little Stevie¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Sam Coltherd| T: Mrs Stella Barclay| OR: 106| BF

7/2

Staged a full scale revival when winning at Worcester (2m, good/soft) in May with connections then taking the opportunity to run without a penalty over fences at Perth (sound second). Up 9lb but should remain competitive back over timber.

Form: 2955-12

The Herds Garden^p¹⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 106

14/1

Hit a rare rich vein of form earlier in the year when landing a Catterick handicap over this trip (held on well under pressure); ended a long losing spell. Form since hasn't lived up to that level; failed to see his race out again last time.

Form: 21332-5

Noble Warrior¹⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Charlie Hammond| T: James Moffatt| OR: 105

10/1

Unsurprisingly went backwards from his fortunate debut win over hurdles (left clear two out) finding the penalty hard to cope with. Now gets a chance in handicaps which may prove more to his liking but does have an absence to cope with.

Form: U215U4-

Throckley^t⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Fergus Gregory| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 102

5/1

Yet to match his Flat form which is fairly useful over hurdles failing to stay the 2m6f trip here on Saturday in novice company. Ought to be able to cope with this mark over hurdles back to a more suitable trip' 0-3 in handicaps so far.

Form: 4244P-4

Think Ahead^p⁷¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Charlotte Jones⁽⁸⁾| T: James Moffatt| OR: 102| CD

7/1

Pulled up on his last three starts over hurdles he continues to make little impression in handicaps. Reported to have bled last time on his second run back from a wind op he remains a risky proposition; makes very little appeal.

Form: 4/4PPPP-

Valgor Du Ronceray^p,t⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-5| J: Emma Smith-Chaston⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 99

13/2

There have been hints that he is capable of a revival (bumper/hurdles winner in Ireland) but they have proved a false dawn for this yard. Cheekpieces tried for the first-time when last seen made little difference; best watched.

Form: 5/P406-6

Non-Runners

Iolani³³

Weight: 11-3| Age: 7

T: Mrs Dianne Sayer J: Danny McMenamin

Forecasts

Little Stevie (7/2), Movie Set (7/2), Throckley (5/1), Valgor Du Ronceray (13/2), Think Ahead (7/1), Sleepy Haven (15/2), Noah And The Ark (10/1), Noble Warrior (10/1), The Herds Garden (14/1), Iolani (14/1), Zig Zag (20/1)

Quite a few of these would look capable if they could be relied on to stage a revival with protagonists like Iolani, Zig Zag and Sleepy Haven all coming into that category. Noah And The Ark will find this a more suitable handicap test than the one he had to cope with at Cheltenham when first tried in this sphere and if he’s ready to go he can go close; he would be a more solid proposition that Don McCain’s other runner The Herd’s Garden. Note a market move for Throckley with this trip being far more suitable than the test he was given at the weekend. All in all this looks a good chance for LITTLE STEVIE back over hurdles to show that a 9lb rise for his Worcester win isn’t prohibitive.