Sick Children's Trust Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:30 | Winning time: 6m 19.20s

Tickenwolf¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Thomas Dowson| T: T Davidson| OR: 120| C

6/5

Recorded a fifth Hexham success (backed as if defeat was out of the question) on debut for current connections over 2m4f (good to soft) a fortnight ago; 9lb higher in a stronger race, but stays 3m and should go close.

Form: 632P5-1

Board Of Trade³⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King| OR: 116

5/1

Has recently returned to hurdling following an unsuccessful stint over fences (0-3); will have no problems with the underfoot conditions; 1lb higher than when finishing 5½L third to Mr Clarkson at Worcester (2m7f, good to soft) in May.

Form: 30/543-3

Darling Miss^p⁶^{(ex 7)}

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: R Johnson| T: G Elliott| OR: 103

2/1

Showed improvement for the fitting of cheekpieces when winning by an easy 9L at Perth (3m, good to soft) on Sunday; failed to get a run at Roscommon on Tuesday (Reserve); carries a 7lb penalty here; the sole ride on the card for Richard Johnson.

Form: 03P-521

Simply Mani²⁷⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Henry Brooke| T: P D Niven| OR: 105

33/1

Eight-race maiden who has been off the track since September 2018; has done the vast majority of his racing on good ground; is likely to find the majority of the others stronger (and fully race-fit).

Form: 0/25357-

Witness¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-1| J: Billy Garritty⁽⁷⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 95| CD

5/1

6lb higher than when winning with a degree of authority over C&D in May (good); missed his next intended outing (lame), a race which was won by stablemate It's All About Me; very easy to back and disappointing behind that same horse here since.

Form: 652P-15

Forecasts

Tickenwolf (6/5), Darling Miss (2/1), Board Of Trade (5/1), Witness (5/1), Simply Mani (33/1)

Tickenwolf landed a gamble for Tristan Davidson when notching a fifth Hexham win a fortnight ago and merits plenty of respect despite a subsequent 9lb rise in the weights. However, with the Champion Jockey Richard Johnson travelling north for just the single ride aboard last Sunday's smooth Perth winner DARLING MISS we should probably take the obvious hint. She clearly took well to the newly applied cheekpieces on that occasion and appears to be streets ahead of the handicapper under just a 7lb penalty.