DFDS Mares' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:21 | Winning time: 4m 12.4s

Hurricane Rita^p¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Adrian Heskin| T: C R Dore| OR: 91| D

4/1

Resurgent recently over fences for Conor Dore, winning in style at Southwell (2m) and Stratford (2m1f); wind surgery has clearly played a significant role in that transformation; reverts back to hurdles following a 10lb rise in the weights.

Form: 6U5P-11

Rococo Style^p³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: J E Moore| T: S Gollings| OR: 90

7/2

Debut bumper winner who has essentially been a disappointment over hurdles. However, in fairness there were more positive signs at Southwell (2m4f, good) latest when finishing 2L third to She's Gina; 2lb higher, dropped in trip.

Form: U3055-3

Oksana^t²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 89

7/2

13-race maiden; her fortunes on the track are yet to take a turn in a positive direction for current connections (0-2); 3lb lower than when finishing a distant fifth of 12 to Riviere Argentee at Cartmel (2m1f, soft) 23 days ago.

Form: 6797-55

Angel Of The North^p¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 89

3/1

Off the mark at the sixth time of asking over hurdles when just doing enough in a 2m+ mares' selling hurdle at Stratford (good) on her penultimate start; in contention when slipping up late at Fakenham (2m4f) since.

Form: 6670-1S

Jaxlight²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Joe Williamson⁽⁷⁾| T: Stef Keniry| OR: 81| D

25/1

Sedgefield mares' bumper winner for Patrick Holmes (March 2018); has struggled badly over hurdles so far, including when always behind on handicap debut at Hexham (2m, good to soft) three weeks ago.

Form: 0/P7-65P

Lakeside Pearl⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 81

7/2

12-race maiden (formerly trained in Ireland by Pat Kelly); has shown improvement since joining Jamie Snowden and despite dropping right back in trip, does merit consideration on the basis of her 6L second to Criq Sun at Taunton (3m) in April.

Form: 8/0052-4

Forecasts

Angel Of The North (3/1), Rococo Style (7/2), Oksana (7/2), Lakeside Pearl (7/2), Hurricane Rita (4/1), Jaxlight (25/1)

Hurricane Rita has proved a complete revelation since wind surgery and has been getting the job done with the minimum of fuss over fences. Reverting back to hurdles at a track which tends to suit front runners, she has rather obvious claims. However, there are alternatives, namely Angel Of The North and the dropped in trip former Irish racer LAKESIDE PEARL who gets a tentative nod in pursuit of the each-way value. Rococo Style is unconvincing and opposed accordingly.