19:45 Ffos Las

Friday 12 July 2019

All18:1018:4019:1519:4520:2020:50

Grosvenor Casinos Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 19:45 | Winning time: 4m 53.6s

Master Dancer^p²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: R Johnson| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 125

8/1

Not disgraced on the Flat last time out (didn't get the run of the race); that will stand him in good stead having finished a sound second over C&D the time before. Still 8lb above his last winning mark, may need some more help from the handicapper.

Form: 47/0F5-2

Final Choice^p¹²^{(ex 7)}

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Lee Edwards| T: A West| OR: 117| D

16/1

Had just slipped below his last winning mark when taking a Uttoxeter handicap hurdle last time beating Hattaab (takes him on again here). Likely to run a sound race but faces a stiff task with Hattaab on 7lb worse terms; place chance at best.

Form: 1U43-21

Romanor^h³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Daniel Sansom⁽³⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 122

6/1

Three-time winner last year over hurdles rising in the handicap to a mark of 120; consistent enough without winning since the last of those victories. Hovering around that last winning mark now; two good recent efforts, bold bid expected now.

Form: 4838-22

Airton^p,t⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 121WS

12/1

Fairly useful sort on the Flat who made a good start to his hurdles career winning a Taunton novice but has failed to continue an upward trend in handicaps. Below-par of late including returned to the Flat; wind op needs to have made a difference.

Form: 1230-9

Ballon Onabudget³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 115| BF

10/1

Irish bumper winner who disappointed on his handicap debut (second start for this yard); has to a certain extent performed better in two subsequent starts in maiden/novice events. Up in trip and off a 7lb lower mark.

Form: 0128-22

Fool To Cry^p1⁶⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Tom Cannon| T: J Farrelly| OR: 112

33/1

Dual hurdles winner back in 2017 she's been kept to the Flat since then without any success (0-9). Cheekpieces are now tried for the first time in an effort to find some improvement; hard to sat she's well handicapped on her Flat showings.

Form: 352034/

Hattaab¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Kielan Woods| T: D Killahena & G McPherson| OR: 107

7/1

Well weighted to reverse the form with Final Choice to whom he was second to last time (7lb better off) on his first run for this yard. Had been knocking at the door prior to that for his former yard; sure to go well again off a decent mark.

Form: 8023-32

Ballyellis²²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 106

8/1

Made a small step forward in his career when fourth in a Ludlow novice over 2m but hasn't managed to improve on that start in handicaps since. Only ran respectably over this C&D last time; hard to see him making an impact on the evidence so far.

Form: 47669-6

Brave Helios^t⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Alexander Thorne⁽⁷⁾| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 98| D

5/6

Not the first new recruit to this yard to make light of an absence and record a victory first time out; won easily at Worcester last week over this trip. Looked as good as ever, escapes a penalty (goes up 8lb in future); hard to stop.

Form: 58/2P6-1

Forecasts

Brave Helios (5/6), Romanor (6/1), Hattaab (7/1), Ballyellis (8/1), Master Dancer (8/1), Ballon Onabudget (10/1), Airton (12/1), Final Choice (16/1), Fool To Cry (33/1)

A race that revolves around whether Brave Helios can repeat his Worcester rout off virtually the same mark that was his first run for the Newland yard and there should be some improvement to come but a quick turnaround can spell danger. There are one or two that spell danger for the likely favourite with Final Choice and Hattaab renewing their rivalry, the latter looking weighted to reverse the form. A chance is taken that ROMANOR can go one better than his two recent runner-up slots his Market Rasen performance last time sending a message that a bigger performance was close.