16:30 Bangor-on-Dee

Friday 2 August 2019

All13:4014:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:00

Close Brothers Asset Finance Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:30 | Winning time: 3m 55.30s

Royal Reserve⁵⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 12-3| J: Thomas Willmott⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 112

6/1

Returning from a break when finishing fifth in a 2m handicap hurdle at Perth (good-to-soft) in June. Non-runner at the same venue recently and is worth a check in the market.

Form: 4/1373-5

Goldencard⁵⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 12-3| J: B S Hughes| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 112

11/2

Promising 10½L seventh in a nine runner 2m handicap hurdle at Perth (good-to-soft) in June. First start following a short break that day and has a top jockey in the saddle once more.

Form: 15443-7

Prince Khurram^t²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 107| CD

25/1

C&D winner having his first start in 11 months when finishing 30L eighth at Perth (2m4f, good) a month ago. Market support would be notable back down to his last winning mark.

Form: P/7619-8

Bempton Cliffs^h²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-11| J: Alan Johns| T: S Allwood| OR: 107

9/1

Six race maiden finished a promising 10½L fifth in a 2m novice hurdle at Uttoxeter (good) last month. Interesting to see how he fares on handicap debut.

Form: 45-465

Ekayburg^b1,t²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 106

7/1

Dual bumper winner and placed in a 1m4f handicap on the Flat at Leicester (good) in June. Well beaten back over an extended 2m2f in a handicap hurdle at Newton Abbot (good-to-firm) last time out and blinkers tried for the first time down in trip.

Form: 11/43P-8

Outcrop¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Thomas Dowson| T: J Candlish| OR: 105| D

6/1

Placed on each of his last three starts most recently when runner-up over this trip at Perth (good-to-soft) last month. Races off a 2lb higher mark here and is a leading contender once more.

Form: 5-65232

Fool To Cry^p²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Tom Cannon| T: J Farrelly| OR: 105

33/1

Dual hurdles winner in 2016 but failed to score in 17 subsequent starts under all codes. Probably best watched having finished last of nine at Ffos Las (2m4f, good) on hurdles return last month.

Form: 52034/9

Bobndave⁴⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Sam Coltherd⁽³⁾| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 104

12/1

Nine race maiden stepped up on handicap debut when finishing ½L second in a six runner contest at Hexham (2m, good-to-soft) in June. Given a break since and remains open to improvement.

Form: 743-342

Metatrons Cube^t¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: Stan Sheppard⁽³⁾| T: M Sheppard| OR: 105

14/1

Successful on the Flat at Windsor (1m2f, good-to-firm) in July last year and placed over hurdles last season. Struggled on handicap starts however including on seasonal debut at Ffos Las (2m, good) last month.

Form: 46229-5

The Herds Garden^p⁶⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: Henry Brooke| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 103

20/1

Placed a copule of times in the spring but held on two most recent starts including on heavy ground at Cartmel (2m1f) at the end of May. Better ground forecast in his favour following a break.

Form: 1332-56

Istimraar^p,t⁷⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 97| BF| D

4/1

Winner of three of his five starts for this yard most recently over an extended 2m at Market Rasen (good) in May. Returns to hurdles having finished third over the same trip in a handicap chase at Worcester (good) five days later.

Form: 9/1-1213

Rathbride Prince^t³³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: S Bowen| T: M Sheppard| OR: 97

25/1

12 race maiden improved on stable debut when 29L fifth in a handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter (2m, good) just over a month ago. Likely more needed if he is to take this contest.

Form: 07P4-95

Poor Duke⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Andrew Tinkler| T: M Mullineaux| OR: 95

66/1

Struggled in five starts since returning from well over 12 months off the track. Pulled up at Uttoxeter (2m, good) recently and is probably best watched at present.

Form: 576P

Biscay Bay^t⁴⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 89

16/1

Maiden after seven starts and has run some decent races since switched to handicap company. Beaten 27L when fourth at Southwell (good-to-soft) in June and interesting to see how he performs.

Form: 0675-24

Never A Word^p,t¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-3| J: Ross Turner⁽⁵⁾| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 84

9/1

Well beaten fourth in a handicap hurdle over an extended 2m at Market Rasen (good) last time out. Others hold stronger claims.

Form: 37-5684

Non-Runners

Phoebus Lescribaa³⁹

Weight: 11-12| Age: 7

T: F O'Brien J: P J Brennan

The Character⁵⁹

Weight: 11-8| Age: 8

T: D McCain Jnr J: Lorcan Murtagh

Forecasts

Istimraar (4/1), Goldencard (11/2), The Character (11/2), Outcrop (6/1), Royal Reserve (6/1), Ekayburg (7/1), Phoebus Lescribaa (7/1), Never A Word (9/1), Bempton Cliffs (9/1), Bobndave (12/1), Metatrons Cube (14/1), Biscay Bay (16/1), The Herds Garden (20/1), Prince Khurram (25/1), Rathbride Prince (25/1), Fool To Cry (33/1), Poor Duke (66/1)

ISTIMRAAR hails from a top yard and he can register a sixth career success by taking this highly competitive handicap hurdle. The selection is returning from a short break and he can see off his rivals here with The Character, a winner here last time out capable of finishing runner-up ahead of Outcrop who has been running well in defeat in recent starts.