Rugby World Cup At Virgin Bet Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:11 | Winning time: 5m 22.9s

Anytime Will Do²⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 135| BF

11/4

Beaten 6-5 favourite when his progress stalled at Huntingdon earlier in the year having won his previous three races (bumper & two hurdles); made a bad mistake at the last. Now makes his handicap debut looking to get back on the up; interesting sort.

Form: F1/115-

Wicked Willy^t¹⁷⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Jordan Nailor⁽⁷⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 132| BF| C| D

12/1

Matched the pick of his chasing form when landing a valuable Kempton prize over hurdles in March; won readily. Disappointed back over fences when last seen at Perth; returned to timber for his return with the yard doing well with this type.

Form: 333517-

Umndeni¹⁷⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: T J O'Brien| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 130

7/2

Fact that he was beaten twice at long odds-on last season tempers enthusiasm; also gave his supporters a scare when winning at Taunton when last seen (blundered last). Beaten off this mark before (handicap debut); worth giving another chance.

Form: 5U1821-

Honest Vic^v¹⁸⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: R Patrick⁽³⁾| T: H D Daly| OR: 126| BF

4/1

Kept finding ways of getting beaten last season despite showing that he had the ability to be successful off this sort of mark; looked unlucky not to get awarded a race at Ascot. Sure to make his mark at some point but clearly not straightforward.

Form: 4252U5-

Skandiburg¹⁹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: G Sheehan| T: O Murphy| OR: 124

4/1

Established himself as useful last year winning three of his six start for this yard the last two over hurdles; one over C&D. Made hard work of his Huntingdon win when last seen (dropped in grade); could well benefit from the return of headgear.

Form: 131281-

Tight Call¹⁷⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 122

5/1

Won three small field affairs last year in a bumper and a couple of novice hurdles; shaped well in a couple of hurdles between the two novice wins. Mark looks fair but he would need to be ready to go in this company first time out.

Form: 122F31-

Forecasts

Anytime Will Do (11/4), Umndeni (7/2), Honest Vic (4/1), Skandiburg (4/1), Tight Call (5/1), Wicked Willy (12/1)

All six come into this off substantial breaks so paddock inspection may well be of importance as will the market. Anytime Will Do and Umndeni both showed that they were capable of winning something like this last year and remain relatively unexposed in handicaps. First-time out may be the best time to catch HONEST VIC who really ought to have opened his handicap account by now and if he can avoid any mishaps has a good chance of doing so here. Wicked Willy can’t be ignored with his yard doing well with their comeback runners off breaks, his Kempton win showing him equally at home over hurdles as he is over fences.