16:35 Carlisle

Thursday 24 October 2019

All13:5014:2515:0015:3016:0516:3517:10

Lisa Harrison Racing Handicap Hurdle (Div 1)

Off time: 16:35 | Winning time: 5m 11.60s

Metro Boulot Dodo²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-2| J: Danny McMenamin⁽⁵⁾| T: D Bourke| OR: 106

9/4

Modest form in bumpers after being unplaced in two Irish point-to-points; form improved over hurdles although didn't make much progress on handicap debut last time. Plugged on to take third at Perth; hard to think he's well handicapped though.

Form: 5353-33

Lough Kent^b⁶¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Charlotte Jones⁽⁷⁾| T: James Moffatt| OR: 102

9/1

Down in grade but has been beaten recently at this level and may find his stamina stretched on this ground/track. Blinkers tried again last time (unsuccessfully) remain; usually races off the pace, back on his last winning mark; limited appeal.

Form: 3-16545

Connective⁹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Joe Colliver| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 100| C

18/1

Bumper winner here on debut (beat two rivals); hurdles form moderate apart from one run at Uttoxeter over 2m7f where he was much improved. Failed to repeat that effort (handicap debut), same C&D last time, looked amiss, hard to make a case.

Form: 1-4663P

Pistol^t¹⁶⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr John Dixon⁽⁷⁾| T: J E Dixon| OR: 97| CD

10/1

Quirky character who is capable of a decent performance although that appears to come on his terms and by design, he's not the most consistent. Three-times a course winner his last win came over C&D off a 7lb higher mark; interesting on a going day.

Form: 74424-4

Artichoke Heart⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 97

7/2

Still a maiden but her last run gave notice that she's starting to get her act together at last over hurdles (kept her jumping mistakes to a minimum). Second at Hereford last time she goes off the same mark here; holds obvious claims.

Form: 642742

Calliope^h,t⁸⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: C O'Farrell| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer| OR: 94

11/1

Third at Cartmel when last seen over hurdles in May (backed at long odds); offered little on the Flat for the most part since then, now returns from a break. Slipped 2lb below the mark she was last seen off, should benefit from a return to this trip.

Form: 8245-03

Cryogenics^p²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Alison Clarke⁽⁷⁾| T: Kenny Johnson| OR: 92

66/1

There was some promise in his novice/maiden hurdle runs even if that was only of the modest variety but he's failed to show anything further in handicaps. Well below form last time (suffered from a breathing problem); little appeal.

Form: 5P9409

Ex S'elance²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 92

16/1

Fell markedly in the handicap finally landing a one off a career-low mark at Newcastle in April (travelled well). Still well treated on his French form; ran no sort of race at Market Rasen on his recent return; still without headgear; best watched.

Form: 79601-0

Epsom Des Mottes²³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Thomas Dowson| T: P A Kirby| OR: 85

33/1

Handed a stiff looking mark for his handicap debut at Southwell last time he remains with little/no form over hurdles. Eased 6lb in the weights from his first try in this sphere but remains one to watch rather than support.

Form: P0-95

Outback Blue³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 81

11/2

0-13 over hurdles he's never really threatened to break his maiden in this sphere although he would have needed the run on his return at Kelso. Eased a further 2lb the handicapper can't be any more generous although he does have to show some spark.

Form: 58474-6

Elixer^t1¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Lucy Alexander| T: F P Murtagh| OR: 78

28/1

Yet to threaten to win a race but shaped better than the 47L he was beaten last time having raced on the worst of the ground at Kelso. Now wears a first-time tongue-tie and in a weak race may be worth a second glance at a big price.

Form: 6-P8477

Forecasts

Metro Boulot Dodo (9/4), Artichoke Heart (7/2), Outback Blue (11/2), Lough Kent (9/1), Pistol (10/1), Calliope (11/1), Ex S'elance (16/1), Connective (18/1), Elixer (28/1), Epsom Des Mottes (33/1), Cryogenics (66/1)

Not the most enticing heat as a betting medium with several of these coming into this with plenty of questions to answer either on temperament or form. Artichoke Heart is the obvious candidate on the back of her sound Hereford effort last time with compensation is within her grasp this time around. Metro Boulot Dodo didn’t run badly last time but is summed up by his mark and therefore a chance is taken with CALLIOPE who has yet to win over hurdles but isn’t badly handicapped and ought to enjoy this test. Of those at bigger prices Elixer is worth a mention having run better than his finishing position suggests last time.