15:35 Kelso

Saturday 26 October 2019

All13:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4017:15

William Hill Leading Racecourse Bookmaker Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:37 | Winning time: 4m 2.50s

Dieu Benisse²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Thomas Dowson| T: P A Kirby| OR: 110| D

14/1

Ffos Las novice hurdle winner (2m, good) in May, when with Nicky Henderson. Changed hands soon after for £20,000. 33-1 and well held on debut for this trainer over C&D recently (may have needed). Drops 2lb. Not ruled out.

Form: FF5-15

Paris Protocol^v²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Henry Brooke| T: M Walford| OR: 110

9/2

Came good over hurdles at the fifth attempt, when a 6L winner at Market Rasen (2m2½f, good; first-time visor) last month. Up 10lb for that, and in grade here, so will need improvement, but can't rule out follow-up win.

Form: 048/5-1

Keep The River²¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Ross Chapman| T: I Jardine| OR: 110| D

25/1

Ayr maiden hurdle winner (2m4½f, good) this time last year. 0-5 in handicaps since then, but ran well a couple of times from higher marks last winter (including on good to soft). Bit to prove over shorter, and after a break.

Form: 152366-

Gennady³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Danny McMenamin⁽⁵⁾| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 108

5/2

5L second in a Southwell bumper (good) in August was promising, and he has improved on that in his last two hurdles runs, both here (2m-2m5f, good). However, initial handicap mark still looks stiff.

Form: 4-2654

The Herds Garden^p³⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 107| C| D

14/1

Doesn't win often (3-23 over hurdles; 3-47 career) but did so over 2m2f (good) here last time. Up 8lb and in grade here, while also dropped back in trip, he can't be ruled out, but he has never won on ground slower than good.

Form: 568241

Lough Legend³³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 105

20/1

Put in a couple of promising efforts over hurdles so far. Initial mark looks workable based on that form, but could be excused for needing this after 11-months off, and stable quiet enough at present.

Form: 33/D37-

Think Ahead^p⁶³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Charlotte Jones⁽⁷⁾| T: James Moffatt| OR: 104

6/1

Dual hurdles winner over 2m1f, on good to soft/soft ground. 3lb higher than when scoring in a Cartmel handicap last time. Previous form suggests he will need to be at his best to win again here, but certainly can't rule that out.

Form: P-23351

Sarvi^p²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: Callum Bewley| T: J S Goldie| OR: 103

10/1

Goes well on ground good or slower, and her two Flat wins have been in testing conditions. Still looks on a stiff enough hurdles mark for what she has achieved, but can't rule her out of the frame.

Form: 32368-2

Blooriedotcom^h¹¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Blair Campbell⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 102

25/1

Sole win was on the Flat at Haydock (1m2f, good to soft) last year, when with Peter Chapple-Hyam. Ran well when second over hurdles (first-time hood) at Hexham in June. Unexposed, but does need to find some improvement.

Form: 4427

Monfass^h¹⁸⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Craig Nichol| T: R Dobbin| OR: 102

10/1

Won the final of this event at Carlisle (2m1f, soft) in 2017, when 5lb higher. Has not shown anything like that form since the spring of 2018, however, and record when fresh is poor. Hard to fancy until we see signs of revival.

Form: 52/0897-

Christmas In Usa^t,v²¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Lucy Alexander| T: N W Alexander| OR: 100| D

10/1

Ended last season in cracking form, winning at Ayr (2m, good to soft; when fresh), Carlisle (2m1f, soft) and going close at Newcastle. Up another 4lb for this reappearance, but entitled to enter calculations.

Form: V64112-

Mercer's Troop⁸²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Brendan Powell| T: A C Whillans| OR: 100| D

50/1

3lb higher than his only win, which came at Uttoxeter (2m, good) in February, when with Dan Skelton. Held in three Flat runs for this trainer. No reason why he can't progress back over hurdles (just eight starts), but has that to prove.

Form: 72916-4

Fourth Of July¹⁶³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Sam Coltherd⁽³⁾| T: R M Smith| OR: 98

40/1

Well held in all five starts under rules, and can't be fancied on that evidence from today's initial handicap mark.

Form: 0396-6

Titus Bolt⁵⁰⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: Bruce Lynn⁽⁷⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 98| D

12/1

3-24 over hurdles (2m-2m4f, on good or slower), when with Jim Goldie. Changed hands since last seen on the Flat in June 2018. Back on last winning hurdles mark and interesting if supported on stable debut.

Form: 7965/41-

Non-Runners

Deepsand³⁰

Weight: 11-10| Age: 10

T: Miss Lucinda V Russell J: Thomas Willmott

Western Lass²²⁴

Weight: 11-2| Age: 6

T: K Scott J: Sean Quinlan

Forecasts

Gennady (5/2), Paris Protocol (9/2), Think Ahead (6/1), Monfass (10/1), Sarvi (10/1), Christmas In Usa (10/1), Titus Bolt (12/1), Dieu Benisse (14/1), The Herds Garden (14/1), Deepsand (16/1), Lough Legend (20/1), Keep The River (25/1), Blooriedotcom (25/1), Western Lass (33/1), Fourth Of July (40/1), Mercer's Troop (50/1)

A tough handicap to call. Christmas In Usa could go close again if fully wound up after a summer break, while Titus Bolt is interesting back on a winning mark on his stable debut. Blooriedotcom can't be ruled out, along with Think Ahead and The Herds Garden. Paris Protocol was a decisive winner last time and is another for shortlists, but the suggestion is DIEU BENISSE, who may just have needed her reappearance, and can take advantage of a 2lb drop to score.