12:25 Haydock

Monday 30 December 2019

All12:2512:5513:3014:0014:3515:1015:40

Bryn Gates Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:29 | Winning time: 6m 16.10s

Donnie Brasco²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Chester Williams⁽³⁾| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 114| D

5/1

Placed on both starts over hurdles for Kim Bailey, including when third to the front-running Jepeck at Chepstow (2m7½f novice, soft) 23 days ago; is carrying plenty of weight for handicap debut.

Form: 1-33

Too Many Chiefs¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Danny McMenamin| T: Mrs S A Watt| OR: 113| D

22/1

Front-runner; has underachieved since winning over 3m1½f at Catterick (soft) last December; the handicapper has cut him some slack (9lb below that winning mark) but worryingly often hasn't found much once headed.

Form: PP-8P35

Akarita Lights²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: C J Todd⁽⁶⁾| T: Ian Williams| OR: 113

5/1

Short odds winner of a Market Rasen maiden (2m4½f, good) on hurdles debut for Alan King; bettered that form when third (50-1) on his second start for Ian Williams at Chepstow (2m3½f, soft); tackles a new trip on handicap debut.

Form: 2/12-173

Buster Edwards^b,t¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Jack Tudor⁽³⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 113

7/2

Took advantage of an easing mark (third start since wind surgery) to spring a 25-1 surprise at Hereford (3m1½f, soft) 16 days ago; 4lb rise largely negated by the 3lb claimer Jack Tudor; will the blinkers continue to work the oracle?

Form: 133801

Longhousesignora^b¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Fergus Gregory| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 113| D

15/2

Bolted up (wore blinkers) in a Class 2 mares' handicap chase at Hereford (3m1½f, soft) 16 days ago; returns to the smaller obstacles from a 7lb higher mark (4lb lower than her revised chasing mark); realistic prospects for an in-form trainer.

Form: 76-3541

Behind Time^p²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: William Marshall⁽⁵⁾| T: K Frost| OR: 111| D

20/1

Former Irish racer (Enda Bolger); made the frame on his second start for Kevin Frost when beaten 18L by Good And Hardy (Passam second) at Uttoxeter (2m7½f, heavy) three weeks ago; eased 2lb since, others more appealing.

Form: PF7-P53

Gray Day¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 110

25/1

Lightly raced (2-11) and probably started off his life in handicap company from a very challenging mark - now much better treated off 110; 4-1 when stumbling and falling at the eighth flight at Catterick (3m1½f, good to soft) 13 days ago.

Form: 35/0P-7U

Turtle Wars^p³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Charlotte Jones⁽⁶⁾| T: James Moffatt| OR: 109

8/1

With Nicky Henderson when winning a maiden hurdle at Huntingdon (2m, soft) in December 2018; lost his way for that trainer and sold for £9,000 in May; 0-3 for James Moffatt, albeit has eased 11lb in the handicap; a place possible?

Form: P5P-086

Passam^t²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Charlie Hammond| T: Miss C Dyson| OR: 109| D

8/1

7lb higher than when beating Nifty At Fifty by 1L at Southwell (3m, soft) on his penultimate start; clearly handles testing conditions and has the measure of Behind Time on Uttoxeter form; feasibly will find this a shade too competitive.

Form: 32-4312

Fifth Symphony^p1,t⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Luca Morgan⁽³⁾| T: B Pauling| OR: 105

8/1

Showed ability in a bumper, but relatively slow to come to the fore over hurdles; finished just behind Passam when fifth to No Trumps on handicap debut at Wetherby (2m5½f, soft); cheekpieces accompany the tongue-tie.

Form: 856P-5

Strike West¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Billy Garritty⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 98

25/1

Twice runner-up earlier in the year (2m3½f-3m3f); hasn't shown much this autumn, including when a distant (and heavily eased) seventh to Cudgel at Hexham (2m7½f, heavy) 19 days ago; is considered an unlikely winner.

Form: 822-P67

Forecasts

Buster Edwards (7/2), Donnie Brasco (5/1), Akarita Lights (5/1), Longhousesignora (15/2), Passam (8/1), Turtle Wars (8/1), Fifth Symphony (8/1), Behind Time (20/1), Too Many Chiefs (22/1), Strike West (25/1), Gray Day (25/1)

Venetia Williams has her string in fine fettle at present and her mare LONGHOUSESIGNORA absolutely hacked up in a solid Class 2 mares' chase at Hereford earlier this month. Reverting to hurdles from a 7lb higher mark (4lb lower than her revised mark over fences) she's very difficult to oppose in this lower grade contest. Possible place alternatives include Buster Edwards and the eased-in-the-weights Turtle Wars for the Moffatt and Jones combination who struck with a similar type (Minella Charmer) at the previous Haydock fixture.