16:45 Wolverhampton

Friday 24 January 2020

All16:1516:4517:1517:4518:1518:4519:15

Betway Handicap

Off time: 16:45 | Winning time: 3m 42.44s

(3)

Dovils Date¹⁹⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 10-0| J: S H James| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 72| D

50/1

Prolific 14-time winner landed a hat-trick over hurdles last summer. Not seen on the level since completing another hat-trick in 2017 and he is just 3lb higher here.

Form: 906111/

(11)

Seaport^t¹⁸⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 9-12| J: T P Queally| T: S Durack| OR: 70WS

9/1

Useful in his prime for Andre Fabre but has had his problems more recently. Back from another break and looks a speculative risk.

Form: 3369/00-

(4)

Cohesion^p¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-11| J: Poppy Bridgwater⁽⁵⁾| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 69| C

6/1

Rated 105 at his peak in 2017 before missing the whole of the following year. Mark fell dramatically last season following a string of dismal efforts, but his hurdling debut two weeks ago looked more positive. Worth a look in the market.

Form: 509068

(5)

Jamacho⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Liam Keniry| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 65| D

28/1

Won a bumper on Tapeta for Brian Ellison and went close here on penultimate start (1m6f). Best to forgive a poor run on Fibresand last time and he has an each-way chance in a race lacking depth.

Form: 672/73-6

(1)

Building Bridges^t⁴⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: Cam Hardie| T: S Edmunds| OR: 68

6/1

Winner on the Flat for Jessica Harrington and successful on hurdling debut for current handler. Looks attractively weighted, but needs to prove his stamina.

Form: 135706-

(2)

Master Burbidge^b1²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-4| J: A Kirby| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 62

3/1

Fair second on last couple of starts and overall his best form is in a lower grade than this. Blinkers applied this time as he bids to end a drought stretching back to March 2018.

Form: 12/132-2

(8)

Star Of Athena²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: Dylan Hogan⁽³⁾| T: A Stronge| OR: 61| BF| C

4/1

Two best efforts have come here over 1m6f including a 5L victory in November. Suffered in the weights since, but gets some respite here and rider's 3lb claim could be valuable.

Form: 621554-

(10)

Yamato^t³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-2| J: B A Curtis| T: J C McConnell| OR: 60| CD

3/1

Heavily eased when a narrow C&D winner in October and now 12lb higher in the weights. The runner-up has scored since, but this still looks a much better race.

Form: 553102-

(7)

Storm Girl¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-2| J: Andrew Breslin⁽⁵⁾| T: S-J Davies| OR: 45

250/1

Has made no impact thus far and finished tailed off last time. Races from a long way out of the weights and impossible to fancy.

Form: 07690-9

Non-Runners

(9)

Mouriyani⁵

Weight: 9-6| Age: 4

T: T Ward J: Laura Coughlan

(6)

Padleyourowncanoe²

Weight: 9-7| Age: 6

T: C L Tizzard J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Padleyourowncanoe (11/4), Master Burbidge (3/1), Yamato (3/1), Mouriyani (7/2), Star Of Athena (4/1), Building Bridges (6/1), Cohesion (6/1), Seaport (9/1), Jamacho (28/1), Dovils Date (50/1), Storm Girl (250/1)

Building Bridges looks interesting based on his Irish form and a hurdling victory for his new yard. Stamina issues are a concern for him whereas Master Burbidge needs to prove himself in this grade. Yamato was heavily eased when scoring here in October but a 12lb rise in the weights is still asking a lot. Star Of Athena runs well here and is better weighted than recently but preference is for MOURIYANI. Tom Ward's charge is 2-4 on AW tracks and stayed on well to score here on Sunday over 1m6f. He escapes a penalty and given the likelihood of better to come he is hard to oppose.