12:20 Doncaster

Saturday 25 January 2020

All12:2012:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:50

Alan Wood Plumbing And Heating Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:20 | Winning time: 4m 49.22s

Jelski^p1²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 12-1| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 122

17/2

Didn't need to improve to land a novice event at Bangor in November but made jumping errors when bidding to follow up at Haydock last month. Might want conditions more testing than what's likely here; wears first-time cheekpieces.

Form: 07-2317

Bbold¹⁰⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 12-1| J: Charlie Hammond⁽³⁾| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 122

7/1

Got head back in front when returning from an absence at Warwick in September but that form hasn't worked out and failed to follow up when second at Ludlow in October; probably waiting for better ground since but best form has come on speed tracks.

Form: 361-212

Suggestion⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 12-1| J: Ross Chapman| T: P A Kirby| OR: 122

66/1

Won three times last season (all with good in the going) and entitled to need his return outing at Wetherby last month, though showed very little; will need a career best to land this prize.

Form: 31318-7

Bootlegger^t³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Reed⁽³⁾| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 119

12/1

Maiden hurdle winner at Thurles in February 2019 but hasn't built on that in four starts since, including two runs for this yard. Better ground could be in his favour but others make more appeal.

Form: 510-596

Western Rules^b1⁵⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: R D Day| T: N G Richards| OR: 117| BF| D

20/1

Last win came over fences at Kelso but has gone off the boil in that sphere. Useful over hurdles and potentially well-handicapped but ground probably not in his favour.

Form: 1334-65

Golden Jeffrey^p¹⁸⁷

8/1

Struggling for form over hurdles and on the Flat in the spring/summer. Back below his last winning mark starting out for his new yard here and betting market could be the best guide to his chance; first start since a wind op.

Form: 1775-28

Twin Star^t²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Tom Cannon| T: Noel Williams| OR: 115

6/1

Has won twice on the Flat but yet to get his head in front over hurdles, though has run well in defeat in three starts this season; looked like a step up in trip might suit when fifth of 11 here last time out.

Form: 0-435

Successor²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 115

20/1

Got his head in front over fences for Joseph O'Brien in July; hasn't built on that and shown very little in two starts for this yard. Yard and jockey both in good form and he may come on for his comeback run here last time when returned to hurdles.

Form: 617657

Midnight Moss^t⁶²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: P J Brennan| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 113

7/1

Won a selling hurdle at Hexham in May and credible efforts up in trip subsequently since joining this yard; return to quicker ground could eke out a bit of improvement and he's an each-way contender.

Form: 432/142

Mystic Court³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Luca Morgan⁽⁷⁾| T: B Pauling| OR: 112

50/1

Landed a maiden hurdle at Huntingdon but fell on his seasonal return back at that venue and failed to finish at Market Rasen on Boxing Day when pulled up. Can jump left but looks feasibly handicapped and worth considering.

Form: 67-31FP

Just Call Me Al³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Joe Williamson⁽⁷⁾| T: G Boanas| OR: 109| D

15/2

Wide margin winner at Catterick in an amateur riders race in December and ran well when third of 15 under a penalty at Wetherby last month. Has his revised mark to cope with but generally runs his race and can go well again.

Form: U2-F413

Rare Clouds³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 109

9/1

Appreciates plenty of cut in the ground but too keen early in the race when pulled up at Wetherby last time out; still unexposed and likely has more to give.

Form: 6-643P

Dontcounturchikens^t⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: B S Hughes| T: David Dennis| OR: 108

33/1

Produced some promising efforts in the spring/summer but still a maiden and he's failed to finish on his two starts this season, suffering a fall at Exeter prior to pulling up at Wincanton; others preferred.

Form: 23-32FP

Meteorite⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: James Nixon⁽⁵⁾| T: T Symonds| OR: 108WS

12/1

Some promise in his bumper effort but he's been fairly well beaten in five starts over hurdles. Makes first start since wind surgery and best watched for now.

Form: 473-746

Bulls Head¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Danny McMenamin⁽⁵⁾| T: M Todhunter| OR: 106

12/1

Two-time winner over hurdles in 2018 who failed to finish in four starts over fences. His run at Ayr last time out was a more promising effort but best form has come in testing conditions.

Form: FPP-F52

Non-Runners

Ferrobin¹⁰

Weight: 11-10| Age: 6

T: D Skelton J: Bridget Andrews

Forecasts

Twin Star (6/1), Midnight Moss (7/1), Bbold (7/1), Just Call Me Al (15/2), Golden Jeffrey (8/1), Jelski (17/2), Rare Clouds (9/1), Bootlegger (12/1), Meteorite (12/1), Bulls Head (12/1), Ferrobin (14/1), Western Rules (20/1), Successor (20/1), Dontcounturchikens (33/1), Mystic Court (50/1), Suggestion (66/1)

A very tricky opener to the card but it might be worth taking a chance on FERROBIN back on his preferred ground. He's a different horse on decent ground and he's starting to look very well-handicapped on bits of his form. Twin Star shapes like a step up in trip would suit last time while Bbold could be in the frame if he finishes his race off better than he did at Ludlow last time.