15:52 Musselburgh

Saturday 1 February 2020

All12:5713:3114:0514:4015:1515:5216:26

bet365 Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:52 | Winning time: 3m 46.10s

Bathsheba Bay^p,t⁷⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Bryony Le Clerc| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 114| D

6/1

Attained a rating of 88 on the Flat with Richard Hannon in 2018; off the mark over timber in Taunton maiden in November on third start. Champion trainer boasts superb record at this course (35 per-cent strike-rate) and should have a say.

Form: 321

Royal Cosmic¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Bruce Lynn⁽⁷⁾| T: R A Fahey| OR: 109| CD

9/2

Fair Flat performer and continued gradual improvement over timber by opening account at third time of asking in taking a C&D novice contest last month. Opening mark looks a fair one.

Form: 331

Val Mome^h1³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 109

16/1

Narrow winner of a Bangor novice hurdle (2m½f, good) in October 2018 but progress has stalled a bit since; has however run well over C&D in the past and should be sharper for December return at Doncaster (tailed off). Hooded now.

Form: 17255-0

Crackdeloust^p⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Henry Brooke| T: B Ellison| OR: 109

9/1

Had missed 595 days prior to December return at Sedgefield (pulled up); gradual improvement in each of three starts since and mark unchanged from most recent runner-up effort.

Form: 58/P022

Cedar Hill^t⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Callum Bewley| T: I Jardine| OR: 107| D

13/2

Clearly fancied to do something at Punchestown on New Year's Eve given 7-1 SP and duly scored in 20-runner handicap; changed yards afterwards and well held third of seven at Sedgefield (2m1f, soft) on firs run for this trainer. Same mark now.

Form: 085013

Blooriedotcom²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 105| CD

12/1

Useful on the flat for Peter Chapple-Hyam (rated 85 in 2018) and getting the hang of things over timber now; driven out to win C&D handicap last month and should remain competitive from 5lb higher.

Form: 27F531

Raymond²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Craig Nichol| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 103

28/1

Failed to offer much encouragement in three qualifying runs over timber, has much to do now going into handicaps.

Form: 4-25995

Gemologist^t³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Thomas Willmott⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 103WS

20/1

10-race maiden over timber and essentially frustrating (placed five times). Ran well over C&D in November (second) but failed to build on that in pair of 2m4f starts here since. Wind op since and probably least likeable of three for the yard.

Form: 24-2277

Zabeel Star¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Rachel McDonald⁽⁵⁾| T: Karen McLintock| OR: 102

9/2

Useful Flat performer with one win in seven starts over hurdles, just touched off at Catterick on New Year's Day (winner won since) and entitled to get right in the mix if repeating that effort (beaten since on the AW).

Form: 67/12-22

Pammi^p¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Joe Williamson⁽⁷⁾| T: J S Goldie| OR: 101

9/1

Twice-placed in three starts here over the winter (all 2m4f) and record over timber now 0-6 with four placed runs; bit more to do down in trip and lacks the class of a few of these on the Flat.

Form: 335362

Fourth Of July^t²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: C O'Farrell| T: R M Smith| OR: 91

7/1

Narrowly beaten behind Blooriedotcom over C&D last month (might have won in another stride). That was a much-improved showing after some poor efforts and wouldn't be a certainty to replicate it.

Form: 6-6P032

Abouttimeyoutoldme¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Mr Connor Wood⁽⁷⁾| T: A C Whillans| OR: 89

40/1

Unplaced in five hurdles starts and big prices in each instance; tailed off over 2m4f here last month and looks amongst the backmarkers again.

Form: 0F606

Vino's Choice^h,t⁴⁵¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Sam Coltherd⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 89| D

40/1

Ran an improved race in a C&D handicap back in November 2018 when finishing 5½L third of six, but hasn't been sighted since and watching brief seems safest on the back of that layoff.

Form: 0/54733-

Non-Runners

Honourary Gift²⁹²

Weight: 11-12| Age: 7

T: J Ewart J: Lorcan Murtagh

Forecasts

Zabeel Star (9/2), Royal Cosmic (9/2), Bathsheba Bay (6/1), Cedar Hill (13/2), Fourth Of July (7/1), Pammi (9/1), Crackdeloust (9/1), Blooriedotcom (12/1), Honourary Gift (12/1), Val Mome (16/1), Gemologist (20/1), Raymond (28/1), Vino's Choice (40/1), Abouttimeyoutoldme (40/1)

Bathsheba Bay made all to win at Taunton in November and is respected for connections now moving into handicaps. He's not been thrown in here though and the form of that win isn't overly strong. Crackdeloust is going the right way after a long layoff and can have a say while Blooriedotcom shouldn't be underestimated after a 5lb rise for his C&D win last month. However, ZABEEL STAR wasn't far off in second at Catterick on New Year's Day and that form is reliable with the winner and fifth scoring next time out. Karen Mclintock's charge should boast excellent credentials rated 2lb higher at a track where the trainer had a 33 per-cent strike-rate during 2019.