15:23 Wetherby

Saturday 1 February 2020

All13:0313:3814:1214:4515:2315:5816:33

Follow willhillracing On Twitter Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:26 | Winning time: 5m 9.20s

Khage⁵³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: L P Aspell| T: H Whittington| OR: 135

8/1

Very useful novice last season, when he won three times at around 2m. Things haven't gone his way over fences in three attempts this season, so he reverts to the smaller obstacles. If that sparks a revival he'd have a chance from this mark.

Form: 211-55P

Antunes⁶³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 134| C

3/1

2-9 over hurdles, including a 10L win here over 2m (good to soft) in October, when 9lb lower. Reported to have hung right and stopped quickly in Listed company at Newbury last time. Acts on soft and could bounce back over this new trip.

Form: 1532-1P

Becky The Thatcher^p⁴⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Billy Garritty⁽⁵⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 130| CD

16/1

Tremendous dual-purpose servant to connections and has won four times in this code from 1m7f-2m6f, including on soft. 2lb higher than her last win at Cartmel last May, but needs to step up significantly on her last couple of efforts.

Form: 2-21554

Mercian Prince^p,t²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: J M Quinlan| T: Miss A Murphy| OR: 130| C| D

8/1

7-24 over fences, but remains an eight-race maiden over hurdles. Would be a shoo-in from this mark if reproducing his best chase form, but will need to improve on his recent return to hurdles at Catterick to win here.

Form: 01-P527

Secrete Stream⁴²

Age: 11| Weight: 11-7| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: Ruth Jefferson| OR: 130| CD

18/1

Dual winner here, including over C&D and also on soft. Gave 7lb and a beating to Becky The Thatcher at Haydock last season. 1lb higher than that here, but well held in both runs since, so has to prove he retains that ability. Claims if he does.

Form: 353/16-6

Demi Sang²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Alain Cawley| T: B Haslam| OR: 128

33/1

Multiple chase winner at up to 2m5f and goes well on soft ground. Well treated from this mark on chase form, but needs to be much better over hurdles than he was at the last meeting here.

Form: 153P48

Weather Front¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Dale Irving⁽³⁾| T: Karen McLintock| OR: 127

14/1

Multiple Flat winner who is 2-5 over hurdles, boths wins over 2m and on good. Showed he retains ability when 14L fourth at Musselburgh (1m7f, good to soft) recently, after 14-months off. 3lb drop will help, and likely to stay this far. Interesting.

Form: 8/211-4

Bhutan^t²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 127

16/1

Won a maiden hurdle (2m) in Ireland for Joseph O'Brien. Scored at the sixth attempt since joining this trainer at Ludlow (2m5f, soft) in November, when 10lb lower. Went close next time from 5lb lower, but will need to pull out more here.

Form: 0-88124

Fransham²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Paul O'Brien⁽³⁾| T: Mrs P Sly| OR: 127| C

9/1

3-10 over hurdles, including a 2m win here (soft) in a 0-130 in November, when 5lb lower. Well held in both starts since and has that to put behind him. May be a bit more improvement to come over this longer trip, so can't rule him out.

Form: 11-0106

Always Resolute¹⁸⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: C J Todd⁽⁷⁾| T: Ian Williams| OR: 126| CD

10/1

3-19 over hurdles, including a C&D success (good to soft) last season. Acts on soft. Not seen since a York Flat win (2m) last July, but has a good record when fresh, stable's runners in good form, and stamina no concern. Could go well.

Form: 21612U-

Florrie Boy⁵²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Jamie Bargary| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 121| D

15/2

Multiple hurdles winner at 2m3f-2m4f, one of them on soft. Only seen three times since 2016 and has again been off since August 2018, wen he was chasing. On a handy mark if ready first time back, so check the market for clues.

Form: 911/663-

Zig Zag^p,t²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: Sean Quinlan| T: P A Kirby| OR: 117| C

6/1

Dual Flat and triple hurdles winner who arrives on a mark 1lb lower than his last success in this sphere, at Cartmel (2m1f, heavy) last May. Inconsistent since. Has won here (2m), but still a bit to prove over this far.

Form: 097735

Forecasts

Antunes (3/1), Zig Zag (6/1), Florrie Boy (15/2), Khage (8/1), Mercian Prince (8/1), Fransham (9/1), Always Resolute (10/1), Weather Front (14/1), Bhutan (16/1), Becky The Thatcher (16/1), Secrete Stream (18/1), Demi Sang (33/1)

A very tough race for punters, with numerous possibilities. Those include Florrie Boy returning from an absence, Fransham, Secrete Stream, Khage, Antunes and Bhutan. Always Resolute looks a major player, but the suggestion is WEATHER FRONT, who proved his wellbeing on returning from an absence last time and may still have more to come.