Come Racing For Free 9th March Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:06 | Winning time: 4m 28.95s

Ashutor⁵⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Katie O'Farrell⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 120

5/4

Returning from wind surgery when finishing 2L second in a handicap hurdle over this trip at Huntingdon (good-to-soft) in November. Well beaten at Sandown (2m, heavy) in first time cheekpieces (absent here) and better expected in this race.

Form: 22F3-28

War Lord³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 120| D

3/1

Maiden hurdle winner over 2m at Plumpton (2m, soft) in October and ran well when placed at Hereford over the same trip in similar conditions the following month. Notable runner on handicap debut despite disappointing at Exeter last time out.

Form: 5-134

Atomix⁸³⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: L P Aspell| T: Noel Williams| OR: 114| D

9/1

Victorious in a handicap hurdle at Hexham (2m, good) in May 2017 but has been absent since finishing sixth on chase debut at Market Rasen in October of that year. Probably best watched on stable debut following over two years off the track.

Form: 072816/

Hereia^t²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: T Scudamore| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 118| D

7/1

Fair efforts in two starts since joining this stable but was beaten 26L when third of four in a first time tongue tie (retained) over 2m at Sandown (soft) just under a month ago. Interesting to see how he performs on handicap debut.

Form: 1453

Motashakel²²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Isabel Williams⁽⁷⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 111

9/2

Returning from a braek when finishing a good 1½L third in a 2m novices' event on handicap debut at Warwick (soft) last month. Raised 2lb for that effort and is an interesting runner on this occasion.

Form: 433

Non-Runners

Karakoram¹⁵

Weight: 11-10| Age: 5

T: G Harris J: Non Runner

Ferrobin¹⁸

Weight: 11-9| Age: 6

T: D Skelton J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Ashutor (5/4), War Lord (3/1), Karakoram (4/1), Motashakel (9/2), Hereia (7/1), Atomix (9/1), Ferrobin (10/1)

WAR LORD can put a below par effort last time out behind him to make a winning handicap debut in this small field event. The selection has the forecast underfoot conditions in his favour and he can see off Motashakel who is receiving weight from all of his rivals while third place can go to Ashutor who hails from a top stable.