14:10 Market Rasen

Tuesday 4 February 2020

All13:4014:1014:4515:1515:5016:20

Heed Your Hunch At Betway Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:11 | Winning time: 5m 57.80s

Muthabir²⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Daniel Hiskett⁽³⁾| T: R T Phillips| OR: 117

16/1

Bounced back to form out of the blue when third at 33/1 in a 3m handicap hurdle at Kempton in November, but confidence in a is eroded by a lesser effort at Ludlow last time.

Form: 456-935

Viva Vittoria⁵⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Henry Platt⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 117| C

20/1

Won over shorter here just under a year ago, but she's returned short of her best in two starts this winter. Possible to make excuses for latest effort in the mud at Sandown, but must bounce back.

Form: 2212-8P

Supakalanistic³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Zac Baker⁽⁵⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 117

12/1

Hasn't shown the same form in four recent runs over fences as he did over hurdles last season, so interesting to see him back in this discipline after a respectable fifth at Taunton last time. Not dismissed out of hand.

Form: 8-347P5

Blue Hussar¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Joe Colliver| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 115| CD

9/4

Has long looked as if this trip would suit over hurdles, and after disappointing on his first try, he ran out a decisive winner over C&D last time. Unexposed as a stayer, and can win again.

Form: 534-351

Pemberley³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Ben Jones⁽³⁾| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 112

7/1

Improved when beating Ventura Dragon in a 2½m handicap hurdle at Hereford on penultimate start, and not disgraced when seventh of 15 to Urtheonethatiwant at Warwick (3¼m) in December. Worth another chance at around 3m.

Form: 042-917

Commit Or Quit³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Harry Bannister| T: C J Mann| OR: 111

6/1

Has raced just twice over hurdles. finishing fourth in novice company at Ludlow and Wincanton. Opening mark is stiff on what he's achieved, but he's open to plenty of progress now handicapping.

Form: 2-644

Cronins Hill²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 110

12/1

Bestt effort to date when third in a 2m5f novice here in December, and goes handicapping with the scope to progress further, albeit with the assessor demanding improvement to defy this opening mark.

Form: 221535

Fresh New Dawn²¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Aidan Coleman| T: O Murphy| OR: 110

7/1

Won over 2m4½f at Huntingdon on penultimate hurdles start, but struggled off revised mark next time, and interesting that he had been slated to start off over fences last month (meeting abandoned).

Form: 443/5-17

Landofsmiles^p1⁵²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: James Bowen| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 108

4/1

Still a maiden after 12 runs, and now tried in cheekpieces. Ran well when third of 14 to Buster Edwards at Hereford last time, and solid place claims if repeating that effort off same mark.

Form: 623-053

Ice Galley^v¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: William Shanahan⁽⁷⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 107| C

33/1

Unreliable sort who has more ability than recent figures indicate, but while he ran respectably back on the Flat last time, he looked hard work, and isn't an obvious one to bounce back here.

Form: 6515-PP

Versifier²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: L P Aspell| T: W Bethell| OR: 103

25/1

Runner-up over C&D in November from this mark, and claims on that form, while also running well at Doncaster since. Does have to leave a lesser effort at Catterick last month well behind, though.

Form: 07-8236

Forecasts

Blue Hussar (9/4), Landofsmiles (4/1), Commit Or Quit (6/1), Fresh New Dawn (7/1), Pemberley (7/1), Supakalanistic (12/1), Cronins Hill (12/1), Muthabir (16/1), Viva Vittoria (20/1), Versifier (25/1), Ice Galley (33/1)

BLUE HUSSAR relished the test of stamina when winning over C&D last time, and he is unexposed as a stayer over hurdles, so is taken to follow up. Landofsmiles remains a maiden, but is largely in good heart, and may benefit from the fitting o cheekpieces. He's respected, as is Commit Or Quit, who gets into a handicap after just two starts over hurdles, and is the type to do much better with experience.