16:40 Warwick

Sunday 8 March 2020

All14:0014:3015:0515:3516:1016:4017:10

Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:40 | Winning time: 7m 3.50s

Perfect Man^p,t⁴¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Aidan Coleman| T: O Murphy| OR: 135| D

16/1

Typical Olly Murphy sort, improving to win three times since arriving from Ireland in 2018; winner of 2-3 so far this season and relished stamina test at Kelso latest; 6lb higher now but should give another solid account in current mood.

Form: 643-151

Hogan's Height^t⁹²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Ben Hicks⁽⁷⁾| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 134

20/1

Wide-margin winner of the Grand Sefton over the National fences at Aintree (2m5f, soft; 16-1) in December and races from same mark back over hurdles on first outing since. Stays this far and useful claimer on board helps.

Form: 3P11-71

Young Bull⁷³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: G Sheehan| T: H Whittington| OR: 133

3/1

Progressive over hurdles (also won a bumper), completing a hat-trick on his handicap debut at Wetherby (2m5f) in December; handles testing conditions well and won with a bit in hand last time (6lb rise here).

Form: 15-3111

Label Des Obeaux⁴⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 131

20/1

Promising French import in his day, winning Sandown Grade 2 novice over hurdles and three times over fences in 2017; lost his way afterwards and likely too keen returning from a year off at Huntingdon in January; may do better here.

Form: P686/6-9

Carrolls Milan⁶⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Liam Harrison⁽⁷⁾| T: F O'Brien| OR: 130

8/1

Drop in grade appeared to suit when finishing 3L second in a 3m handicap hurdle at Ludlow (soft) last time out. Races off a 1lb higher mark here and in a stronger contest on paper but entitled to go well.

Form: 111-382

Closing Ceremony⁷⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 11-7| J: Ben Jones⁽³⁾| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 130

16/1

Doesn't have big miles on the clock and a talented sort on his day (Grade 2 winner in 2015 over 3m); tends do reserve best for Haydock (four wins there) and a concern that he stopped so quickly when last spotted there in December.

Form: 37/71-0P

Good And Hardy^p⁴⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Max Kendrick⁽³⁾| T: F O'Brien| OR: 129

14/1

Mudlark (three wins on soft to heavy); turned over at short odds on his penultimate start, but back to form with a close fourth to Golden Sovereign (beaten 3½L) over C&D since; stable also runs Carrolls Milan here and neither can be crossed off.

Form: 2-31124

Fortunate George²⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-3| J: Henry Platt⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 126| CD

12/1

Ended a two-year wait for a win when scoring over C&D last month under this rider's 10lb claim; 7lb higher mark to contend with in a deeper field now and far from a certainty to be in the same mood.

Form: P-73531

Terrierman⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 121

10/3

Lightly-raced Southwell maiden hurdle winner (3m, soft; 8-15fav) in November; decent third in C&D event won by Golden Sovereign latest (Good And Hardy behind) and there could be more to come if improving in the jumping department under pressure.

Form: P1-3123

Potters Hedger^b²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: J M Quinlan| T: L Wadham| OR: 117

28/1

Good second at Lingfield in January but flopped over this C&D on the back of a wind operation since and isn't the easiest to trust on balance, capable when in the right frame of mind.

Form: 33-2020

Supreme Escape⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 113

4/1

Milan gelding opened his account on second start in handicaps at Doncaster (3m) in January. Up 7lb for that win and obvious claims again as an unexposed sort.

Form: 41-3441

Forecasts

Young Bull (3/1), Terrierman (10/3), Supreme Escape (4/1), Carrolls Milan (8/1), Fortunate George (12/1), Good And Hardy (14/1), Perfect Man (16/1), Closing Ceremony (16/1), Label Des Obeaux (20/1), Hogan's Height (20/1), Potters Hedger (28/1)

Tough puzzle to solve here with no less than five of them having won on their most recent starts. Young Bull is on a roll and should go well alongside Kelso scorer Perfect Man, though Fortunate George is less appealing of the last-time-out winners while Hogan's Height faces a different task having won over the National fences at Aintree in December. Unexposed Doncaster winner Supreme Escape should have more to come but TERRIERMAN might well have scored over C&D last time bar a late jumping error. Dan Skelton's runner has scope for better and appeals as one to show it.