16:53 Kelso

Saturday 24 October 2020

All12:5013:2513:5914:3315:0815:4316:1816:53

William Hill Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:53 | Winning time: 6m 57.4s

Petite Ganache^p³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny McMenamin⁽³⁾| T: N G Richards| OR: 106| BF

5/1

Has shown signs of temperament, but did the job well when scoring at Musselburgh in January and he's returned with 3 creditable placed efforts at Perth. Ought to figure again.

Form: 521-333

Handy Hollow⁵⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Theo Gillard⁽⁶⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 104

5/1

Below last winning mark and back to form when second at Cartmel in August. Filled the same spot at Sedgefield the following month but wasn't quite in the same form. Yard continue to go well.

Form: 37-3622

Jessiemac^t²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Alexander Thorne| T: I A Duncan| OR: 102

11/1

Bagged back-to-back handicaps at Ayr around this time last year. Found good run coming to a halt back there in March but Hexham reappearance run easily excused.

Form: P1126-8

Always Tipsy¹⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-6| J: Bruce Lynn⁽⁶⁾| T: N W Alexander| OR: 100| C| D

14/1

11-y-o who failed to step up on his hurdles return back over fences at Hexham (24.2) 2 weeks ago. Difficult to assess at present.

Form: 5212-47

Oscar Blue^p,t1⁵⁶⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: Dale Irving| T: Mrs J C McGregor| OR: 100| C

200/1

Winning hurdler but offered little in 3 comeback runs over fences after 22 months off in summer of 2018 and having been sold cheaply, he was pulled up over hurdles in April 2019. Headgear on.

Form: P4PP2P/

Emirat De Catana⁵²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Thomas Willmott⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 98

16/1

Weakening when falling between last 2 flights in handicap hurdle at Hexham (23.3f, soft, 4/1) 52 days ago. Hopefully that's not left its mark.

Form: 45P6-FF

Dubh Des Champs^v²⁷⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: William Shanahan⁽⁷⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 97

12/1

Posted a good second in a first-time visor (retained here) at Doncaster (24.4f) final outing last season and has claims of going one better on return granted the headgear has the same positive effect.

Form: 41/7072-

Classical Milano¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: D B Hurst⁽¹⁰⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 97

50/1

Ended last season under a cloud and has fared no better in a pair of handicap chases at Hexham this term. Plenty to prove back hurdling.

Form: 15UP-P6

Final Fling^p²³⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: Lorcan Murtagh| T: R Dobbin| OR: 93

10/1

Posted a creditable fourth at Catterick final outing last season and returns 2 lb lower mark in the weights, so must enter calculations.

Form: 11/4654-

Green Zone²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Grant Cockburn| T: Miss L Harrison| OR: 92

16/1

Stepped up on his reappearance when third in 11-runner contest here (10.9f) earlier in the month and is potentially well handicapped now.

Form: 4260-63

Put The Law On You^b²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Blair Campbell| T: A C Whillans| OR: 91

50/1

Maiden who has returned with a trio of underwhelming efforts so is hard to fancy.

Form: 03P-P07

Elle Est Grande³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Peter Coleman⁽¹⁰⁾| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 87

9/4

Given a chance by the handicapper and got back on track when third of 13 in handicap chase at Perth (20.1f) last month, though she again didn't fully see her race out. Switches back to hurdles.

Form: 4P-56P3

Lawtop Legend^p²²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Jonathon Bewley| T: G Bewley| OR: 76

14/1

Lost his way last season but shaped better than the distance beaten suggests on his Hexham return (23.3f). 4 lb out of the handicap here but still merits consideration.

Form: 48489-4

Forecasts

Elle Est Grande (9/4), Handy Hollow (5/1), Petite Ganache (5/1), Final Fling (10/1), Jessiemac (11/1), Dubh Des Champs (12/1), Always Tipsy (14/1), Lawtop Legend (14/1), Green Zone (16/1), Emirat De Catana (16/1), Classical Milano (50/1), Put The Law On You (50/1), Oscar Blue (200/1)

Donald McCain has his team in cracking order at present so HANDY HOLLOW may be the way to go in the finale, having slipped below his last winning mark and posted creditable efforts at Sedgefield and Cartmel in recent months. Petite Ganache ought to figure again, with the reappearing Dubh des Champs and Lawtop Legend completing the shortlist.