attheraces.com Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:15 | Winning time: 6m 16.27s

Closing Ceremony²⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 11-8| J: Ben Jones| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 120

15/2

Lightly-raced veteran who offered little in 3 starts last term, and seasonal reappearance this time round at Lingfield was hardly encouraging.

Form: 71/0PP-5

Cook The Books^p1³¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Fergus Gregory| T: J Coulson| OR: 120

11/1

Point winner who performed to a fair level in maiden/novice hurdles last term. More needed now handicapping for new yard, but that's entirely possible now upped in trip with cheekpieces enlisted.

Form: 21/4853-

Tawseef²²

Age: 12| Weight: 11-3| J: Abbie McCain⁽³⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 115| D

11/1

Useful in his pomp and wasn't entirely disgraced after 16 months off when seventh of 10 in 2m handicap at Leicester last month. Eased 4 lb and this is more his trip, so there's cause for optimism.

Form: 86062/7

Transpennine Star^p¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Philip Armson⁽⁸⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 115

13/8

Resumed with a wide-margin success at Stratford in August. Respectable efforts in defeat since, but he's not most reliable on the whole and is opposable from a win perspective.

Form: 5P-1545

Cul De Poule^t²²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Patrick Cowley| T: M Keighley| OR: 112

20/1

Winner of 2½m Worcester maiden hurdle in 2018. Given a considerate ride back from 27 months off over an inadequate trip at Leicester (15.5f) and this run should be more revealing.

Form: 56913/9

Saint Dalina²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Tom Buckley⁽³⁾| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 112

13/8

Off the mark at Ffos Las on final start of last season and probably would've followed up on return at Leicester (20.5f) but for a mistake at the second-last. Big chance if coping with this new trip.

Form: 86261-2

Forecasts

Saint Dalina (13/8), Transpennine Star (13/8), Closing Ceremony (15/2), Tawseef (11/1), Cook The Books (11/1), Cul De Poule (20/1)

Ready preference is for SAINT DALINA, who went close on return at Leicester despite a costly blunder 2 out (rider lost irons) and this trip should be within her range. Tawseef and Cul de Poule should come on for their comeback runs in the same Leicester race, particularly the latter, but perhaps Cook The Books will improve now upped in trip for this handicap debut and emerge as the main danger.