12:55 Doncaster

Saturday 12 December 2020

All11:5012:2012:5513:3014:0514:4015:15

bet365 Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 12:56 | Winning time: 4m 9.73s

Caius Marcius^p⁴²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny McMenamin⁽³⁾| T: N G Richards| OR: 139| D

10/1

Prolific over fences in 2019 and posted a useful effort over hurdles when runner-up at Southwell in July. Has to cast aside a lesser effort at Ascot, albeit that was a better race.

Form: 14-3227

Wild Max^t³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Angus Cheleda⁽⁷⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 138

5/2

Form: 114-41

Theatre Legend²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Quinlan| T: C Grant| OR: 131| D

8/1

Runner-up in a trio of small-field contests over fences in 2020. Held in fifth when falling heavily returned to hurdling at Wetherby last month and others more persuasive on the back of that.

Form: 2822-2F

Twin Star^p,t³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: P J Brennan| T: Noel Williams| OR: 130| D

11/2

Improved for front-running tactics when bagging 2m handicaps at Newton Abbot and Bangor in August/September and first past post at Taunton last time, only for rider to fail to weigh in. Up 5 lb.

Form: 3811PD

Shantaluze^h⁵⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Callum Bewley| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 124| D

33/1

Dual 2m hurdle winner in 2018. Failed to build on chasing debut promise both subsequent starts but fairly treated back over the smaller obstacles.

Form: 15P/257

Mick Maestro¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: C J Todd⁽⁵⁾| T: N Kent| OR: 123| CD

2/1

Bumper/hurdles winner for Tom George and placed in handicaps for Alan King during 2018/19. Excellent start for new yard, third back from 21 months off at Carlisle before going two better over C&D.

Form: 4243/31

Native Fighter¹⁰⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Charlotte Jones⁽⁷⁾| T: James Moffatt| OR: 122| D

9/1

Form: 2121-31

Non-Runners

Marlborough Sounds¹

Weight: 11-5| Age: 5

T: Miss A Murphy J: Non Runner

Magic Dancer²⁹

Weight: 10-9| Age: 8

T: Kerry Lee J: K Brogan

Forecasts

Mick Maestro (2/1), Wild Max (5/2), Marlborough Sounds (9/2), Twin Star (11/2), Theatre Legend (8/1), Native Fighter (9/1), Caius Marcius (10/1), Magic Dancer (10/1), Shantaluze (33/1)

WILD MAX travelled with notable zest and was probably value for a bit extra when making his second handicap start a winning one at Huntingdon last month and a 6 lb rise looks perfectly fair. This is a useful contest though, with Mick Maestro and Native Fighter among those feared.