13:50 Market Rasen

Sunday 4 July 2021

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:20

Tom Halliday Memorial Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 5m 3.04s

Grove Ash^p1¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 12-3| J: Tom Buckley| T: N J Hawke| OR: 107

18/1

Fair form. Back on track when fourth over 23f here last month. Faded and lost third late on so drop back in trip may help now handicapping. Also has first-time cheekpieces added.

Form: 3-644

Pickamix^p,t³⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 12-3| J: Ned Fox⁽⁸⁾| T: R Potter| OR: 107| C

17/2

Completely lost his way over fences for Charlie Mann but back to form at second time of asking for new trainer when narrowly denied over hurdles at Ffos Las in May. Races off same mark here.

Form: PP/09-82

Frau Georgia^p,t³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: K Brogan| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 102

13/2

Winner at Perth last September and placed on next 2 starts. Has found life tougher since but she's back on a favourable mark and was backed last time only to clip heels and unseat.

Form: 4PP4-PU

Wynford^p,t¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Nathan Moscrop| T: R Menzies| OR: 99| C

5/1

Fairly useful hurdler in his day. Lost his way for Lucinda Egerton but there were slightly better signs at the second time of asking for this yard when fourth to Black Lightning over C&D 16 days ago.

Form: 44960-4

Ballycrystal⁶¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: Emma Smith-Chaston⁽⁶⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 99| D

9/1

Snapped a losing sequence stretched out over 3 years in a 20.3f handicap at Newcastle in April. Runner-up won next time so clearly wasn't on his game when pulled up at Southwell.

Form: 20351-P

Millie The Minx³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Danny McMenamin| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer| OR: 98| D

4/1

Bagged handicap hurdles at Musselburgh and Sedgefield during the spring. Recent efforts on the Flat have been solid, too, and she has to enter calculations.

Form: 633171-

Blackthorn Winter⁴⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Jordan Nailor| T: J Farrelly| OR: 94

40/1

Better signs when fourth in novice hurdle at Newton Abbot (17f) in April, finishing with running left. Well beaten over C&D on completed start since but still needs a betting check now handicapping.

Form: 6UP4-F6

Grow Nasa Grow⁹⁵⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-1| J: Alison Clarke⁽⁵⁾| T: P Winks| OR: 91| CD

125/1

Four chase wins (including 2 here) in a very productive 2018 but he hasn't been seen since and can only really be watched after such a long lay-off.

Form: 751711/

Wood Emery¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Tom Midgley⁽³⁾| T: H Hogarth| OR: 91

100/1

Won 3m handicap hurdle at Punchestown for Alan Fleming in 2017/18 but pulled up in C&D handicap won by Black Lightning on his recent return from a long absence. Plenty to prove for now.

Form: 019P7/P

Southfield Torr^b1,h¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: Ben Jones| T: M Bradstock| OR: 86

28/1

Hurdles winner for Paul Nicholls but temperament seems to have got the better of him, dropping away quickly from the home turn when well behind Black Lightning over C&D latest.

Form: 4/P90-67

Black Lightning^b¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: Tabitha Worsley| T: G Howell| OR: 85| CD

7/2

Different proposition for this yard since wind surgery, third at Southwell before winning over C&D (with a few of these in behind) last month. Only raised 3 lb so should figure again.

Form: 6867-31

Zara's Universe^p¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: C J Todd| T: A Crook| OR: 83

8/1

Sent off at 50/1 for her recent C&D handicap debut but she exceeded those expectations with a fine second. Cheekpieces worn on that occasion retained. Another to consider.

Form: 09745-2

Mi Laddo^p,t⁵⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-4| J: Mitchell Bastyan| T: M F Harris| OR: 80

18/1

Very much got his act together over hurdles with a win and second at Taunton (2m) in April but found his run of good form coming to a halt here (16.5f) in May. Now up in trip after a short break.

Form: 75612-7

L'Es Fremantle¹⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: Chris Ward| T: M C Chapman| OR: 67| CD

66/1

Belatedly showed some ability remains when 4¼ lengths third to Black Lightning over C&D 16 days ago but has to race from further out of the handicap on this occasion.

Form: PP9-P03

Forecasts

Black Lightning (7/2), Millie The Minx (4/1), Wynford (5/1), Frau Georgia (13/2), Zara's Universe (8/1), Pickamix (17/2), Ballycrystal (9/1), Mi Laddo (18/1), Grove Ash (18/1), Southfield Torr (28/1), Blackthorn Winter (40/1), L'Es Fremantle (66/1), Wood Emery (100/1), Grow Nasa Grow (125/1)

There was a bit of strength behind FRAU GEORGIA in the market last time and she's perhaps worth another chance with Kevin Brogan once again doing the steering. Millie The Minx has been in decent form on the Flat since a good spell over hurdles in the spring so she's an obvious danger. Black Lightning and Zara's Universe complete the shortlist.