13:35 Uttoxeter

Friday 23 July 2021

All13:0013:3514:1014:4015:1515:5016:2016:52

MC Group Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:38 | Winning time: 3m 48.80s

Long Call¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: R T Dunne| T: A W Carroll| OR: 104| D

9/2

Record distinctly mixed since last success on Flat last summer but quickly back from Aintree blip in June when a running on second at Worcester (2m) 18 days ago. Not discounted with a repeat.

Form: 3P4-302

Manor Park^t³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Patrick Cowley⁽³⁾| T: B Barr| OR: 103| BF

6/1

Produced a career best when readily landing a Newton Abbot handicap (16.7f) in June. Not disgraced when third back there in face of a 14 lb rise in weights 4 weeks ago but each-way claims again.

Form: 4960-13

Billy The Squid^b²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: C Brace| T: F O'Brien| OR: 103

7/1

Maiden who refused passing winning line first time around at Perth (20f) 2 starts back. Found less than looked likely when midfield over 20f here since but others preferred for win purposes.

Form: 63-33R7

Sideshift¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 102

14/1

Flat winner who showed fair form in juvenile hurdles in Ireland last year. Low-key start for present stable but his latest Worcester effort was at least a step back in the right direction.

Form: 345-766

Dream Machine^t,v1⁵⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: T Scudamore| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 98

13/2

Three-time Flat winner who landed a maiden hurdle at Bangor in June 2019. Record patchy since, proving to be a let-down when pulled up at Ffos Las (15.8f) in June. Visor needs to have positive effect.

Form: 54F4-5P

Special Brute^v1²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 96

6/1

Still to get his head in front but he recorded good fourth in handicap hurdle here (20f) on his penultimate start. Feasible to think 3m stretched him at Perth since and not one to write off. Visored.

Form: 8/805-40

Gerard Mentor^t⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: C Gethings| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 85

18/1

Ran with promise when runner-up in a Hereford bumper in October. Has disappointed since, however, faltering quickly on the back of a wind op at Southwell (15.8f) last month. Needs to step up.

Form: 28076-P

Hey Bob^t¹³⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Lewis Stones⁽⁷⁾| T: O Murphy| OR: 76| DWS

5/2

Modest weak-finishing hurdler for Chris Grant. Good second in Catterick seller in March and has since joined Olly Murphy. Has had wind surgery. Very interesting runner.

Form: 8/36852-

Non-Runners

Ingenuity¹²

Weight: 10-3| Age: 6

T: B Barr J: Miss H C Tucker

Forecasts

Hey Bob (5/2), Long Call (9/2), Manor Park (6/1), Special Brute (6/1), Dream Machine (13/2), Billy The Squid (7/1), Sideshift (14/1), Gerard Mentor (18/1), Ingenuity (25/1)

A leap of faith is required in supporting HEY BOB, not least given his tendency to finish weakly in the past. However, he's joined a yard that excels with rejuvenating such types and, on the back of a wind op/operating from a lowly mark, he could be worth chancing to come out on top following a short break. Special Brute, down in trip, and Long Call are others fancied to be in the mix.