15:40 Wetherby

Saturday 30 October 2021

All13:2013:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:50

bet365 Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:41 | Winning time: 4m 54.31s

Pagero³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: K Brogan⁽³⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 129| D

8/1

Not at his best in a competitive handicap at Galway at the end of July but found life easier in a smaller field when seeing off 4 rivals at Worcester last month. 2 lb rise offset by Brogan's claim.

Form: 7-32701

Clemencia^t⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 128

22/1

Fairly useful hurdler but 33/1 when falling first on Cheltenham reappearance 8 days ago.

Form: 45/F47-F

Mackenberg¹⁹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Theo Gillard⁽⁵⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 127

4/1

Fairly useful dual novice hurdle winner last term. Hard to argue his opening handicap mark is generous but he could have more to come and his yard's good form is a definite positive.

Form: 231421-

Haafapiece¹⁸⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Jack Andrews⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs P Sly| OR: 127| D

15/2

Consistent handicap hurdler who reached the frame 3 times over 2m here last season, including on reappearance. Just as effective over this sort of trip and likely to be in the mix.

Form: 42F329-

Weather Front^p¹²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Jack Tudor⁽³⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 123

16/1

Running respectably over hurdles when last seen in the spring but he has yet to win a handicap so it's perhaps best to look elsewhere.

Form: 54574-4

Bourbon Beauty²¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Bannister| T: A M Hales| OR: 122

8/1

Off the mark at Kelso in December and significant step forward when landing a Grade 2 mares' handicap at Newbury (20.5f, good to soft) back from a break in March. Couldn't rule out further progress.

Form: 3/42131-

Another Theatre¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Thomas Dowson| T: P A Kirby| OR: 122| D

80/1

Added to his hurdle tally at Sedgefield in March. Might have needed the run when a remote fourth of 5 on his 2m course reappearance 17 days ago but he needs to have come on a fair bit.

Form: 2901P-4

Angel of Harlem^t⁷²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Adrian Heskin| T: O Murphy| OR: 122| D

28/1

Handicap hurdle/novice chase winner in 2019. Has a 2-year absence to overcome but has been cut a bit of slack by the handicapper and her stable is in good form. Market support worth noting.

Form: 123143/

Our Surprise^t²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: D A Jacob| T: H Fry| OR: 120| BF

6/1

Irish point winner. Off the mark under Rules in Newton Abbot maiden April but did make a rather disappointing return after wind surgery (also tongue-tied) when fourth at Fontwell. Handicap debut.

Form: 21321-4

Rattle Owl³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Oakley Brown⁽⁵⁾| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 120| D

10/3

Made it 2-3 in novice hurdles when seeing off 8 rivals at Sedgefield last month. Very much unexposed now handicapper and an interesting contender.

Form: 7/661-31

Sheriff Garrett^b,t²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Tom Midgley⁽⁷⁾| T: T D Easterby| OR: 119| D

12/1

Added 2 more Hexham wins at the start of the summer. Couple of respectable thirds there this autumn and he has run well here before.

Form: 515233

Eviscerating^t¹⁰⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽³⁾| T: Sara Ender| OR: 115WS

40/1

Returning from 16-month absence when good second over 2m here in March. Unable to build on that twice since but perhaps another break will have done him some good. Has had wind surgery.

Form: 270/26-5

Golden Robin²³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: Ryan Mania| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 111| D

16/1

Opened her account in Hexham handicap on last season's reappearance. Creditable placed efforts on 3 of her 4 starts later in the campaign, including C&D. Not discounted.

Form: 2/13263-

Penpal¹⁹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 103

100/1

Winner of 19f claimer on final start in France, but it's hard to make a case for him judged on efforts on this side of the Channel.

Form: 105578-

Forecasts

Rattle Owl (10/3), Mackenberg (4/1), Our Surprise (6/1), Haafapiece (15/2), Pagero (8/1), Bourbon Beauty (8/1), Sheriff Garrett (12/1), Golden Robin (16/1), Weather Front (16/1), Clemencia (22/1), Angel of Harlem (28/1), Eviscerating (40/1), Another Theatre (80/1), Penpal (100/1)

A competitive event in which a narrow vote goes to HAAFAPIECE, who was consistent in defeat last term, including here, and has been given a bit of a chance by the handicapper having been dropped 3 lb for his final run. Unexposed pair Rattle Owl and Mackenberg head the many dangers along with last month's Worcester scorer Pajero, whose yard won this last year.