14:40 Musselburgh

Saturday 5 February 2022

All12:5713:2914:0514:4015:1015:4516:19

bet365 Scottish County Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:40 | Winning time: 3m 45.43s

Highly Prized²⁸⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Ben Jones| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 139| D

11/1

Useful handicap hurdler who shaped encouragingly when second in 3-runner Uttoxeter maiden chase (2m) last spring. Has been absent since but returns to timber from reduced mark. Betting should guide.

Form: 512P5-2

Wild Max^t⁶¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Angus Cheleda⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 137| D

9/1

Form: 11FP-0P

Anna Bunina^t⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: T Scudamore| T: J C McConnell| OR: 133| D

8/1

Ended last season with solid efforts in valuable handicaps at Cheltenham/Ayr but not returned in same groove this winter, well beaten in Grade 2 mares' event at Doncaster 7 days ago.

Form: 7582-54

Pearl Of The West^p1,t¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Brian Hayes| T: J C McConnell| OR: 131| D

33/1

Successful from 1 lb higher mark at Punchestown (16.5f) during early 2019. Lightly raced subsequently and some way below her best at Thurles (15.5f) on latest start in January. Cheekpieces fitted.

Form: 1P40/80

Fiveandtwenty³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 124| CD

10/3

Impressive when landing hat-trick of C&D juvenile hurdle events last winter. Has found things tougher in stronger company since but she should be sharper for her run here last month and mark has eased

Form: 1137-74

Glory And Honour^t⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Stan Sheppard| T: T Lacey| OR: 123| D

9/4

Bumper/hurdles winner who arrives having run a solid race when 9 lengths fifth of 12 in a competitive Cheltenham handicap (16.8f) last weekend. Fancied to be thereabouts again with a repeat.

Form: 33-02F5

Socialist Agenda³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Adam Wedge| T: L Morgan| OR: 118| D

4/1

Impressive in winning all 3 bumpers starts in 2020 and promising start in novice hurdles, off the mark at Catterick (15.7f) last month. Low mileage and possibilities now entering handicaps.

Form: 111-241

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to all bets - deduction 5p in the pound

Non-Runners

Diocletian³⁰⁸

Weight: 10-11| Age: 7

T: N W Alexander J: Danny McMenamin

Forecasts

Glory And Honour (9/4), Fiveandtwenty (10/3), Socialist Agenda (4/1), Anna Bunina (8/1), Wild Max (9/1), Highly Prized (11/1), Diocletian (11/1), Pearl Of The West (33/1)

A three-time winner in C&D juvenile hurdles last winter, FIVEANDTWENTY hasn't scaled the same heights since, yet her mark reflects that, and with a run under her belt on the back of a wind op last month, she could well be ready to strike. Handicap-debutant Socialist Agenda is also worth a look, whilst Wild Max may well bounce back returned to hurdling on the back of a disappointing chase effort.