William Hill Pick Your Places Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:03 | Winning time: 5m 5.60s

No Risk Des Flos⁶³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: O Murphy| OR: 127| C

5/2

€200,000 buy who made it 3-7 over hurdles when shading a tight finish in 2m handicap here in December. May have needed run when below form over this trip on reappearance (certainly bred to stay).

Form: 1215-71

Breakeven⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Thomas Dowson| T: Paul Collins| OR: 126| D

15/2

Fairly useful winning hurdle who landed Galway maiden chase on his final run for Thomas Mullins in September. Respectable start for new yard when fourth in 17f Sedgefield handicap hurdle last Sunday.

Form: 3140-14

Foster'sisland²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Emma Smith-Chaston⁽⁷⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 123| D

9/2

Firmly on the up when racking up a Scottish hat-trick at up to 21f in November/December. The Lanzarote at Kempton was a step too far last time but he's respected back in calmer waters.

Form: 3-81110

Thereisnodoubt^h⁷⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 121| D

12/1

Fairly useful 3-time hurdle winner in Ireland for Shane Crawley earlier in his career but his efforts in the last 2 seasons have been well short of that level. Change of yard needs to revive.

Form: 8P5-U07

Jack Sharp⁵⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: J J Burke| T: A Ralph| OR: 115| D

6/4

Placed all 3 starts last term and made the most of a good opportunity in maiden company at Uttoxeter on his return. Better form when 2 lengths second in 19.5f Doncaster handicap since. Unexposed.

Form: 322-12

Perfect Man²³

Age: 11| Weight: 10-6| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 107| D

14/1

Landed a Leicester seller for Olly Murphy last winter but winless for Sophie Leech and generally below form for current stable. Others make more appeal.

Form: 766766

Near Kettering^t⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-1| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 102

25/1

Bagged handicap hurdles at Market Rasen and Carlisle in 2021. More miss than hit subsequently, finishing out the back at Doncaster last weekend. Best to look elsewhere unless betting vibes strong.

Form: 5F5960

Forecasts

Jack Sharp (6/4), No Risk Des Flos (5/2), Foster'sisland (9/2), Breakeven (15/2), Thereisnodoubt (12/1), Perfect Man (14/1), Near Kettering (25/1)

JACK SHARP has the potential for better again after just a handful of starts so is taken to go one better than at Doncaster off the same mark. Last-time-out course scorer No Risk des Flos has a good strike-rate and is feared most ahead of Foster'sisland who should find this a good bit easier than the Lanzarote last time.