15:50 Catterick

Tuesday 1 March 2022

All13:0013:3014:0514:4015:1515:50

Racing Again 9th March Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:50 | Winning time: 6m 37.1s

Schalke^t1²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: R Menzies| OR: 110

13/8

Improved for step up to 23f when landing a Market Rasen handicap in good style 3 weeks ago. Remains unexposed as a stayer and big chance up 6 lb with Brian Hughes again aboard. Tongue strap added.

Form: F-45771

Final Reminder²⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Quinlan| T: N W Alexander| OR: 110| D

28/1

Strong at the finish when snapping a losing run back hurdling at Ayr (24.3f) last spring. However, she's none too reliable and looks very risky having refused to race on her intended reappearance.

Form: 5P7-13R

Be The Difference³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Thomas Dowson| T: P A Kirby| OR: 107

6/1

Registered a quick double at Ayr in November, off the mark in 19.5f handicap prior to striking again upped to 24.3f just 6 days later. Now looks a shade too high in the weights, though.

Form: 211336

Lady Bowes⁶¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Charlotte Jones⁽⁵⁾| T: James Moffatt| OR: 105

10/3

Fair bumper winner who opened hurdles account in 2½m Hexham novice last term. Creditable efforts both starts in handicaps this time round, latterly upped to 24.3f at Haydock, and she merits respect.

Form: 141-632

Wynford^t¹¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Nathan Moscrop| T: R Menzies| OR: 105| BF

12/1

Sprouted wings for this yard in 2021, winner of Market Rasen handicap hurdle in July and subsequently won 3 times on the Flat. Remains on a feasible mark and claims if ready to roll following a break.

Form: 960-413

The Black Squirrel^p,t³⁷²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: H Hogarth| OR: 97

66/1

Back on song when winning 3m handicap at Newcastle in this headgear combination in November 2020. However, absent since misfiring (first run following a wind op) at Carlisle last February.

Form: 40614P-

Akentrick²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Peter Kavanagh⁽⁷⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 92

15/2

All the better for return when excellent second upped to 3m at Musselburgh on handicap bow in December. Early casualty at Sedgefield last time, but will be a threat granted a clear round here.

Form: 5-4424U

Oliver's Island^b,t⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-2| J: Aaron Anderson⁽⁵⁾| T: J Bedi| OR: 86| CD

12/1

C&D winner last January and went agonisingly close on return/debut for new yard at Uttoxeter in December. Not disgraced off this mark at Carlisle (25f) recently, but looks vulnerable all the same.

Form: 90-2F56

Ribeye³³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Thomas Willmott⁽⁵⁾| T: P Atkinson| OR: 79

10/1

Better since upped to 3m the last twice, runner-up at Doncaster in January prior to finishing seventh in a big-field Wetherby handicap. However, more needed form 5 lb out of the weights here.

Form: 750727

Forecasts

Schalke (13/8), Lady Bowes (10/3), Be The Difference (6/1), Akentrick (15/2), Ribeye (10/1), Wynford (12/1), Oliver's Island (12/1), Final Reminder (28/1), The Black Squirrel (66/1)

With the promise of more to come over this sort of trip, SCHALKE is likely to prove hard to beat given that a 6 lb rise for his recent Market Rasen breakthrough success is not at all harsh. Next on the list is Lady Bowes, who found just one too good upped to 24.3f at Haydock last time and, like Schalke, she is unexposed as a stayer. Akentrick and Wynford can do battle for minor honours.