20:30 Stratford

Saturday 21 May 2022

All17:3018:0018:3019:0019:3020:0020:30

David West Memorial Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 20:30 | Winning time: 4m 3.30s

Scudamore^p⁵¹

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Theo Gillard⁽³⁾| T: J Candlish| OR: 100

16/1

Fair winner on Flat but hasn't gone on from promising hurdles debut, well beaten in Wetherby novice 51 days ago. Probably needs to show more to make a winning start in handicaps.

Form: 3425-

Greystoke¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-12| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 104

9/4

Fairly useful on the Flat at up to 1¼m and has improved run to run over hurdles, getting off the mark at Newton Abbot earlier this month. By no means the finished article yet but should prove tough to beat on these terms.

Form: 73-1

Noahthirtytwored^t¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Lee Edwards| T: A West| OR: 95| D

10/3

Made a successful handicap debut at Southwell in April and ran at least as well when third from 1 lb lower mark at Newton Abbot 10 days ago. Should go well again.

Form: 3P831-3

Gerard Mentor^p,t¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 93

10/3

Placed on 4 consecutive starts before getting off the mark at Market Rasen 15 days ago, despite saddle slipping on run-in. 6 lb higher here but likely to continue in good form.

Form: 52233-1

Grandee³⁰⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J & S Best| OR: 89

10/1

One-time useful Flat performer who remains low mileage over hurdles, shaping as if better for run when mid-field at Newton Abbot sole start in 2021/22. Hard to know what to expect after 10-month absence.

Form: 770/7-

Jack The Farmer^p1¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Mr Nathan Brennan⁽⁷⁾| T: B Lund| OR: 88

16/1

Only poor form in novice hurdles and hasn't improved as anticipated for the switch to handicaps. Must improve in first-time cheekpieces.

Form: 5074P-7

Tarseem^h,t¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Mitchell Bastyan| T: M F Harris| OR: 87

7/1

Ran a decent race when fourth at Uttoxter in March (final outing for Dan Skelton) but has been below best both starts for this yard and needs to bounce back.

Form: U3645-4

Invincible Wish²³⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 10-5| J: W T Kennedy| T: S-J Davies| OR: 77

25/1

Demoted to second having been first past the post at Newton Abbot last summer but struggled subsequently, including over fences. Makes return over hurdles with questions to answer.

Form: 5D8947-

Non-Runners

Peckinpah⁵³

Weight: 11-10| Age: 6

T: B R Summers J: Charlie Hammond

Forecasts

Greystoke (9/4), Noahthirtytwored (10/3), Gerard Mentor (10/3), Tarseem (7/1), Grandee (10/1), Peckinpah (14/1), Jack The Farmer (16/1), Scudamore (16/1), Invincible Wish (25/1)

GREYSTOKE was better than this grade on the Flat and remains with scope for improvement as a hurdler, so can follow up his recent Newton Abbot win. Noahthirtytwored and Gerard Mentor are also recent winners and should go on giving good accounts in this company.