Asp.Scot Commercial Fleet Maintenance Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:20 | Winning time: 6m 6.09s

For Jim^v⁴⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 113| CD

5/1

C&D winner clearly been sweetened up by the switch back to hurdling and produced a career best when winning 8-runner handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter (23.3f, good to soft) 45 days ago, staying on strongly. Will require bit more from 4 lb higher mark.

Form: 7-54F21

Gift Of Kings^p²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: S Bowen| T: G Elliott| OR: 112

14/1

Still lightly raced over hurdles and didn't run too badly on the Flat on his latest outing. Mark looks stiff on exploits on this sphere so far but yard's runners always respected here.

Form: 8690-U

Glen Ava⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: C O'Farrell| T: I Jardine| OR: 109| BF| CD

3/1

Landed C&D hat-trick in June/July and ran at least as well in defeat when ½-length second of 5 to Caius Marcius last time. Up another 2 lb but hard to rule her out in the midst of a great vein of form.

Form: B-41112

The Wounded Knee^t²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: G Sheehan| T: Mrs A Duffield| OR: 108| C

7/4

Placed both starts in starts in points and built upon hurdliing debut promise to win 11-runner novice event at this course (16.2f, good to firm) 23 days ago. Open to further improvement significantly up in trip on handicap debut.

Form: PP33-31

Lake Shore Drive^p,t²³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: L Morgan| OR: 105| CD

3/1

Showing his best form again for Laura Morgan, arriving here in search of a C&D hat-trick (also won for previous yard in April). Enters higher grade from another 8 lb higher but can't be discounted.

Form: 41-2211

Non-Runners

Caius Marcius⁴¹

Weight: 12-0| Age: 11

T: N G Richards J: B S Hughes

Forecasts

The Wounded Knee (7/4), Glen Ava (3/1), Lake Shore Drive (3/1), Caius Marcius (4/1), For Jim (5/1), Gift Of Kings (14/1)

Something to like about all of these, but point-winner THE WOUNDED KNEE stands out as being on a potentially lenient mark for his handicap debut, with the significant step up in distance likely to benefit Ann Duffield's novice. Veterans Caius Marcius and Lake Shore Drive can round out the placings in a race where none can be confidently ruled out.