17:20 Wetherby

Saturday 29 October 2022

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:20

bet365 Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 17:31 | Winning time: 4m 55.90s

Ashington¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: H Cobden| T: M Walford| OR: 126| D

10/1

As good as ever when scoring at Sedgefield (19.8f, good to soft) in March. However, well held both subsequent starts over jumps and recent debut for new yard on the Flat at Catterick was hardly full of promise.

Form: 1841-P9

Collooney^t³⁰³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Aidan Coleman| T: O Murphy| OR: 123

28/1

Successful off a 6 lb higher mark at Fontwell 2 years ago but has subsequently proved disappointing, in this sphere and over fences, and plenty to prove here on the back of a 10-month absence.

Form: PP43/9P-

Findthetime²⁵⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Sean Quinlan| T: N G Richards| OR: 123| CD

5/4

Made it 3 wins from 5 starts over hurdles when bagging heavy-ground C&D handicap in February. Resumes on a 7 lb higher mark but he remains with potential and is every inch a leading candidate.

Form: F/32111-

Vintage Fizz¹⁷⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Charlie Hammond| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 123| D

7/2

Progressed during the spring, bagging handicaps at Bangor and Hexham, both at around 2½m on good to soft. 10 lb rise for latest success looks pretty harsh on the face of it, for all that the first 2 pulled clear of the rest, but he could have more to offer.

Form: 63R21-1

Cousu Main²²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: T Scudamore| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 118

50/1

Atoned for final-flight departure (looked the likely winner) on hurdles debut at Lingfield by landing a 14-runner Uttoxeter maiden (15.8f, heavy) in good style last December. However, both efforts since have been poor and needs to get back on track now pitched into a handicap for new yard.

Form: 23/F1P4-

Sheriff Garrett^t¹⁷⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Tom Midgley⁽⁵⁾| T: T D Easterby| OR: 115| D

33/1

Showed what he can do when on-song with a thoroughly decisive all-the-way success at Sedgefield (2½m, soft) during the spring. Form nosedived badly thereafter, though, and he was well held in the Hexham race won by Vintage Fizz on his latest start in May.

Form: FF1P5-6

Rocky Man³⁰⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 116WS

11/4

French Flat winner who showed plenty of promise on first 2 starts over hurdles last season before understandably finding the company too hot in a Chepstow Grade 1. Since undergone a wind op and very much of interest now upped in trip for this handicap debut.

Form: 267-

Red Force One^p⁵²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Thomas Dowson| T: P A Kirby| OR: 113

20/1

Completed a hat-trick on the Flat during the summer but wasn't able to translate that form back to hurdle when trailing in last of 5 in a Uttoxeter handicap last month.

Form: 06/06P-5

Non-Runners

Rafferty's Return²²⁴

Weight: 12-0| Age: 7

T: R Menzies J: Nathan Moscrop

Royle Steel¹⁹⁰

Weight: 10-6| Age: 4

T: Micky Hammond J: Brendan Powell

Forecasts

Findthetime (5/4), Rocky Man (11/4), Vintage Fizz (7/2), Rafferty's Return (9/2), Ashington (10/1), Royle Steel (12/1), Red Force One (20/1), Collooney (28/1), Sheriff Garrett (33/1), Cousu Main (50/1)

Several of these have a point to prove for one reason or another but ROCKY MAN and Findthetime are obvious exceptions. The latter is not passed over at all lightly given the promise he showed last season, not least when winning a Class 2 handicap at this course. However, Rocky Man makes the switch to handicap company off what will probably turn out to be a lenient mark and he looks the one to be on. Vintage Fizz is best of the rest.