Weatherbys & Birdie Calendars Michaelmas Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:07 | Winning time: 3m 45.74s

Rouge Vif¹⁸⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: J M Quinlan| T: H Whittington| OR: 140| D

15/2

Smart novice in this sphere a few seasons back and subsequently developed into a high-class chaser. However, failed to shine in a handful of runs for Paul Nicholls last term and hard to know what to expect of him back hurdling having rejoined former yard.

Form: 49/434-F

Boombawn²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 129| D

6/5

Progressive novice last season and duly landed the odds on return in a 3-runner listed contest at Kempton (2m, good). May well have more to offer but improvement will certainly be needed off revised mark back in handicap company.

Form: 32112-1

Caramelised⁸^{(ex 7)}

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 122| D

9/1

Scored on the Flat this summer and record stands at 3-7 in this sphere following his easy success at Plumpton (2m, good) last week. More on his plate under a penalty in this stronger race but he'll be a threat granted a fluent round of jumping.

Form: 137-7F1

Impulsive One^t³¹

3/1

Impressive winner of a listed juvenile at Musselburgh in February but hasn't gone on in the way one would've hoped since, again failing to threaten on return/handicap bow at Chepstow (2m, good to firm). Since undergone another wind op.

Form: 23174-5

Swaffham Bulbeck¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: C Gethings| T: S Edmunds| OR: 125| D

11/2

Fairly useful hurdler who opened his chase account in a 3-runner Fontwell novice last autumn. Not disgraced back in this sphere the last twice, in handicaps won by Soul Icon at Fontwell and Cheltenham respectively, but this assignment demands a career-best.

Form: 41/21-35

Glimpse Of Gold^t¹⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 10-8| J: C J Todd| T: Mrs S J Humphrey| OR: 120| D

28/1

Completed the hat-trick off this mark at Stratford in June. Something of a mixed bag since, though, and while he's capable of a prominent showing if on-song, the percentage call is to look elsewhere.

Form: 652247

Non-Runners

Onemorefortheroad¹⁶

Weight: 11-9| Age: 7

T: N B King J: J M Quinlan

Forecasts

Boombawn (6/5), Impulsive One (3/1), Onemorefortheroad (4/1), Swaffham Bulbeck (11/2), Rouge Vif (15/2), Caramelised (9/1), Glimpse Of Gold (28/1)

It's hard to pick holes in ONEMOREFORTHEROAD, who has yet to finish out of the frame following a dozen starts over hurdles and he should be spot-on following his reappearance spin at Aintree. The 7-y-o is taken to repeat his 2021 victory in this race, perhaps at the chief expense of recent Plumpton scorer Caramelised and Boombawn. It's hard to know what to expect of Rouge Vif, while Impulsive One now finds himself with a bit to prove and both Swaffham Bulbeck and Glimpe of Gold look vulnerable.