Sponsor The Saltire For A Day Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:57 | Winning time: 5m 14.03s

Half Shot⁴⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: C O'Farrell| T: I Jardine| OR: 113| D

7/4

Made it 2-4 for his current yard with a career-best win in 2m3f handicap chase at Sedgefield (19.3f) early last month. Possibilities from 6 lb higher mark back over hurdles.

Form: 2431-41

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Idilico⁵⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Henry Brooke| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer| OR: 104| CD

9/2

C&D winner who resumed winning ways from 7 lb lower mark at Perth (20f) in September and turned in another solid effort when runner-up back at that venue a month later. Left with too much to do when sixth at Sedgefield (19.8f) latest and he's not out of things.

Form: 3-35126

Kilbrainy¹⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Ryan Mania| T: A M Thomson| OR: 103

3/1

Fair in bumpers and similar form over hurdles, closing and under a length down when falling 2 out in maiden at Perth on penultimate start in June. Unsuited by emphasis on speed when fourth back at that venue (20f) later that month. Market should guide on return/handicap bow.

Form: 7/4-63F4

Don't Talk²²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Donagh Meyler| T: K Thornton| OR: 101

8/1

Irish raider who finished well held all 3 starts in maiden hurdles and fared no better (easy to back) on handicap debut at Limerick (2m) in April. Absent since and only market support would make him of interest.

Form: 0080-

Serious Ego²²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: B S Hughes| T: N G Richards| OR: 99

4/1

Winless since defeating 9-rivals at Haydock (15.6f) back in early 2021. Form proved rather hit and miss last term but mark reflects that and he may well come on for last month's return to action at Carlisle (17f). Yard continue in fine form.

Form: 65344-5

Non-Runners

Garde Des Champs¹⁹³

Weight: 11-3| Age: 6

T: K Dalgleish J: B S Hughes

Forecasts

Half Shot (7/4), Kilbrainy (3/1), Serious Ego (4/1), Idilico (9/2), Garde Des Champs (7/1), Don't Talk (8/1)

This looks wide open and it could just pay to side with IDILICO. A winner at Perth during the summer, he was far from disgraced in coming from much further back than ideal at Sedgefield when last seen in September and he's expected to go well. Serious Ego has fallen plenty in the weights and is also worth a look, with Half Shot, who is 2-4 so far for Iain Jardine, also shortlisted.