weatherbysshop.co.uk Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:00 | Winning time: 6m 31.84s

Johnson's Blue²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: M Walford| OR: 119

5/6

Rapid improver in handicaps, completing a 4-timer with plenty to spare at Cartmel in July. Winning run ended when fading into fourth at Aintree (3m) 23 days ago but it was quite a useful contest and unwise to suggest the handicapper's got him. Respected.

Form: 2-11114

Salvino^t²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Bruce Lynn⁽⁵⁾| T: A M Thomson| OR: 118

6/5

Successful pointer who finally came good over hurdles in 22.5f Kelso novice 23 days ago. Unexposed as a stayer and should be very competitive back in a handicap.

Form: 5224-21

Forecast^h¹⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: James Best| T: M Keighley| OR: 118

20/1

Three-time winner over hurdles in first spell for this yard and added to tally over fences for Richard Newland during 2021. Yet to find his best form since rejoining this stable but his mark has come down.

Form: 2462-29

Sight Nor Seen^t⁶⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Aaron Anderson⁽⁵⁾| T: M E Sowersby| OR: 105

80/1

Fair hurdler/chaser in Ireland at his best but has struggled in 4 outings this season and can only be watched now setting out for a new stable.

Form: 24-00P5

Skiddaw Tara^t²⁹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: S Mulqueen| T: M A Barnes| OR: 104| D

28/1

Best effort since winning a 3m novice for Nicky Richards in 2020 when second in a 3-runner C&D handicap on his stable debut in February. Possibly best to look elsewhere in a slightly deeper race back form a break.

Form: 5P4/852-

Non-Runners

Western Run¹

Weight: 12-2| Age: 7

T: S R B Crawford J: Conor Rabbitt

Tiger Jet²

Weight: 11-8| Age: 6

T: B Ellison J: Henry Brooke

Forecasts

Johnson's Blue (5/6), Salvino (6/5), Tiger Jet (3/1), Western Run (13/2), Forecast (20/1), Skiddaw Tara (28/1), Sight Nor Seen (80/1)

JOHNSON'S BLUE was better than the result in a useful contest at Aintree last time and is taken to show he's still on a workable mark back in slightly calmer waters. Recent Kelso novice winner Salvino is feared most.