15:43 Bangor-on-Dee

Saturday 25 March 2023

All13:2313:5814:3315:0815:4316:1816:53

Broxton Gates Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:44 | Winning time: 4m 59.04s

Rock Hurley⁸⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 125

11/8

Failed to complete first 3 starts in France but impressive when winning 4-y-o events at Fontainebleau and Pau in December: Changed hands for €125,000 in January and brings obvious potential to the table on debut for new connections.

Form: FP-F11

Willaston^p,t¹¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: C J Todd| T: M Walford| OR: 125| D

7/1

Placed twice in Ireland this summer and he got off the mark for new yard in 2½m Hexham handicap in September. Resumes in this sphere after falling on chase debut at Doncaster when last seen in November and should have a part to play, provided he's fully tuned-up.

Form: 82215F

Foster'sisland²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-13| J: Emma Smith-Chaston⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 124| D

7/2

Runner-up 3 times from half-a-dozen appearances so far this season, including on his latest start at Ayr (20.4f) last month. Nudged up 2 lb for that but remains feasibly treated nonetheless and likely to have a say in the finish.

Form: 282452

Fautinette⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 123

12/1

Unbeaten all 3 starts over hurdles in France but has struggled badly in as many appearances on these shores and she now has a point to prove.

Form: 1P-P0

Tap Tap Boom^p1,t³⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Jay Tidball⁽⁷⁾| T: A Ralph| OR: 122

12/1

Five-time Flat winner who scored twice over hurdles in France back in 2018. Successful first 2 starts over fences in November but form has taken a turn for the worse since and he's 0-6 in this sphere for present connections. Cheekpieces applied.

Form: 5-11U63

Stony Man¹⁰⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽³⁾| T: G Hanmer| OR: 117| C

14/1

Fair form in bumpers and built on previous encouragement over hurdles when landing a 5-runner maiden here (16.6f) last summer. However, he was pulled up in a Leicester novice on return in December and needs to get back on track now pitched into a handicap.

Form: 4/345-1P

Barony Legends²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Fergus Gregory| T: O Murphy| OR: 114| D

6/1

Winner of a Lingfield maiden hurdle on his reappearance/debut in this sphere last season. Hasn't shown much in 3 runs this term, though, including when back hurdling at Ayr last time, and it's probably best to look elsewhere.

Form: 162-4P7

Global Agreement^b¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Harry Reed| T: M F Harris| OR: 97

28/1

Won 3 times last season and proved that plenty of ability remains after 7 months off when runner-up at Exeter in January. However, commensurate with his patchy record he has failed to reproduce that form in 2 subsequent starts.

Form: 2-34204

Forecasts

Rock Hurley (11/8), Foster'sisland (7/2), Barony Legends (6/1), Willaston (7/1), Tap Tap Boom (12/1), Fautinette (12/1), Stony Man (14/1), Global Agreement (28/1)

An impressive winner of his final 2 starts in France, ROCK HURLEY is taken to complete the hat-trick on his first start for Donald McCain. He is unexposed and has been handed what may turn out to be a very fair opening mark. Foster'sisland didn't do much wrong at Ayr last time and he gets the nod ahead of Willaston for forecast purposes.