Abacus High Quality Decorators Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 19:40 | Winning time: 5m 1.70s

Captain Tom Cat²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-13| J: Luke Scott⁽⁷⁾| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 118| C| D

9/4

Course winner. Eighth of 12 in handicap chase (7/1) at this course (20f, good to soft) 25 days ago, going off too hard. Switches to hurdles and holds good claims at these weights.

Form: 762U-38

Mothill⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Joe Anderson⁽⁵⁾| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 116

9/4

Arrives in good nick, second of 6 in handicap hurdle at Fontwell (19.2f, good to soft) 43 days ago, sticking to task. Can go well again.

Form: 14542-2

Salley Gardens^p,t²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| OR: 114| D

15/2

Failed to build on reappearance promise when third of 6 in handicap hurdle at Warwick (21f, good to firm) 29 days ago. Still needs considering.

Form: 312P-33

Blue Shark³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 111| D

5/1

Made it 6-7 with a career best in 7-runner handicap hurdle (4/1) at Southwell (20.4f, good) 38 days ago. Up another 6 lb but merits serious consideration in his current mood.

Form: 11114-1

Montgomery^t¹²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Jack Tudor| T: Christian Williams| OR: 108

9/1

Fontwell debut hurdles winner before very good fourth of 6 in novice hurdle at Wetherby (19.7f, good) 127 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Open to more progress. Player.

Form: 2/14-

McGowan's Pass^p⁶⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 10-13| J: William Shanahan⁽⁷⁾| T: J Candlish| OR: 104

9/1

7/1, creditable third of 7 in handicap hurdle at Newcastle (16.9f, good to soft) 68 days ago. It's now 14 runs since his last win in 2020, however.

Form: 3/63423-

Non-Runners

Shallow River²¹

Weight: 12-0| Age: 7

T: F O'Brien J: Jack Hogan

Forecasts

Mothill (9/4), Captain Tom Cat (9/4), Shallow River (3/1), Blue Shark (5/1), Salley Gardens (15/2), McGowan's Pass (9/1), Montgomery (9/1)

A few with chances but BLUE SHARK made it six victories from his last seven outings at Southwell last month and is hard to side against. Handicap debutant Montgomery and the in-form Mothill rate the chief threats and can chase home Jonjo O'Neill's prolific winner in that order.