13:19 Wetherby

Saturday 18 November 2023

All12:0912:4413:1913:5414:2915:0415:39

Slingsby Gin Peak Cap & Pearls Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:19 | Winning time: 5m 16.45s

Molly Ollys Wishes^p1,t³⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 12-1| J: Tristan Durrell⁽⁵⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 131| C| D

4/1

Won a course listed hurdle last autumn. Found the Silver Trophy at Chepstow too hot to handle on her reappearance but this useful mare is a potential class act giving weight away to lesser opposition. Has first-time cheekpieces added to her regular tongue tie.

Form: 35200-8

Sam's Choice²⁰⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Nathan Moscrop| T: R Menzies| OR: 127| D

40/1

Fairly useful winner in Ireland for Gordon Elliott. Joined another good stable but might be best watched on this first outing for 6 months.

Form: 251090-

Foveros¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Ben Godfrey⁽³⁾| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 125

100/1

Mixed record for Willie Mullins and ran to a barely modest level when third in a 2m Huntingdon claimer on stable debut 13 days ago. Can only watch after that.

Form: 80/0-673

Rafferty's Return¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Ross Chapman| T: R Menzies| OR: 125| CD

6/1

Course winner last Christmas. Off 6 months, looked and ran as if in need of outing when fifth of 9 on C&D reappearance a fortnight ago. Respected with that behind him.

Form: 12454-5

Serious Operator^t²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: P W Wadge⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 122| D

7/2

Had a 3-5 record over hurdles for this stable last season and shaped well when seventh of 16 on his 2½m Cheltenham reappearance 22 days ago. Can build on that now.

Form: 15161-7

Haafapiece¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-5| J: Paul O'Brien| T: Mrs P Sly| OR: 121| CD

7/1

Good record here, including 2 handicap wins over this trip last season. Not at his best when well-held fifth on last month's Market Rasen reappearance but he's feasibly treated if a return to this venue sparks a revival.

Form: 87243-2

Sporty Jim⁵⁷⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Lewis Stones⁽³⁾| T: O Murphy| OR: 117| D

18/1

Improved to win a 2½m Perth maiden hurdle in April 2022 but has been absent since. Retains potential as an unexposed sort from a powerful yard but the betting is perhaps the best guide to expectations given the length of his absence.

Form: 43731/

Bashers Reflection^t²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Harry Bannister| T: B I Case| OR: 114| D

10/3

Improved performer switched to handicaps last season, winning 3 times at around 2½m. Creditable reappearance third at Wincanton (21f, soft) 3 weeks ago. Likely to be in the mix again.

Form: 12411-3

Copper Beach²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 114| D

6/1

Much improved as he shed his maiden tag in runaway style upped to 2½m at Uttoxeter in June. Has largely remained in form since, finishing second of 10 at Sedgefield last time.

Form: 312372

Singapore Trip^t1⁷⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: B S Hughes| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 109

40/1

Fairly useful hurdler/chaser at his best in France. Brian Hughes does the steering on this stable debut so it'll be interesting to see what the betting makes of him.

Form: 9F2-090

Non-Runners

Jante Law²³

Weight: 11-2| Age: 7

T: M Walford J: Jamie Hamilton

Forecasts

Bashers Reflection (10/3), Serious Operator (7/2), Molly Ollys Wishes (4/1), Rafferty's Return (6/1), Copper Beach (6/1), Haafapiece (7/1), Sporty Jim (18/1), Jante Law (25/1), Sam's Choice (40/1), Singapore Trip (40/1), Foveros (100/1)

MOLLY OLLYS WISHES should find this easier than the Silver Trophy and is a potential class act for a 0-130 as it's only a little over a year ago that she won a listed race here. Rafferty's Return could be spot on for this with his C&D reappearance behind him and is second choice ahead of Serious Operator and Bashers Reflection.