13:31 Doncaster

Saturday 2 December 2023

All11:4912:2112:5613:3114:0614:4115:16

Allied Massarellas Cash & Carry Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:55 | Winning time: 4m 1.53s

Soaring Glory^p¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: K Brogan| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 135

4/1

Smart hurdler at his best who won the Betfair Hurdle in 2021. Below par last season but has fallen in the weights and possibly needed last month's return at Kempton. Cheekpieces refitted and can't be dismissed back at a more suitable trip.

Form: 5/P57-35

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Mr Freedom^p²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: M Goldstein| T: Miss S West| OR: 125

5/2

Likeable type who followed 4 wins over hurdles last season with a hat-trick on the Flat during the summer. Ran really well again back over timber after a break when runner-up at Fontwell (conceded first run) in October and backed that up with a good third a Plumpton since. Interesting back at 2m.

Form: 1354-23

Collingham²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 124| BF

7/1

Enjoyed a good campaign last term, winning at Wetherby and Musselburgh. Found life tougher in a more competitive environment at Aintree in April but ran creditably back down in grade at Musselburgh on his return last month, despite needing a stronger gallop. Player.

Form: 321U7-5

Hurricane Ali⁴⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: J Mackie| OR: 123| D

10/1

Reliable sort who kept mistakes to a minimum and ran another good race when second in 7-runner handicap at Wetherby (2m) 45 days ago. Likely to give his running once more.

Form: 293552

Oakley²³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: Harry Bannister| T: R Bandey| OR: 123

12/1

Off the mark for present stable at Stratford (2m, soft) in spring 2022 and posted a good third at Cheltenham in December but well below form both starts since.

Form: 8/43-V77

Clear White Light²²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Henry Brooke| T: A Keatley| OR: 122| C

13/2

Hexham maiden winner for Sandy Forster who went the right way in handicaps for current yard last term, winning twice at around 2½m, including at this venue. Ridden too aggressively in Morebattle Hurdle (Handicap) at Kelso prior to showing fair form on the Flat.

Form: 351319-

Spartan Army²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: A King| OR: 116

10/3

Dual winner as a juvenile hurdler and, fit from the Flat, matched that form when third in a Plumpton handicap (15.9f) 26 days ago. The runner-up has franked that form since, so he has to be considered a player from a 2 lb lower mark.

Form: 15251-3

Non-Runners

Ballybreeze¹⁵

Weight: 10-4| Age: 7

T: S Drinkwater J: Toby Wynne

Forecasts

Ballybreeze (2/1), Mr Freedom (5/2), Spartan Army (10/3), Soaring Glory (4/1), Clear White Light (13/2), Collingham (7/1), Hurricane Ali (10/1), Oakley (12/1)

The selection is BALLYBREEZE, who reverts to hurdling on a fair mark after unseating his rider at the first on his return (over fences) at Cheltenham. Mr Freedom has posted two solid efforts already this season and looks interesting back at 2m, with Spartan Army completing the shortlist having shaped a bit better than the bare result on his first handicap start in this sphere at Plumpton last month.