14:50 Wetherby

Saturday 13 January 2024

All12:3513:1013:4014:1514:5015:2515:57

William Hill Pick Your Places Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:52 | Winning time: 5m 23.9s

Into Overdrive^t¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: M Walford| OR: 137| C| D

20/1

Useful winning chaser but he went too freely after 10 months off when pulled up in handicap chase here (24.2f, heavy) 18 days ago. Reverts to hurdles now and no forlorn hope.

Form: 1/121P-P

Santos Blue^t¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr Ben Sutton⁽⁷⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 128| BF| CD

15/8

C&D winner who posted a good second of 6 in handicap hurdle here (21.2f, heavy) 18 days ago. Can go well again off the same mark.

Form: 113-272

Romeo Brown²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 125| D

20/1

Useful 2m4f winner last term who wasn't disgraced ater 10 months off when fifth of 9 in handicap at Doncaster (19.4f, good to soft) 28 days ago. Not taken lightly with that run under his belt.

Form: 614RF-5

Foster'sisland¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Emma Smith-Chaston⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 124| D

10/1

Likeable type who landed Bangor handicap in March. Failed to build on reappearance promise when only fourth of 6 in handicap here (21.2f, heavy) 18 days ago but the sort to bounce back.

Form: 4521-54

Benassi⁵³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Fergus Gregory| T: O Murphy| OR: 123

7/2

Had a good first season over hurdles, winning 2 of his 4 starts, and got back on track when second of 4 in handicap at Lingfield (19.5f, good to soft) 53 days ago. Shortlisted.

Form: 3121-P2

Lesser⁹⁸³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-13| J: Adam Wedge| T: R T Phillips| OR: 122| CD

12/1

Looked a good prospect when last seen out over 2 years ago, going 2-2 over hurdles in 2m4f Kelso novice. Market can guide now going handicapping on his comeback run.

Form: 1111/

Ilikedwayurthinkin⁸³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: Jack Hogan⁽³⁾| T: B Haslam| OR: 121

50/1

Winning hurdler in Ireland for Gavin Cromwell but he has finished well held all three runs for his new yard. Others are more persuasive.

Form: 76P567

Milldam^h,t³²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 119

7/2

Fairly useful hurdler who got back to winning ways in 10-runner handicap at Ffos Las (15.8f, heavy) 32 days ago. Goes well in the mud so he's a player despite a 7 lb rise.

Form: 6149-51

Singapore Trip^t²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: B S Hughes| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 108

10/1

A fairly useful hurdler at his best in France and not disgraced for his new yard when third of 8 at Newcastle (20.3f, good to soft) 21 days ago. Needs considering despite being 3 lb out of the handicap.

Form: 2-09083

Non-Runners

Espoir De Romay⁴³

Weight: 11-12| Age: 10

T: K Bailey & M Nicholls J: David Bass

Forecasts

Santos Blue (15/8), Milldam (7/2), Benassi (7/2), Foster'sisland (10/1), Singapore Trip (10/1), Lesser (12/1), Espoir De Romay (12/1), Romeo Brown (20/1), Into Overdrive (20/1), Ilikedwayurthinkin (50/1)

A case can be made for a few of these so at the likely odds it is worth siding with ESPOIR DE ROMAY to build on his encouraging Newbury seventh (form working out well) and capitalise on a reduced mark. Milldam rates a big threat on the back of his recent Ffos Las success though, while a solid case can also be made for Romeo Brown, Santos Blue and Benassi.