16:45 Exeter

Wednesday 31 January 2024

All13:4014:1014:4515:1515:4516:1516:45

Haldon Stayers' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:45 | Winning time: 6m 24.17s

Ree Okka^p,t⁴⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 12-2| J: J J Burke| T: H Fry| OR: 122

10/1

Landed 2 novice hurdles at up to 24.5f in 2021/22 and shaped up well without success over fences last season. Failed to come on from his recent run when pulled up at Doncaster last time and it remains to be seen whether a return to hurdling sparks a revival.

Form: 2523-4P

Hercules Morse³⁷³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Ben Jones| T: B Pauling| OR: 119

6/1

Blue Bresil gelding who struck at the third time of asking over hurdles in Ffos Las maiden (2½m, soft) a year ago. Absent since but retains potential and it'll be very interesting to see what the betting makes of him on his return to action.

Form: 351-

Wrappedupinmay³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 118| C

11/10

Wide-margin winner of sole point and came home in splendid isolation on course bumper debut last January. Fairly useful form in 3 hurdles this term, finishing a creditable fifth of 9 on his 3m Ascot handicap debut 39 days ago. Big player as an unexposed sort from top yard.

Form: 1/13-225

Exmoor Forest⁹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Ben Bromley⁽⁵⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 115WS

25/1

Seen to good effect from the front when landing 25f Warwick maiden hurdle in May. Pulled up in 2 handicaps since, though, and needs a recent breathing operation to help him get back on track.

Form: 934-1PP

Halifax^p,t⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: G Harris| OR: 113| CD

11/1

Bagged third success for current yard at Bangor (23f) in September and ran creditably when making the frame on his next 2 starts. Not at best when well-held fifth at Ascot on his return from a short break before Christmas but he's not the type to stay down for long.

Form: 631425

Del La Mar Rocket⁷⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: C Brace| T: B Pauling| OR: 113| C

40/1

Landed a Ffos Las maiden hurdle in February 2022 but has been held back by his jumping since, including in 2 chases in November. Remains to be seen whether a return to hurdling helps.

Form: 5/58P-P6

Daring Plan³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Lucy Gardner| T: Mrs S Gardner| OR: 112

28/1

Maiden Irish pointer. Improved effort over hurdles when 3 lengths second of 16 in 18.5f course maiden hurdle on New Year's Day. Unexposed now handicapping over a much longer trip.

Form: P6P-872

Raddon Top^p⁵⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-6| J: Bryan Carver| T: C J Down| OR: 112| CD

9/1

Won this race in 2022 and posted another good run over C&D when second on his reappearance in November. Well-held fourth over fences at Wincanton since but record here makes him a dangerous one to dismiss.

Form: 5PP8-24

Longshanks³⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: Ben Godfrey⁽³⁾| T: K Woollacott| OR: 106| C

7/1

Last season was a write-off but he scored twice in points in November and made a positive start for the Kayley Woollacott yard when third of 8 in a 21.5f course handicap on New Year's Day. Claims if he can build on that.

Form: 76P-113

Chloe's Court^p,t³⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Kimber⁽³⁾| T: R Walford| OR: 106| C

12/1

Back to form when signing off last season on a winning note at Chepstow and followed up on her 21.5f course reappearance in November. Creditable fourth back here (21.5f again) on New Year's Day but the reopposing Longshanks was narrowly ahead in third.

Form: 3P81-14

Wearapinkribbon^b¹²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Alice Stevens⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs H R J Nelmes| OR: 80

125/1

On a lengthy losing run and has plenty on his plate from 14 lb out of the handicap here.

Form: P94-30P

Non-Runners

Oak Creek¹⁹

Weight: 11-13| Age: 7

T: T R George J: Mr Ben Sutton

Honneur D'Ajonc²⁵

Weight: 11-12| Age: 7

T: Mrs J Williams J: Non Runner

Lassue²

Weight: 11-10| Age: 8

T: F O'Brien J: Non Runner

Commanche Red²⁵⁶

Weight: 11-8| Age: 11

T: C Gordon J: Rex Dingle

Forecasts

Wrappedupinmay (11/10), Oak Creek (9/2), Hercules Morse (6/1), Longshanks (7/1), Raddon Top (9/1), Lassue (10/1), Ree Okka (10/1), Halifax (11/1), Chloe's Court (12/1), Commanche Red (20/1), Exmoor Forest (25/1), Honneur D'Ajonc (25/1), Daring Plan (28/1), Del La Mar Rocket (40/1), Wearapinkribbon (125/1)

A competitive handicap. Although WRAPPEDUPINMAY was only fifth on his Ascot handicap debut he wasn't beaten far and the form has already been boosted so he could prove the answer for the Paul Nicholls team. Oak Creek and Hercules Morse are other unexposed types who could have a say, with the market potentially informative regarding the latter given he hasn't been seen since a maiden win a year ago. Raddon Top's good C&D record also affords him respect.