14:50 Musselburgh

Saturday 3 February 2024

All13:4014:1514:5015:2516:0016:35

bet365 Scottish County Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:52 | Winning time: 3m 48.2s

Benson^p³³

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Lewis Dobb⁽⁷⁾| T: A M Thomson| OR: 139| C| D

9/1

Useful handicap hurdler who was back to best to win a 2½m course handicap on New Year's Day (for the second year in succession), proving suited by a return to front-running tactics. Marks in the high 130s have proved beyond him in the past, though.

Form: 11P-441

First Impression⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Craig Nichol| T: J & S Quinn| OR: 130| D

15/2

Fairly useful hurdler who resumed winning ways on the Flat at Chester in August. Good return to hurdles when runner-up at Doncaster (2m, good to soft) before Christmas. That form has been boosted. Considered.

Form: 42916-2

Your Honor³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Gavin Brouder⁽³⁾| T: J Nash| OR: 128| D

22/1

Career best when winning 10-runner handicap hurdle at Limerick (2m, heavy) just after Christmas but he was seen to good effect from the front. His British mark demands a fair bit more.

Form: 7-37561

Parisencore³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Danny McMenamin| T: N G Richards| OR: 127| D

13/2

Fairly useful hurdler, including second to Collingham in this race off 3 lb lower 12 months ago. Arrives on the back of a couple of good runner-up efforts over fences this winter.

Form: 524-P22

Caithness²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 125| D

28/1

Comfortable all-the-way winner of 2m maiden/handicap hurdles at Kelso this autumn. Improved again when a fine third of 17 at Cheltenham in November but a disappointing run at Kempton last month needs forgiving.

Form: 44-1136

Afadil^p³³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Freddie Gingell⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 124| CD

10/3

Comfortable winner of a 2m handicap at the Ayr Scottish National meeting last spring. Hasn't kicked on since but his thirds at Taunton and over 2½m here since fitted with cheekpieces have been respectable. Top stable no stranger to success in this race.

Form: 21-7P33

Sextant^b1⁸⁶⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-10| J: P W Wadge⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 121

50/1

Novice hurdle winner in late-2020 and still capable of near-smart form on the Flat for Keith Dalgleish when last seen in autumn 2021. Long absence to overcome on this handicap hurdle for new stable in first-time blinkers. Betting perhaps the best guide to expectations.

Form: 13/

Ballygeary³³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 120| D

4/1

Has made a very positive start to his hurdles career, winning 4 times in the last 12 months and also a good second of 11 over C&D (soft) on New Year's Day. Respected.

Form: 110-312

Collingham^p³³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Peter Kavanagh⁽³⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 119| CD

25/1

Has drawn a blank since winning this race 12 months ago but he has slipped to 2 lb below last year's successful mark so certainly no shock were he to stage a revival.

Form: 1U7-568

Park Annonciade^t³³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Philip Byrnes⁽³⁾| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 118| D

6/1

Looked progressive when winning handicaps at Ayr (2m) and Haydock (19f) in November but seemed caught out by the drop in trip when fourth of 11 over C&D on New Year's Day, outpaced before keeping on.

Form: 213114

Zanndabad^t⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-4| J: Sean Quinlan| T: A J Martin| OR: 115

14/1

Should be of interest from this hurdle mark judged on his useful Flat form but he was well held on first attempt at Fairyhouse in November, not helped by jumping errors. Hardly a solid one after that but could prove different proposition if hurdling better. Yard's British runners always respected.

Form: 745-0

Hartur D'oudairies⁶⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: Nathan Moscrop| T: B Ellison| OR: 115| D

50/1

Fairly useful hurdler for Dan Skelton but left that yard after running poorly on his chase debut/reappearance in November and pulled up back hurdling at Sedgefield since (only run for Ben Haslam). Has plenty to prove at present.

Form: 5/225-0P

Cuban Cigar^b,t³³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Alan Doyle⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 113| CD

25/1

Enhanced pretty good Musselburgh record when scoring over this trip in November but needs to shrug off a lesser run back here on New Year's Day.

Form: 12-2419

Forecasts

Afadil (10/3), Ballygeary (4/1), Park Annonciade (6/1), Parisencore (13/2), First Impression (15/2), Benson (9/1), Zanndabad (14/1), Your Honor (22/1), Cuban Cigar (25/1), Collingham (25/1), Caithness (28/1), Hartur D'oudairies (50/1), Sextant (50/1)

FIRST IMPRESSION split next-time-out winners when second back hurdling at Doncaster in December and might prove the answer to a competitive renewal of this Class 2 handicap. Ballygeary has made a good start to his handicap career and rates an obvious threat for the McCain/Hughes combination. Zanndabad didn't jump well enough on his handicap hurdle debut at Fairyhouse 2 months ago but his Flat ability suggests he should be up to making an impact from his mark if hurdling more fluently this time.