18:25 Taunton

Wednesday 24 April 2024

All16:4217:1517:5018:2519:0019:3520:10

Dave Criddle Travel Handicap Hurdle (Div 1)

Off time: 18:25 | Winning time: 4m 38.92s

Jaramillo⁸²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Ben Bromley⁽⁵⁾| T: W Greatrex| OR: 109

18/1

Unreliable individual who has struggled since opening his hurdles account in a Sedgefield novices' handicap last February. Back down to that winning mark but others preferred all the same.

Form: 031-P9P

Fourofakind²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul O'Brien| T: Harry Derham| OR: 108

10/1

Fairly useful form on the Flat in Ireland and dual hurdle winner for this yard, the second success coming in 19.5f Hereford handicap in February. However, not in anything like the same form on his next 2 starts (tried in blinkers last time) and now has a bit to prove.

Form: P7216P

Centara^h1⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 107| CD

9/4

Useful bumper winner who landed the odds in a 14-runner novice over C&D (good to soft) in December. Has failed to build on that in 2 subsequent starts (both here) but drop back in trip didn't help last time and the addition of a hood could have a positive effect.

Form: 1P-4156

Sergeant Wilson⁵³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 106| C

10/3

Free-goer who posted a good second at Newbury off a 4 lb higher mark in November. Safely held next 2 starts (both on heavy ground) but it would be no surprise to see this 6-y-o take a step back in the right direction on this quicker surface.

Form: 2P-5244

Bread And Butter^t¹⁰⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Lewis Stones⁽³⁾| T: O Murphy| OR: 105

7/2

Cracking second in a big-field handicap at the Punchestown Festival on debut for Olly Murphy last April but it's been all downhill since and he needs to bounce back in a major way.

Form: 658059

Iolaos Du Mou¹⁷⁷

15/2

Newbury bumper winner early last season and has finished second on 2 of his 4 starts since switched to hurdles, including on return at Fontwell (17.7f, good) in October. However, he was disappointing on handicap debut at Huntingdon later that month and absent since (has undergone a wind op).

Form: 16-P225

Perfect Nelson¹¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Lorcan Williams| T: J Scott| OR: 102

28/1

Fair form when twice runner-up in bumpers in Ireland for Peter Fahey in May. Hurdles/stable debut sixth at Wincanton in October wasn't devoid of promise but hasn't built on that since and needs to step up a notch of two now pitched into a handicap.

Form: 5-226F0

Atjima^b⁷⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-8| J: Alan Johns| T: V R A Dartnall| OR: 90

28/1

Bumper winner who opened her account over hurdles in a 2½m Ffos Las handicap last spring but she hasn't reproduced form akin to that in 4 subsequent starts.

Form: P158-0P

Galactic Jack^t¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Harry Reed| T: H Dickin| OR: 92

14/1

Useful on Flat for Andrew Balding but well below that level over hurdles.

Form: P7P4

Non-Runners

King Of The Road¹⁴

Weight: 12-1| Age: 5

T: B Pauling J: Kielan Woods

Forecasts

King Of The Road (15/8), Centara (9/4), Sergeant Wilson (10/3), Bread And Butter (7/2), Iolaos Du Mou (15/2), Fourofakind (10/1), Galactic Jack (14/1), Jaramillo (18/1), Perfect Nelson (28/1), Atjima (28/1)

KING OF THE ROAD has shot up the weights following his brace at Market Rasen but it's unlikely that he's done improving yet and the hat-trick beckons for this 5-y-o. Sergeant Wilson needs to bounce back following a couple of rather low-key efforts but he can be expected to do just that now back on better ground and he is second choice ahead of Centara.