18:05 Kelso

Wednesday 18 September 2024

All16:3017:0517:3518:0518:3519:05

Abbey Fine Wines Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 18:06 | Winning time: 4m 17.70s

Valleyview Tommy¹⁹²

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Lewis Dobb⁽⁷⁾| T: A M Thomson| OR: 98

9/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Pulled up in handicap hurdle at this course (20.9f, soft, 8/1). Likely to strip fitter for this first run in 6 months, so hard to make a strong case for.

Form: F2325P-

Fairmac^t³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 95

9/1

Fairly useful on the Flat and has shown signs of encouragement amidst inexperience over hurdles, third in a novice at Perth last time. Makes quick switch to handicaps off potentially very appealing mark.

Form: 43

Upagainstit^p1²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Theo Gillard| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 94

20/1

Made a winning chase debut at Warwick in March 2023 but didn't go on from that effort. Back to form over hurdles in June but has a tame effort over the larger obstacles to put behind him.

Form: 536-2F0

Minella Youngy⁶⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Lizzie Quinlan| OR: 94| C

12/1

Fair winning hurdler in Ireland and opened his account for Iain Jardine here a year ago. Has found life tougher since, and reverts to hurdling after a break.

Form: 3315-50

Darkest Day^p,t⁶⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Sam Coltherd| T: W Young Jnr| OR: 91| CD

28/1

Landed back-to-back C&D handicaps last September and returned to form with his reappearance behind him when second at Perth on penultimate start. Poor effort since and has had a two-month break.

Form: 68-0288

Game Beaaa^t⁶⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Callum Bewley| T: D Bourke| OR: 85

5/1

Has been holding form well lately and posted another solid showing when runner-up at Perth a couple of months ago. Should be on the premises again.

Form: 45P-332

Edgewell^v1⁸²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Ross Chapman| T: R Menzies| OR: 79

9/1

Better than the result when sixth of 9 in handicap chase at Hexham on penultimate start then likely found the race coming too soon at Cartmel next time. Off 82 days since and visor fitted for this return to hurdling.

Form: 57P-469

Balranald^p¹²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: Mrs A C Hamilton| OR: 78

28/1

Successful over fences back in 2021 and finally opened his account over hurdles in a Bangor handicap last year. Form has been in and out since, though, and latest effort at Hexham 4 months ago was poor.

Form: P2386-0

Heart Above²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: C O'Farrell| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer| OR: 77

15/8

Yet to get close to his fairly useful bumper form but posted a more encouraging display when second at Cartmel last time and it's still early days. One to consider.

Form: 7-08372

Willy Nilly⁶⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Peter Kavanagh⁽³⁾| T: Miss L Harrison| OR: 77

12/1

Creditable fourth of 11 in handicap hurdle at Perth (16.2f, good, 33/1) 66 days ago. Others look better treated but he's likely to give another good account.

Form: 0632P-4

Well Done Dani^t⁵⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: Toby Wynne⁽³⁾| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 76

16/1

Worcester winner last summer but quickly into her shell since, pulled up at Stratford last time.

Form: 174-57P

Iolani^p²⁵

Age: 12| Weight: 10-5| J: William Maggs⁽⁵⁾| T: A Slack| OR: 75| C

9/1

Veteran who scored at Cartmel in May but hasn't matched that form subsequently. Others are more appealing.

Form: 3-01946

Edmond Dantes^p,t³¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-4| J: Lorcan Murtagh| T: F P Murtagh| OR: 74

100/1

Out of sorts when last seen 10 months ago and hard to see him getting involved.

Form: 8/6268P-

Ivynator⁷⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: Danny McMenamin| T: Mrs J C McGregor| OR: 73

100/1

One-time fairly useful Flat performer but yet to get anywhere near that form over hurdles. Hard to make any sort of case for.

Form: P55/48-5

Forecasts

Heart Above (15/8), Game Beaaa (5/1), Iolani (9/1), Edgewell (9/1), Fairmac (9/1), Valleyview Tommy (9/1), Minella Youngy (12/1), Willy Nilly (12/1), Well Done Dani (16/1), Upagainstit (20/1), Balranald (28/1), Darkest Day (28/1), Ivynator (100/1), Edmond Dantes (100/1)

FAIRMAC has looked in need of the experience so far over hurdles but he should be getting the hang of things now and his opening mark is lenient based on Flat exploits, so he's worth taking a chance on. Game Beaaa and Heart Above, both runner-up last time, could pose the main threats.