bet365 Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 4m 48.10s

Docpickedme^p,t¹⁸¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-13| J: Lily Pinchin| T: R Hobson| OR: 125| C| D

5/1

Boasts an all-or-nothing profile, producing a career-best over fences here in January. Disappointing last 3 starts, however, and now returns to hurdling with something to prove.

Form: 771PP-6

Foster'sisland¹⁹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Emma Smith-Chaston⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 124| D

8/1

Winless last season but ran up to his best when third of 14 in handicap hurdle at Ayr (21.4f, soft) on final outing and has gone well fresh before.

Form: 542543-

Welsh Charger²³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: David Noonan| T: A Ralph| OR: 121| D

3/1

Took his form up a notch last season, bagging handicaps at Market Rasen and Musselburgh. Found his run of good form coming to halt at Kempton on final start but reappears with his yard amongst the winners.

Form: 21/4119-

Isle Of Sark³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Paddy Hanlon⁽⁷⁾| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 118

17/2

Fairly useful Flat winner who wasted no time getting back to form when second of 11 in maiden hurdle at Sedgefield (19.8f, good to soft) 31 days ago. Goes handicapping now but opening mark could have been a bit kinder.

Form: 6252

Singapore Trip^t¹⁶⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: B S Hughes| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 116| D

11/2

Returned to the pick of his French form to open his account on British soil in 10-runner handicap hurdle at Perth (20.2f, good to soft) in May, always holding on. Nudged up 6 lb but can remain competitive if ready to roll back from a break.

Form: 83343-1

Kaituna River²¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Kielan Woods| T: A M Hales| OR: 114

15/8

Winning Irish pointer and progressive in 3 runs over hurdles last season, opening his account in 8-runner maiden at Plumpton (20.5f, good to soft) 7 months ago. Into handicaps now and more needed.

Form: 16/31-

Non-Runners

Luckie Seven⁵³

Weight: 11-3| Age: 6

T: N G Richards J: Danny McMenamin

Forecasts

Kaituna River (15/8), Luckie Seven (9/4), Welsh Charger (3/1), Docpickedme (5/1), Singapore Trip (11/2), Foster'sisland (8/1), Isle Of Sark (17/2)

LUCKIE SEVEN had appreciably more in hand than the narrow margin of victory implies when defying a penalty at Perth in September and, open to more improvement now venturing into handicaps, he makes plenty of appeal. Welsh Charger has a good strike rate and reappears with his yard amongst the winners, so is second choice ahead of the lightly-raced Kaituna River.