15:50 Wetherby

Thursday 23 January 2025

All12:2512:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:50

William Hill Cheltenham Non-Runner Money Back Handicap Hurdle (Div 2)

Off time: 15:54 | Winning time: 6m 57.9s

Adveram^p²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: B S Hughes| T: I A Duncan| OR: 100

10/3

Ran well in a higher grade last-time when third of 10 in a handicap hurdle at Ayr (24.3f, soft) 21 days ago, running from out of the handicap. Back down in grade to a 0-100 event here and merits serious consideration.

Form: 33-1423

Snowrocco²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Theo Gillard| T: A Nicol| OR: 96

15/2

Placed in an Irish point and back to form when creditable fourth of 18 in handicap hurdle at Ayr (20.4f, soft) 21 days ago, led 2 out and one pace late on. Lightly-raced contender has to be of interest now tackling 3m for the first time.

Form: P343-84

The Questioner^p²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Henry Brooke| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 93| CD

12/1

C&D winner who shaped well when second at Huntingdon (25f) 14 months ago. Easy to back and probably needed the run when down the field over C&D (raced without headgear) 27 days ago. Would be a player on last season's form and interesting if market speaks in his favour with cheekpieces back on.

Form: 1343/2-0

Paddy O'Mahler²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Peter Kavanagh⁽³⁾| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 92

7/4

Still a maiden but ran well over C&D in cheekpieces last month, unfortunate to be hampered 4 out and finishing fifth of 16. Fourth-placed horse has given the form a boost (won at Fakenham on Sunday) and should go well again, racing without headgear today,

Form: 3-P6675

Dexperado^p²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Tom Broughton⁽⁵⁾| T: N Kent| OR: 91| BF

9/1

Runner-up at Market Rasen on final 2 starts of last season, chasing home decent sorts. Quieter start to this campaign, sent off favourite when fifth of 8 at Market Rasen (went without headgear), possibly still finding his fitness. Cheekpieces on for first try at 3m and should strip fitter here.

Form: 0922-75

Ballydangan³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 85

6/1

Maiden who hasn't shown an immediate benefit for the switch to the Dan Skelton yard, prominent in the betting but disappointing when sixth of 11 at Southwell (20.4f, good to soft) 38 days ago. Up in trip again but no surprise to see stable get a better tune out of him sooner rather than later.

Form: 3P0056

Westerdale⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: M Walford| OR: 84

22/1

Out of a winning pointer and minor promise to glean from all 3 runs over hurdles. Could up her game now handicapping and isn't without hope.

Form: 556

Stress Reaction²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Tom Midgley⁽³⁾| T: T D Easterby| OR: 82

125/1

Runner-up sole outing in point bumpers but has offered little in a course bumper and 3 maiden hurdles. Tough to fancy upped in trip for handicap debut.

Form: 20-P76

Take A Hike^t³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Sean Houlihan| T: D J Jeffreys| OR: 79

25/1

Runner-up both completed starts in Irish points. Tongue-tie on and up in trip when producing better effort on fourth hurdles start, third of 12 in a handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter (19.9f, heavy) 34 days ago, plugged on. No surprise to see her stepped up in distance again today.

Form: U25-593

So Ladylike²³⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 10-5| J: Miss Natasha Cookson⁽⁷⁾| T: N W Alexander| OR: 77| D

28/1

Off the mark under Rules from bottom weight in a poor race on second start for this yard, winning 6-runner handicap hurdle at Hexham (23.3f, soft). Returns from 7-month absence and this is a tougher race.

Form: 6/8P66-1

Non-Runners

Royle Steel²⁷

Weight: 10-2| Age: 7

T: Micky Hammond J: Joshua Thompson

Forecasts

Paddy O'Mahler (7/4), Adveram (10/3), Ballydangan (6/1), Snowrocco (15/2), Dexperado (9/1), The Questioner (12/1), Westerdale (22/1), Take A Hike (25/1), So Ladylike (28/1), Royle Steel (33/1), Stress Reaction (125/1)

It wasn't the smoothest of passages for PADDY O'MAHLER when a close fifth over C&D last month and a repeat of that effort might be enough to take this. The lightly-raced Snowrocco has shown enough to suggest she can go close in a race of this nature while Adveram is very much respected having run well in a higher grade on his last two starts.