16:03 Hereford

Wednesday 12 February 2025

All13:1013:4314:1814:5315:2816:0316:38

starsportsbet.co.uk Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:03 | Winning time: 4m 56.8s

Maxcel²⁰⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Mrs M Rowley| OR: 120| C

16/1

Resumed progress when landing back-to-back handicaps in June but off since finishing tailed off in a deeper race at Market Rasen in July.

Form: 21/5-110

Pounding Poet^t³⁵⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Conor Ring| T: T Lacey| OR: 120| D

40/1

Useful handicap hurdler at best but completely out of sorts last season, faring no better on the back of a breathing operation at Doncaster (24.4f) on final outing. Needs to hit the ground running on this return to action.

Form: 2/06PP4-

Reallyntruthfully²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 119

9/4

Runner-up sole outing in points last spring and showed promise in a Huntingdon bumper/maiden hurdle before opening his account at Warwick (21f). Improved again when fifth of 10 on handicap debut at Windsor subsequently and remains capable of better.

Form: 2/4-315

Maasai Mara^p⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Benjamin Poste| T: J G M O'Shea| OR: 117

12/1

Fairly useful on Flat and similar form when landing a Catterick juvenile last season. Unconvincing in 3 runs on the Flat last summer and was below form back over hurdles in 4-runner event over C&D in December.

Form: 212R-3

Guy^p⁷⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-11| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 117| C| D

14/1

Produced a much stouter finish than usual when scoring at Kelso in May but below form all 3 outings since. Back over hurdles.

Form: 10-1465

Oh My Johnny²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: M G Nolan| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 116| BF

7/2

Made amends for his luckless Bangor effort when scoring in ready fashion at Uttoxeter (15.8f, soft) in December, pushed out near finish. Proved to be a rare disappointment for his in-form yard switched to a handicap at Haydock and now steps up in trip.

Form: F4F17

Gentle Frank¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Lee Edwards| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 108

50/1

Pulled up in handicap hurdle (20/1) at Uttoxeter (19.9f, soft) on reappearance 18 days ago, labouring before 4 out. Easy enough to oppose.

Form: 315/47-P

Melton Mossy^t⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Miss Eleanor Williams⁽⁷⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 106

11/2

Gained a fourth win of a very productive first half of the season when striking under Eleanor Williams at Ludlow (21f, good to soft) in November. Has remained in form since and should give another good account back up in trip.

Form: 161327

Dj Pete⁶³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: James Best| T: S-J Davies| OR: 103

100/1

Malinas gelding who showed fair form in bumpers and definite promise despite jumping none too fluently when fifth in a Doncaster maiden (2.8f) in January 2023. Failed to progress in 2 subsequent starts however and sold out of Harry Derham's yard for only 1,600 gns in September.

Form: 4255/3-

Klic Boum¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 102

10/3

Caught the eye in maiden/novice hurdles and again shaped well when fifth of 11 in handicap hurdle at Chepstow (19.4f, heavy) 15 days ago, finishing with running left. Still unexposed and one to be interested in.

Form: 870775

Non-Runners

Barnaviddaun⁷⁰⁹

Weight: 10-10| Age: 12

T: D G Bridgwater J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Reallyntruthfully (9/4), Klic Boum (10/3), Oh My Johnny (7/2), Melton Mossy (11/2), Maasai Mara (12/1), Guy (14/1), Maxcel (16/1), Pounding Poet (40/1), Gentle Frank (50/1), Barnaviddaun (50/1), Dj Pete (100/1)

REALLYNTRUTHFULLY is building up a positive profile and, with this looking a slightly weaker handicap than the one he contested at Windsor last time, he's fancied to resume winning ways. Klic Boum again caught the eye at Chepstow just over a fortnight ago and seems sure to be winning before long, while it remains early days for Oh My Johnny, who'd impressed prior to disappointing on his handicap bow at Haydock.