Visit racingtv.com Mares' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:20 | Winning time: 5m 33.12s

Lavida Adiva⁵⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: B S Hughes| T: Ruth Jefferson| OR: 117| D

11/8

Winner of mares' novice at Catterick last winter and added to that when getting on top in the shadow of the post in an Aintree handicap (2½m, soft) on Boxing Day. 4 lb rise tolerable and should again make her presence felt.

Form: 332-681

Sunset Hill²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Nathan Moscrop| T: S Corbett| OR: 115| D

11/2

Opened hurdles account in 21f novice at Kelso in December before posting an excellent second of 7 in a Southwell handicap on New Year's Day. Grade 2 company proved beyond her reach upped to 3m at Doncaster since but this is assignment is more palatable.

Form: 652125

Miss Cynthia^p²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Tom Cannon| T: L Wadham| OR: 109

11/4

Useful on the Flat for Sir Mark Prescott. Brushed aside by the winner when favourite for Fakenham hurdles debut but better effort in first-time cheekpieces (retained) when again finishing second at Warwick (19f, good to soft). Further progress likely on handicap bow in this sphere.

Form: 22

Gilbertina⁵⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Charlie Hammond| T: N Kent| OR: 109| CD

9/2

Good record here, successful twice and runner-up 3 times from 9 visits to this course. On the downside, she added to what is becoming an increasingly patchy profile when misfiring back here on Boxing Day.

Form: 210-826

Red Trail⁶⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Charlie Maggs⁽⁵⁾| T: M E Sowersby| OR: 102

66/1

Four-time winner on the Flat for Andrew McNamara in Ireland but record in this sphere stands at 0-8 following a low-key effort on final start for that yard in December. Opposable on debut for new connections.

Form: 55/7-P60

La Dolce Dolly⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: N F Houlihan| T: A Irvine| OR: 100

14/1

Won sole start in Irish points and has shown glimmers of ability in 3 runs over hurdles, most recently coming home sixth of 16 in a 21f Warwick novice (soft). Entirely possible that she'll be seen in a better light now handicapping and interesting to see how she shapes up in the betting.

Form: 1366

Forecasts

Lavida Adiva (11/8), Miss Cynthia (11/4), Gilbertina (9/2), Sunset Hill (11/2), La Dolce Dolly (14/1), Red Trail (66/1)

MISS CYNTHIA has been handed a seemingly fair mark for her handicap debut in this sphere and, with the promise of better to come, she could be the answer. Next on the list is Sunset Hill, who understandably struggled in a Grade 2 last time and will be more at home back in handicap company. Lavida Adiva is also accorded respect on the back of her Aintree success.