Bluebell Wood Childrens Hospice Mares' Handicap Hurdle

3YO plus | Class 5 | 3m 84y | 8 Runners | Turf

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: David Bass| T: H D Daly| OR: 105

Yet to add to last October's Exeter maiden hurdle success, but her turn is seemingly near judged on efforts at Chepstow (2m, good to firm) and Warwick (21f, good) since returning from a break in October. Promises to stay this trip and she's a big player.

Form: 45P-242

Leave Her To Me¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Nick Slatter⁽³⁾| T: D Killahena & G McPherson| OR: 103

Back-to-back winner at up to 21f during the spring, but mark suffered as a result of that brace and she failed to land a blow on recent return from a break at Hereford.

Form: 4F1-159

Either Or^t1²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: James Bowen| T: N J Henderson| OR: 103| BF| D

Has failed to go on over hurdles since making a winning debut at Warwick in January. Interesting that top yard is persevering, but it's debatable whether that will be the case for much longer judged on poor chase debut display at Warwick last month. Tongue strap added now returned to hurdles.

Form: P3/P44-6

Police Academy^p1²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr Ben Sutton⁽⁵⁾| T: F O'Brien| OR: 102| D

First past the post in a mares' handicap chase at Uttoxeter in June (subsequently disqualified owing to a prohibited substance). Blotted copybook twice since, but she's 3-12 in this sphere and perhaps the return to hurdles and fitting of cheekpieces will synergistically precipitate a return to form.

Form: 56-5DRP

Pipers Cross^p³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Cameron Johnstone-Baker⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 102| D

Dual winner in the spring of 2024 for Robbie Llewellyn and got the done at the fifth attempt for present yard at Fontwell in March. Should come on for her reappearance fifth at Lingfield and she's a live each-way candidate off this 1 lb lower mark.

Form: 33313-5

For Gina^p³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Tom Cannon| T: L Wadham| OR: 101

Fair hurdler with a good record at Fakenham. Took a shine to Fontwell, too, when returning to form in a 7-runner handicap there (25.8f, good to soft) last month and, still on a good mark following a 3 lb rise, she has to enter calculations.

Form: 7435-31

Topkapi Star^t1,p²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-6| J: Peter Kavanagh| T: Ewan Whillans| OR: 83| D

Now 1 lb lower in the weights compared to when gaining latest success at Ayr with first-time cheekpieces enlisted in January. However, the headgear hasn't proved quite so effective since and hopes now pinned on the addition of a tongue strap sparking a return to form.

Form: 07-53P4

Dontworrywegotthis^p¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽³⁾| T: G Howell| OR: 59

No worthwhile form to her name so far and another struggle is on the cards from a long way out of the weights.

Form: 8P0-8P6

Forecasts

For Gina (7/4), Roaring Home (9/4), Either Or (9/2), Pipers Cross (8/1), Police Academy (10/1), Topkapi Star (16/1), Leave Her To Me (25/1), Dontworrywegotthis (100/1)

A return to winning ways is on the cards for ROARING HOME, who has acquitted herself well all three starts since undergoing a wind operation, most notably last time when going close at Warwick where she was the sole mare in the eight-runner line-up. She makes plenty of appeal back against her own sex. For Gina did the job well at Fontwell and she is next on the list ahead of Police Academy and Pipers Cross.