JCB Hydradig Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:05 | Winning time: 4m 49.88s

Up To Trix²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: K Brogan| T: O Murphy| OR: 103

9/4

Runner-up in an Irish point and shaped with promise in a pair of Uttoxeter maiden hurdles (15.8f). Step up in trip sure to suit on breeding and of major interest making an early switch to handicaps.

Form: 42-43

Minella Double^t²⁷⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Beau Morgan⁽⁵⁾| T: B R Summers| OR: 103

14/1

Gambled on and returned to form from out of the blue when second of 6 in handicap hurdle at Huntingdon (20.7f, good to firm) in May. No banker to be in the same form on this return to action, however.

Form: 45PP-02

Midnight Ginger⁶⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-11| J: Dillon Butler⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Andrew Martin| OR: 102| DWS

5/1

On a long losing run and has been tailed off all 4 starts this season. A breathing operation since her previous outing needs to have had a positive effect.

Form: 28-6087

Harry Bright⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 102| BF

15/8

Showed improved form when finding only a handicap debutant too good at Market Rasen in December. Shaped better than the distance beaten suggests in first-time cheekpieces upped further in trip here (26f) since, paying for trying to match strides with an enthusiastic one, and remains of interest.

Form: 64-0524

Romany King^t⁶⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: David Bass| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 100

9/2

£45,000 purchase after winning sole start in Irish points. Showed more than first time up over hurdles (on the back of a breathing op) when fourth in a Leicester novice in December but was worryingly reported to have bled when failing to repeat that effort at Newbury last time.

Form: 1-040

Times A Wastin¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: R T Dunne| T: A W Carroll| OR: 93

16/1

Showed fair form in bumpers in Ireland but has been disappointing so far over hurdles, including in handicaps.

Form: 5-5775P

Forecasts

Harry Bright (15/8), Up To Trix (9/4), Romany King (9/2), Midnight Ginger (5/1), Minella Double (14/1), Times A Wastin (16/1)

UP TO TRIX has shaped with clear promise on both hurdle starts to date and, with the step up in trip promising to suit, he's taken to make a successful early switch to handicaps. Harry Bright is an obvious danger dropping back in distance having paid for trying to match strides with an enthusiastic one over 26f here on his most recent outing.