F Ball Established 1886 Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:17 | Winning time: 5m 53.46s

Divilabother^t¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Harry Reed| T: T Davidson| OR: 127| C| D

3/1

Strong traveller who progressed to win 5 times between June-August (including hat-trick success over C&D), his only defeat in that spell when splitting a couple of future winners here. Still in form when beaten 7½ lengths at Perth but he may just be vulnerable to a stronger stayer on these terms.

Form: 111215

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Roger Pol^b,t³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Isabelle Ryder⁽⁵⁾| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 121| CD

3/1

Won this corresponding event last year (race fell apart) prior to completing a double at Hexham. First-time blinkers/switch to front running saw him emerge from the doldrums when 3¼-length second to Ernest Gray at Bangor latest. Thereabouts if headgear continues to have a positive effect.

Form: 17-6982

Jubilant¹³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: J J Burke| T: James Owen| OR: 120| D

5/2

Fairly useful sort. Capped a fine 12 months (including 3 chase wins) when comfortably justifying support in a 5-runner handicap hurdle at Plumpton (3¼m) in May. Returns only 1 lb above his highest winning mark over fences and no surprise if excellent yard eke a bit more out of him.

Form: 3516P-1

Miss Goldfire^t⁹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: C P O'Shea⁽⁷⁾| T: H Fry| OR: 119| CD

10/3

Won juvenile handicap/runner-up to a subsequent winner on previous 2 C&D starts. An improved model as a 7-y-o this season. Hard held completing a double at Newton Abbot and only beaten by an unexposed stayer played later over C&D last time. Needs more again off another career-high mark, though.

Form: 6P-1U12

Pike Road^p¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Freddie Keighley⁽⁵⁾| T: M Keighley| OR: 110| CD

8/1

Doubled his hurdles tally under a positive ride over C&D in November prior to a solid fourth at Cheltenham. Probably in better heart than recent form figures suggest, too, never involved under contrasting tactics here last time. Not discounted if he gets into a rhythm.

Form: 6-42778

Non-Runners

Ernest Gray³⁰

Weight: 11-13| Age: 9

T: A King J: Tom Cannon

Forecasts

Jubilant (5/2), Ernest Gray (11/4), Divilabother (3/1), Roger Pol (3/1), Miss Goldfire (10/3), Pike Road (8/1)

In an open-looking handicap, the vote goes to ERNEST GRAY, who proved at least as good as ever when a comprehensive winner at Bangor last time. Smooth-travelling Divalabother will be ridden cold and could run into a place, with last year's winner Roger Pol likely to be thereabouts if on another going day.