15:50 Taunton

Thursday 4 April 2019

All14:0514:4015:1015:5016:2517:0017:35

Dave Criddle Travel Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:51 | Winning time: 4m 43.30s

1^st

Cotswold Way

611-8

5/1

T: P Hobbs & J WhiteJ: James Best

Held up and behind, left in 4th and slightly hampered 4 out, 3rd travelling well after next, led approaching 2 out, soon clear, easily op 9/2 tchd 4/1

2^nd

Capitaine

711-12

11/10f

T: P F NichollsJ: Lorcan Williams (5)

Raced keenly, tracked leaders and wide, left in 2nd 4 out, led briefly before 2 out, chased winner after, no impression op 6/5 tchd 5/4

3^rd

At Its Own Expense

511-2

11/4

T: P Hobbs & J WhiteJ: Sean Houlihan (3)

Tracked leader, not fluent 6th, left in lead 4 out, ridden and headed before 2 out, soon dropped to 3rd, kept on pressing for 2nd but no chance with winner op 3/1 tchd 5/2

4^th

Sporting Boy

1110-12

28/1

T: J FarrellyJ: R T Dunne

Ran in snatches and pushed along at times, in touch until dropped to last at 6th, no chance after, left poor 4th 2 out op 22/1

Also Ran

Space Oddity

811-3

7/1

T: H FryJ: Kieron Edgar

Led until fell heavily 4 out op 8/1 tchd 10/1

Criq Sun

710-4

20/1

T: Tim VaughanJ: Alan Johns

Tracked leading pair, slightly hampered 4 out, pushed along in 4th after next, weakening and beaten when fell 2 out op 18/1 tchd 16/1

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Non-Runners

Sussex Ranger²⁷

Weight: 11-11| Age: 5

T: G & J Moore J: J E Moore

Betting Breakdown

Tote Win:£5.90Pl:£3.10, £1.10EX:£9.00Trifecta:£32.70SF:£11.29Swingers:£2.20, £1.50, £1.02

Forecasts

Capitaine (11/10), At Its Own Expense (11/4), Cotswold Way (5/1), Space Oddity (7/1), Sussex Ranger (14/1), Criq Sun (20/1), Sporting Boy (28/1)

Paul Nicholls has won the last two renewals of this race and his Capitaine is highly respected as the stable's chosen contender to chase the hat-trick of wins. Nicholls' charge does have his share of weight and needs to prove his stamina but will find this a lot easier than the County Hurdle at Cheltenham last month. However, SUSSEX RANGER edges the verdict as he doesn't have too much to find and his latest effort (in a better race than this at Sandown) reads well on face value. Cotswold Way is another progressive type that cannot confidently be ruled out. He edges stablemate At It's Own Expense out the frame as the best of the rest.

Sussex Ranger
Capitaine
Cotswold Way

Previous Winners

2018

Risk And Roll

Weight: 10-0 |Age: 4

J: Bryony Frost | T: P F Nicholls

11/2

Prize Money

1st: £8,058.002nd: £2,366.003rd: £1,183.004th: £591.005th: £350.006th: £350.007th: £350.008th: £350.00