15:30 Hereford

Monday 27 January 2025

All14:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:31

starsports.bet Handicap Hurdle

4YO plus | Class 3 | 2m 53y | 11 Runners | Turf

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Selected odds by:

Anyharminasking²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Benjamin Macey⁽⁷⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 127| D

14/1

Poor runs last twice, pulled up in a handicap hurdle at Southwell (15.8f, heavy, 12/1) 26 days ago. Arrives here on the back of a near 3-year losing streak and best to look elsewhere for win purposes.

Form: 45-340P

HMS President⁵⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 125| D

11/2

Useful handicapper on Flat and has looked equally capable in this sphere, built on facile maiden hurdle success at Kempton when second of 10 in a novice hurdle at Huntingdon (15.8f, heavy) 50 days ago. Lightly-raced over obstacles and open to more improvement.

Form: 2-12

Manuelito¹⁹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: M G Nolan| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 121| D

6/1

Fair maiden on the Flat for Richard Hannon and improved with each of his 4 starts over hurdles for previous connections (formerly with David Pipe) prior to very disappointing effort when pulling up at Market Rasen 175 days ago. One to note in the market making comeback for new and in-form yard.

Form: 321-1P

Luttrell Lad^p,t²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: Cameron Iles⁽⁷⁾| T: T Lacey| OR: 121| D

12/1

Scored at Cartmel in July 2023. Some quieter runs at the back of last-term / start of this season has seen his rating dip 2 lb below his latest winning mark and has to be of interest now having showed more when a decent fourth of 8 at Southwell (15.8f, soft) at the beginning of the month.

Form: 37-4064

Black Hawk Eagle³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Liam Harrison| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 120| CD

6/1

Fairly useful Flat/hurdles winner for Noel Meade, landed 2m handicaps at Wincanton and over C&D for new handler last winter. Couple of decent placed efforts this year but outclassed in a premier handicap last month. Not ruled out down in grade but interesting stable jockey rides yard's other runner.

Form: 11P-328

Maxcel¹⁹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Mrs M Rowley| OR: 120| CD

12/1

Clearly been hard to train but has won 4 races for this yard, including a pair of handicaps last summer, but season finished with a whimper when well-beaten at Market Rasen (16.6f) in July and bit of a concern that we haven't seen him since.

Form: 21/5-110

Clap Of Thunder^h1³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N A Twiston-Davies| OR: 119| D

4/1

Placed on 3 of 4 starts in bumpers last season. Struck in a 2m Ascot novice in November and shaped better when result when fifth of 15 in 2m Cheltenham handicap a fortnight later. Too keen when third at Chepstow last month and he could be a big player here if first-time hood has the desired effect.

Form: 52-4153

Holly⁴⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 118

14/1

Best efforts have come over smaller obstacles, but disappointing on return to hurdles when last of 12 in a handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (20.2f, good to soft) 28 days ago, raced keenly and one paced in home straight. Dropped 4 lb for that effort and may be inching towards a workable handicap mark.

Form: 20-4620

Maasai Mara^p³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J G M O'Shea| OR: 117| D

20/1

Fairly useful on Flat and hurdles winner at Catterick (2m, soft) in February. Has refused over obstacles and missed break/shown awkward head carriage on Flat. Down 5 lb for below-form third of 4 here (19.7f), down in trip today but seems as if his temperament is hindering his talent at present.

Form: 212R-3

Wasthatok^h1,t³⁶⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: R Patrick| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 112

6/1

Final run for Gavin Cromwell a creditable second behind a then progressive sort in a Market Rasen novice hurdle in August 2023. Well-backed in first-time tongue-tie on chase debut for new yard in January 2024 but failed to fire. Notable that stable jockey rides and interesting if he's well-backed.

Form: 451/526-

Imaginarium⁷⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| OR: 110| D

8/1

Useful Irish 9f winner on Flat for Ger Lyons and made a successful start over hurdles on his sole start for Lucinda Russell in May (Perth, 2m). Stiff task at Cheltenham starting out for this yard and then a below-par run on final qualifying run. Could do better now handicapping with yard going well.

Form: 155

Forecasts

Clap Of Thunder (4/1), HMS President (11/2), Wasthatok (6/1), Manuelito (6/1), Black Hawk Eagle (6/1), Imaginarium (8/1), Maxcel (12/1), Luttrell Lad (12/1), Anyharminasking (14/1), Holly (14/1), Maasai Mara (20/1)

A competitive enough handicap and this can go to CLAP OF THUNDER who caught the eye when fifth in a decent Cheltenham handicap on his penultimate run. He was too keen last time and with a hood to help him relax, he's expected to relish this sharper test. Luttrell Lad is back down to an appealing handicap mark and could be a big danger having shown more last time. Kerry Lee saddles two interesting runners, and it could be significant that Richard Patrick has chosen to ride Wasthatok.