3.20pm Cartmel Tips & Betting Preview 29/05/2017

This is a Class 2 handicap hurdle over an extended 3m 1f, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: The Jonjo O’Neill trained JOIN THE CLAN can come out on top here. He has recent winning form to his name and he remains on a fair mark now stepped up in grade in conditions that will suit. Sandymount will be dangerous if he’s as effective over this trip as he was over an extended 2m 4f last time out and can follow the selection home in second.

1 GOLDEN DOYEN – Classy sort who arrives here as the clear top weight with some smart form to his name including a Class 2 handicap hurdle success at Cheltenham in October. That came off a 2lb lower mark and he’s gone off the boil of late with two heavy defeats and he fell at Warwick last time out at just the second set of hurdles. Better is expected here in this weaker contest although he has to shoulder a big weight in this Soft ground.

2 JOIN THE CLAN – Thrashed a modest bunch in a Class 3 handicap chase over 3 miles at Fakenham last month. He ran a fine race in defeat at Uttoxeter last time out when he was beaten by Minellacelebration by 6 1/4 lengths and connections switch him to hurdles today off a one pound higher mark. He certainly has form claims for a race of this nature and he may be the safest bet at the weights in this.

3 SANDYMOUNT – Lightly-raced 6yo and Tom George’s runner won a handicap hurdle by a head last time out. He races here with a 7lb penalty on softer ground which shouldn’t pose a problem and connections will be hopeful he can follow up that success for a yard in good form of late (25% strike rate in the past fortnight). He will need to prove he handles this extra distance on his first start over an extended 2m 4f but he will be dangerous if he does.

4 ALLBARNONE – Has some modest form to his name in weaker company than this and he last won a year ago off an 11lb lower mark. He’s struggled in three chase starts since the turn of the year and connections switch him back to hurdles today now he’s stepped right back up in trip to the furthest he will have faced in his career. With just one win from 22 starts to his name, others make much more appeal here.

5 MORNING ROYALTY – Arrives here on the back of a chase success at Kempton in April when running out a comfortable 3 length winner off a 12lb higher mark. He’s clearly better over the larger obstacles and today’s ground is a slight concern having won just one start from 12 runs on Soft ground. He’s stepped right up in trip which should be fine for this C&D winner but others make slightly more appeal.

6 BON CHIC – Second runner in this for James Moffatt and he has been in poor form since arriving at this stable. He’s been beaten 49 and 52 lengths respectively on the two occasions he’s managed to complete and that’s seen him drop 10lbs in the weights relatively quickly. This will be easier and he has some fair winning form to his name so he enters calculations today if he can bounce back to form.

7 PETIVILLE – Lightly-raced sort for the Richard Hobson stable. He remains a maiden from 5 starts and enters handicap company for the first time today off a fair opening mark. He was beaten 13 1/2 lengths in a novices’ maiden hurdle last time out and his overall form will need improvement to see him come out on top here. The stable are without a winner from their last 6 runners and the percentage call is to oppose him today.

8 MINNIE MILAN – Failed to complete on his first start for his new stable last time out and that was his second time to finish pulled up. He’s gone badly backwards since recording a hat-trick of wins in the summer of 2015 and he remains well-above his last winning mark and he’s out of the handicap in this today. Others make far more appeal and he’s likely to need his first experience over fences.