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Mark has two selections on Thursday
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Unexposed Richards hurdler can strike
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Hidden History boasts strong handicap form
14:55 Perth - Back Baratablet @ 13/82.63
As 0-115 handicap hurdles go, this one is pretty interesting and brings together several runners who are in good form.
The obvious starting point is Olly Murphy's Hara Kiri, who's won his last three starts and made light of a 276-day layoff when coming out on top at Leicester in December. Given he can go well fresh, there's no reason to think Hara Kiri can't perform again off yet another break but he does have to defy a 7lb rise since that last success.
Ailt An Chorrain remains unexposed, and he jumped well on the way to a novice hurdle success at Newcastle last month, though that was a pretty thin race and his opening mark of 112 may be about right.
The one I'm siding with is another unexposed sort in the shape of Nicky Richards' Baratablet.
He won a Hexham novice last month before making his handicap debut in a stronger race than this one. He finished third that day but wasn't disgraced and that 0-135 contest was a much tougher assignment than he faces here.
There should still be some progression to come from this five-year-old and the drop back in trip from 3m to 2m 4f should also be in his favour.
Back Baratablet
15:59 Perth - Back Hidden History @ 7/42.75
The lightly raced Hidden History boasts some strong form, and he can bolster the Dan Skelton title challenge by winning this 2m 4f handicap hurdle.
The seven-year-old has only had five starts over hurdles and was off the mark at the second attempt when winning a novice contest in 2024 and he's been gradually getting better in three handicaps since then.
His most recent outing resulted in a win at Uttoxeter last month in a race that the stable often targets, and that form was franked in no uncertain terms when the runner-up Wellington Arch won a big Aintree handicap next time.
Hidden History still looks fairly treated off a mark of 122 here having gone in off 115 last time.
Of the opposition, Florida Dreams is a reliable sort who rarely runs a bad race and he ran well when runner up at Ayr last time from just a pound lower than he runs off here.
He could well emerge as the biggest threat, while the likes of Bold Light and Rambo T are also accorded respect, though with Hidden History's most recent form proving rock-solid, I'm expecting him to rack up yet another success for the Skelton stable.
Back Hidden History