Timeform highlight a couple of staying handicap hurdles that should throw up winners and provide form to follow.
3m handicap hurdle, Haydock
Saturday November 22
This was everything you'd expect from a top-end handicap worth £100,000, it fiercely competitive with plenty of them last-time-out winners or second-season hurdlers, Hartington fitting both criteria and shaping best; it proved hard to come from the second wave in a well-run affair but the timefigure firmly underpins the strength of the form and it's likely to throw up winners nonetheless.
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ELECTRIC MASON looked really well and resumed his progress, overturning Cheltenham form with the favourite to some tune in bagging a good pot, completing a treble for his trainer and jockey from just 4 runners on the card; prominent, ridden when awkward 3 out, led last, closed down final 100 yds, just held on; already qualified for the Pertemps and looks an ideal type for that event later in the season.
HARTINGTON snuck in at the bottom of the handicap and went like the best horse at the weights upped in trip, arguably unfortunate not to collect and one to follow for a while yet; close up, jumped none too fluently, ridden 3 out, forced to switch approaching last, stayed on, just failed; versatile regards trip and ground, he's eligible for lesser events, too.
PHANTOMOFTHEPOINTS, who'd had a breathing operation since last seen in the spring, jumped much better back at 3m and ran up to his best in taking third in this for the second successive year, forcing tactics seeing him to good effect; made running, jumped fluently, pressed on early in straight, around 4 lengths clear after 3 out, headed last, no extra.
ACE OF SPADES is most likeable and remains in top form, this looking a strong race; in touch, untidy seventh, pushed along 3 out, kept on; remains unexposed at 3m and will continue to be of plenty of interest.
HORACES PEARL, typically edgy beforehand, was one of the least exposed - particularly as a stayer - and typically gave his running sent handicapping under a good conditional following a 7-month break, despite his jumping letting him down when it mattered, just as it had in Grade 1 company as a novice in the spring; waited with, good progress ninth, had to wait for gap approaching straight, ridden before 3 out, not fluent there, held when mistakes last 2.
NAB WOOD seemed to do all he could in a much more competitive race; mid-field, close up eighth, driven 3 out, beaten when blundered next; there'll be lesser races than this for him in the North in the coming weeks.
JINGKO BLUE, back over hurdles, looked and shaped as if better for the run after 9 months off but needs to cut out the errors; handy, lost place briefly end of back straight, effort when hit 3 out, weakening when clouted next.
JOYEUX MACHIN, who played up beforehand, had undergone a breathing operation since his return and looks to be being brought along gradually this campaign; mid-field, not clear run home turn, ridden 3 out, never a threat; one to note when Skelton is back in the saddle and/or the market speaks in his favour.
KARAFON, back in a tongue strap for the first time since hurdling debut, shaped like a non-stayer upped in trip; raced off the pace, steady headway 3 out, effort flattened out.
TITAN DISCOVERY tends to need his first run back and shaped that way once again 10 months off; raced off the pace, headway out wide entering straight, weakening when awkward 2 out.
RED RISK looked forward for his return from 8 months off but merely added to a patchy recent record; mid-division, labouring before 3 out.
MA SHANTOU swept past Electric Mason in taking style on his return (performance fully supported by the timefigure) but proved a major let-down, hard to solely blame patient tactics in a race that favoured those on the speed; raced off the pace, some headway out wide before tenth, well beaten between 3 out and 2 out.
NAVAJO INDY looked interesting upped to a staying trip judged on how he'd been shaping and was in really good nick too, but he disappointed; taken wide, close up, lost place halfway, in contention again end of back straight, ridden 3 out, dropped away next.
I LOVE MY BAIE looked fit after 5 months off but produced a laboured effort; never travelling well, mistake first, always behind.
SHOOT FIRST, who won an attritional running of this race last year, was back at a more suitable trip but looks to have serious jumping issues, this his second x-rated fall in 3 outings; raced off the pace, struggling when fell heavily 2 out.
ESPRIT DU POTIER possibly found the race coming too soon just 3 weeks on from his return from a long absence; in touch, jumped right first, behind from halfway, pulled up.
HARBOUR LAKE looked in need of the run after 7 months off but was beaten by much more than lack of fitness; mid-division, struggling badly 3 out, pulled up.
3m handicap hurdle, Newbury
Friday November 28
Form to view positively, the winner still going the right way at the age of 8 and chased home by a younger pair trying the trip for the first time.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsKEABLE was much improved last winter and progressed again after 10 months off, typically showing a good attitude and plenty of stamina; chased leader, second when shaken up after 3 out, led before last, slight mistake there, stayed on well.
BLUE CARPET showed his opening mark to be a fair one, having no problem with the longer trip; held up, headway 2 out, shaken up after, kept on but no further impression on winner.
J J MOON stayed the longer trip but couldn't overcome a rise of 5 lb for winning a less competitive race first time back; chased leaders, effort between 3 out and 2 out, ran on.
KRUGER PARK ran much better than on his return but proved no easy ride for a conditional who put up 1 lb overweight; mid-field, lost place when not fluent 3 out and 2 out, hung left, kept on again under hands and heels.
I'M A LUMBERJACK shaped better than the bare result on his handicap debut after 7 months off, possibly needing the run or stretched by the longer trip, either way shaping as if on a fair mark; held up, mistake 4 out, headway 2 out, challenging for second when untidy last, not sustain effort.
CLASSIC KING failed to come on for his reappearance, not obviously beaten by the longer trip given a more patient ride; dropped out, effort when forced to switch soon after 2 out, never landed a blow.
SAMUEL SPADE took a step back in the right direction and will possibly come on again for this; made running, pressed on 3 out, headed before last, tied up run-in.
PERMIS DE TUER, who'd left N. George & A. Zetterholm, showed nothing making a belated British debut after 27 months off; mid-field, off the bridle long way out, lost place early final circuit, lost touch from 3 out.
PUNCTUATION isn't sure to stay this far but shaped as if needing the run above all after 9 months off; chased leaders, weakened before 2 out.
DIAMOND RI shaped as if amiss after 20 months off, the longer trip not the issue; held up, not fluent fifth, mistake 3 out, beaten quickly.
THUNDER ROCK disappointed last season and ran even worse after 8 months off; chased leaders, dropped away before 3 out.
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