Tony McFadden provides an overview of the key things to note on Thursday.
A Great Excuse's form is working out
The handicap chase that A Great Excuse won at Lingfield last time was run at a good clip and looked like decent form for the grade, but it has worked out even better than expected as the second and third both went on to win next time out.
A Great Excuse was only in fourth place jumping the final fence but produced a power-packed finish to score by a length and a quarter, impressing Timeform's reporter who awarded the Horse In Focus Flag to mark him out as one likely to be of firm interest next time.
The subsequent form boosts have only enhanced A Great Excuse's profile, and he remains likely to improve further - as denoted by the Timeform 'small p' - after only two starts over fences. He can progress again in the opening novice handicap chase (12:28) at Huntingdon.
Bold Endeavour has been given chance by handicapper
Bold Endeavour comes with risks attached as he was pulled up on his final two starts last season and was last of seven finishers on his seasonal reappearance prior to that. However, he has since left Laura Morgan and rejoined Nicky Henderson - a move which has generated Timeform's Trainer Uplift Flag - and he is lurking on a dangerous mark if the stable switch has a rejuvenating impact.
Bold Endeavour also failed to win for Henderson during the 2023/24 season but he produced some useful efforts in defeat and hit the frame in some competitive handicaps, most notably when beaten fewer than four lengths in fourth in the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival.
He runs in the Pertemps qualifier (15:15) at Huntingdon off a mark 13 lb lower than when fourth at Cheltenham, so he has been given a big chance by the handicapper. He comes out 7 lb clear on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings based on that Pertemps Final form.
Vantheman impressed on only previous all-weather outing
Vantheman was an impressive winner of a five-furlong handicap at Newcastle in the spring of 2024 on his first and, to date, only outing on the all-weather. However, he belatedly returns to the surface back over the same course and distance (18:30) on Thursday.
Vantheman has won only once since then and failed to get on the scoreboard at all last year, but he's fallen in the weights as a consequence and is now only 2 lb higher than when scoring emphatically over course and distance.
He also caught the eye of Timeform's reporter when last seen finishing fifth at York in October, faring best of those drawn high and earning the Horse In Focus Flag.
Vantheman is from the first crop of Invincible Army who was successful on both starts on the all-weather, including in the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle where he ran up to his best and produced a very smart effort on Timeform's figures.
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