Molson Coors Michaelmas Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:10 | Winning time: 3m 46.72s

Call Me Lord¹⁹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-12| J: D A Jacob| T: N J Henderson| OR: 143| D

10/11

Useful hurdler (3 from 4) and made a winning start for new connections at Sandown in April (2m good). Up 8lb, but clearly effective under a variety of ground conditions, and this flat right handed track should suit.

Form: 5111-

High Secret¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Bryony Frost⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 141| D

6/1

Proved his worth as a hurdler (novices) last season following the switch from Sir Mark Prescott. Solid enough back on the Flat over the summer, and of late and unexposed in handicap company over hurdles. Track and ground ideal.

Form: 1314-0

Caid Du Lin^p,t¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Charlie Hammond⁽⁷⁾| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 132

4/1

Returned to action after a summer break in good order, and was a 4½L winner at Fontwell last month (2m1½f good), prior to being outclassed in a stronger contest at Ascot latest. Career best effort required.

Form: UP-2317

Unison⁶¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Matt Griffiths| T: J Scott| OR: 132| D

33/1

Operating with a strong strike rate over hurdles (just shy of 50%; 5 from 11). Game, and goes on most ground, but this is his toughest test yet. A winner at Wincanton in March, he's race-fit from the Flat.

Form: 110210-

So Celebre^p⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 130| BF| CD

8/1

A dual hurdles winner in the spring (including over C&D in March), he finished fifth of 19 to Chesterfield in a valuable 2m+ Aintree handicap in April. Solid on the AW recently, and possibilities now switched back to hurdles.

Form: 33115-

East Indies¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-3| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 120| D

8/1

A two time winner at Plumpton on quick ground (2m), but this is a much stronger contest, and unless a number of the other runners under-perform, he would appear vulnerable. Finished behind Caid Du Lin at Ascot latest.

Form: 862-189

Forecasts

Call Me Lord (10/11), Caid Du Lin (4/1), High Secret (6/1), So Celebre (8/1), East Indies (8/1), Unison (33/1)

The clear highlight on today's Huntingdon card, and this track and forecast ground conditions should suit a number of the runners perfectly, perhaps most notably the useful dual purpose performer High Secret. Unison is clearly better over hurdles than on the Flat, and his strike rate is impressive, whilst So Celebre is a C&D winner who was progressing at a rate of knots over hurdles in the spring. However, the selection is the versatile CALL ME LORD. He made a winning start for Nicky Henderson at Sandown in April, and that form looks strong enough, so he's taken to defy a subsequent 8lb rise in the weights on his seasonal reappearance.