15:00 Huntingdon

Tuesday 26 December 2017

All11:4012:1012:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:35

Kia Sportage Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:00 | Winning time: 6m 26.8s

Becauseshesaidso²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 12-2| J: Charlie Deutsch⁽³⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 102| BF

5/2

Ran his best race over fences in a better race than this on his return at Chepstow although the 3m2f trip ultimately proved too much for him. Dropped in grade last time and ran another sound race; no world beater but should be competitive at this level.

Form: F8-P362

That's The Deal⁹

Age: 13| Weight: 11-12| J: Lee Edwards| T: J R Cornwall| OR: 98| CD

20/1

His last three runs here have seen him return form figures of 221 with the win coming over this distance off a 7lb lower mark and marked a return to form. Three runs since have seen him struggle to a certain extent off this mark; has won off higher but that as some time ago.

Form: 561446

Basford Ben^b²³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: R P McLernon| T: J Candlish| OR: 92

5/1

Rather quirky individual who is usually seen to best effect from the front around Carlisle (last five wins have come there). In fact he at a revival there last time out lasting longer than he has (still went in snatches) before but ended up well beaten; well handicapped but still has questions to answer.

Form: 3-55P67

Midnight Mustang^p³⁰¹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-9| J: M Hamill⁽⁵⁾| T: Andrew Martin| OR: 81| D

5/1

Took a while to open his account but having done so landed back-to-back handicaps earlier in the year off lowly marks. Faces a quicker surface here and may also need the outing off a mark 7lb higher than his last win.

Form: 373411-

Clenagh Castle^p,t²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Jack Barber| OR: 76| D

9/4

Looked modest when with Chris Grant but has win a couple of point-to-points for his current yard and shaped better than being pulled-up on his Rules return. Went well enough for long enough to suggest that he's still of interest off this lowly mark.

Form: 3212-1P

Over My Head^t²⁷⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: J M Quinlan| T: Miss C Dyson| OR: 72| D

9/1

Usually likes to go from the front and has in the past proved competitive off higher marks over hurdles and fences. Back over fences when last seen in the spring (ran from out the handicap) and looked fairly limited; faces pace pressure and makes little appeal now.

Form: P/45263-

Wish In A Well^v¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Max Kendrick⁽⁷⁾| T: B I Case| OR: 68

12/1

Three runs since he came back from a break but he was struggling prior to that gap and it doesn't look to have injected any life into him. Failed to stay last time out over further but the problems look to be deeper than a lack of stamina; 4lb out of the handicap.

Form: 23-764P

Non-Runners

Armedandbeautiful¹⁹

Weight: 10-12| Age: 9

T: T R Gretton J: Stan Sheppard

Show's Over⁴⁴

Weight: 10-10| Age: 6

T: Tim Vaughan J: N P Madden

Forecasts

Clenagh Castle (9/4), Becauseshesaidso (5/2), Basford Ben (5/1), Midnight Mustang (5/1), Show's Over (8/1), Over My Head (9/1), Armedandbeautiful (10/1), Wish In A Well (12/1), That's The Deal (20/1)

Only fairly modest material to work with here and it could well give BECAUSESHESAIDSO a good chance to get off the mark over fences. He ran a fair race on his penultimate outing and although he was beaten off this mark last time there hardly look to be any improving types lurking in this. That’s The Deal has to be respected on his form here although of late he’s looked held off this mark and it may well be that Clenagh Castle provides the most danger. He’s no world beater but his run last time out was better than it looks and his yard have already proved themselves adept with similar types from the point-to-point field. Midnight Mustang bids for a long awaited hat-trick but is likely to need the run and Basford Ben will need an easy lead to figure here and is much better suited to the track at Carlisle.