15:30 Huntingdon

Thursday 22 February 2018

All13:5014:2014:5515:3016:0516:4017:15

Smarkets Handicap Hurdle (Div 2)

Off time: 15:30 | Winning time: 4m 10.6s

Alberta^v¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-13| J: J E Moore| T: J & S Best| OR: 116| D

9/2

Up 6lb for his latest success. However, that came after a long absence and despite landing awkwardly at the last. New mark is still below his peak rating so he has every chance of following up.

Form: 24/626-1

Birch Hill^t²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: R Johnson| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 115

16/1

Landed a couple of races on good ground in 2016 but pulled up last two starts which have been in better company 15 months apart.

Form: 29/11P-P

Doitforthevillage^t³⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: P J Brennan| T: P Henderson| OR: 113| D

6/4

Rated 26lb lower than his chase mark and travelled well for a long way despite needing the run at Newbury on return from an infection. Another crack at Aintree's Red Rum Chase is the the target, but no surprise if he took this en-route.

Form: F1-9614

Garde Forestier^t⁹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Kevin Jones⁽⁵⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 112

11/2

Comfortably overturned an odds-on favourite in November who went on to score next time. Initial mark looks generous enough on stable debut and he has shown he goes well fresh.

Form: 0375-1

Occasionally Yours⁹³

Age: 14| Weight: 11-6| J: Kevin Dowling⁽⁷⁾| T: A Blackmore| OR: 109| CD

40/1

Veteran who still looks capable of winning races and proved that to be the case when taking back-to-back handicaps on his last two starts. Has a good record here but has never won off a mark this high.

Form: 44-5511

Level Of Intensity^p1,t⁴⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: S Bowen| T: N J Hawke| OR: 115

12/1

Beat a modest bunch at Sedgefield and has struggled under a penalty on heavy ground since. Looks a few pounds too high for his handicap debut, but rider 12-41 for the yard and a 44 points level stakes profit.

Form: 135

Stonecoldsoba¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Aidan Coleman| T: D P Quinn| OR: 105| D

18/1

Both victories have come under Aidan Coleman and were gained in lower grade on better ground. Handicap mark is becoming more attractive and he will be one to note when the market signals are positive.

Form: 187U77

Spader^t¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 102

33/1

Had looked unlucky on a few occasions during the summer and notably when taking a crashing fall on his penultimate start. Tailed off on return from an eight month break, but if confidence has been restored he could improve significantly for the run.

Form: 633-2F8

Hear The Chimes²²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: J M Quinlan| T: S A Harris| OR: 101| CD

6/1

Has a modest strike rate but took this in 2016 on his only previous visit here and his two victories have come at this time of year. On a new career low mark and certainly one for the shortlist.

Form: 63-2437

First Quest²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: M Goldstein| T: J R Boyle| OR: 103

28/1

Yet to make the frame in four starts over hurdles. This looks a tough initial handicap mark judged on what we have seen from this winning Flat miler.

Form: 6658

Forecasts

Doitforthevillage (6/4), Alberta (9/2), Garde Forestier (11/2), Hear The Chimes (6/1), Level Of Intensity (12/1), Birch Hill (16/1), Stonecoldsoba (18/1), First Quest (28/1), Spader (33/1), Occasionally Yours (40/1)

This looks easier than the last race DOITFORTHEVILLAGE contested when he travelled well for a long way before the effects of an infection related absence took effect. His mark looks attractive in comparison to the improvement he has shown over fences and he can take this en-route to Aintree. Hear The Chimes is a C&D winner who has dropped to a lenient mark, whilst Alberta is capable of defying his revised mark. Garde Forestier is weighted to go close and Spader is better than his last run indicates.