14:30 Huntingdon

Thursday 4 October 2018

All13:3014:0014:3015:0515:3516:1016:4017:15

Smarkets Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 14:30 | Winning time: 3m 37.10s

Carntop^t²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Page Fuller⁽⁵⁾| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 125| D

1/1

Smart performer on the flat who has taken well to hurdles having won twice. Has to give weight away all round here but should be in the mix once again.

Form: 9-2113

Totterdown^h¹⁶⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Daniel Hiskett⁽⁵⁾| T: R T Phillips| OR: 124| D

5/1

Free going sort got off the mark with an all-the-way win at Hereford in April. Held well falling next time under a penalty and has been off since. Returns from five months off but just about sets the standard.

Form: 28771F-

Andok²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: B S Hughes| T: R A Fahey

7/2

A four-time winner on the flat who has been in good form this summer. Looks the pick of those going hurdling for the first time and interesting to see how he goes.

Form:

Beach Dancer⁴⁵⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Tom Cannon| T: N J Gifford

66/1

A nine-race maiden on the flat and nothing to write home about. Been off the track for a long time (July 0217) and starts life for a new yard over hurdles today.

Form:

Mulsanne Chase^t⁷²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Alain Cawley| T: C R Dore

100/1

Moderate flat performer who's sole win came in a seller. Looks up against it on hurdling debut here and best watched for now.

Form:

Normal Norman³³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: P J Brennan| T: J Ryan| D

7/2

Twice a winner in bumpers who has been running on the flat this summer. Should take to hurdles and would be a possible danger if running up to that earlier bumper form.

Form: 2101P-

Oceanus³⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: J M Quinlan| T: Miss J Feilden

16/1

33/1 and a well held third on sole effort over hurdles back in December. Best efforts come on soft ground and this may all happen a bit too quickly.

Form: 3-

Tenor¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: Thomas Garner⁽³⁾| T: J Ryan

50/1

Used to be very useful on the flat but has lost his way in recent times. Was beaten 98L on recent hurdles debut and impossible to recommend on the back of that.

Form: 8

Forecasts

Carntop (1/1), Normal Norman (7/2), Andok (7/2), Totterdown (5/1), Oceanus (16/1), Tenor (50/1), Beach Dancer (66/1), Mulsanne Chase (100/1)

Andok is an interesting newcomer to this sphere and a market check is needed. There is a good chance this will end up a match between Totterdown and CARNTOP with marginal preference for the latter. He was a smart performer on the last and has already shown a good level of form over hurdles so the fitness edge over the first-named may prove key.