14:20 Leicester

Thursday 10 January 2019

All12:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:25

Chieftain Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:20 | Winning time: 3m 40.1s

Flashing Glance^h²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: T Scudamore| T: T Lacey| OR: 127| D

7/2

1lb higher than when last seen winning at Ludlow (2m, soft) in March. Had a spell chasing after that, but things haven't gone his way back over hurdles on his last two starts. Needs to be right back to his best to win from this mark.

Form: 8332U6

Mad Jack Mytton^b¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽⁵⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 125| D

7/1

Goes well on good ground and is 6lb lower than his last hurdles win in June 2017. Has scored over fences since, but out of sorts in both disciplines in his last two runs. Pulled up in a 2m4f chase last time, but feasibly treated if back to his best.

Form: 54340P

Master Work²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: T J O'Brien| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 123| CD

9/4

Has won 3-8 starts, the most recent here over C&D last month (good to firm), when 5lb lower. Matched that effort, albeit held, when upped to this grade at Cheltenham last time. More needed, but not ruled out against some out of form rivals.

Form: 50-0115

Turning Gold⁶⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 120| D

5/1

Won a heavy ground juvenile hurdle at Haydock (1m7½f) last February. Beaten 11L from 7lb higher next time in the Fred Winter. Out of sorts when pulled up on his return at Sandown in November, but not written off from this mark if he can bounce back.

Form: 24158-P

Thounder³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 115| D

6/1

Won back-to-back juvenile hurdles on good at Huntingdon and Wincanton in autumn 2017. Pulled up on return from a year off in a Sandown Listed race (heavy) last month. Could be a different proposition back on a sound surface. Interesting.

Form: 3/114-P

Collodi¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-11| J: P J Brennan| T: C R Dore| OR: 110| D

33/1

Won twice on good ground from this sort of mark last year, when with Neil Mulholland. Well held on his last three starts over hurdles for this trainer, but couldn't rule out a better effort now that the handicapper has relented.

Form: 131578

The Green Ogre²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-4| J: Lee Edwards| T: A Ralph| OR: 103| D

12/1

Both his wins have been at Plumpton, the latter over fences being almost three years ago, when with Gary Moore. Ran well enough on stable debut when 12L third at Doncaster (2m½f, good) last month, and not ruled out from 3lb lower.

Form: P552P-3

Affaire D'Honneur¹⁰⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: R T Dunne| T: A W Carroll| OR: 102

8/1

Was last see winning a Worcester seller (2m7f, good) for Kevin Frost in September. Since bought for £8,500 and makes debut for this trainer over a much shorter trip and up 2lb. Not written off, but could be tapped for toe.

Form: 8-09P21

Non-Runners

Away For Slates⁵

Weight: 10-10| Age: 9

T: M F Harris J: W T Kennedy

Forecasts

Master Work (9/4), Flashing Glance (7/2), Turning Gold (5/1), Thounder (6/1), Mad Jack Mytton (7/1), Affaire D'Honneur (8/1), The Green Ogre (12/1), Collodi (33/1), Away For Slates (33/1)

A tricky race to call, with plenty of 'ifs' and 'buts' about it. The suggestion is THOUNDER, who probably got stuck in the mud and was also entitled to need his reappearance run. He could do much better now back on a sound surface. Mad Jack Mytton probably has the ability to make a big impact, but he does carry risks, while Master Work enjoys decent ground and is another who could come back to better form. Turning Gold, Collodi and The Green Ogre are all of interest to some extent, but whether Affair D'Honneur has the speed for this remains to be seen.