16:35 Huntingdon

Thursday 21 February 2019

All14:1514:5015:2516:0016:3517:10

MansionBet John Bigg Oxo Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:35 | Winning time: 4m 58.2s

Zamparelli^t¹⁰⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 12-1| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 116

9/2

Skilfully placed to land a couple of races last spring. Easily beaten off this mark since and regular cheekpieces absent.

Form: 61-133F

Vocaliser⁴⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: C Poste| T: R Dickin| OR: 113

11/2

Prolific last season, winning four times over fences. More encouraging at Sandown (2m4f) last month and handicap mark has slipped to a more workable level.

Form: 5P-0664

General Bux⁵⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: C Gethings| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 111| CD

4/1

Came good over C&D on Boxing Day following switch from Olly Murphy's yard. Facing better horses here off 9lb higher.

Form: 674-F21

Sackett³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Bryony Frost| T: N B King| OR: 110| D

6/1

Had a good spell over hurdles in November but he has been poor since. Lacks the chasing experience of his rivals and probably has too much to prove.

Form: 712964

Air De Rock³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 109| BF

2/1

Unlucky on last three starts but new mark kicks in and he is untested on a sound surface. Nevertheless most of his rivals have their own questions to answer.

Form: 75/5-F22

Klepht^t⁶⁴¹

Age: 14| Weight: 11-4| J: D A Jacob| T: Samantha & Jacqueline Coward| OR: 105| D

33/1

Rated 144 in his prime. Makes stable debut having been absent 21 months and with serious doubts that he retains sufficient ability as the years advance.

Form: 22P1/43-

The Captain^b1⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: S Bowen| T: Mrs Caroline Bailey| OR: 102| BF

10/1

Last of three and third of four on last two starts. Well-backed last week and blinkers now applied. Up half a mile in trip and enters calculations as a likley improver.

Form: 530833

Againn Dul Aghaidh⁴⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Brendan Powell| T: A E Jones| OR: 98| D

33/1

Record in point-to-points reads 5-11 but he's yet to show anything like that sort of form over fences under Rules. Mark is reducing but work to do at present.

Form: 2-14668

Forecasts

Air De Rock (2/1), General Bux (4/1), Zamparelli (9/2), Vocaliser (11/2), Sackett (6/1), The Captain (10/1), Klepht (33/1), Againn Dul Aghaidh (33/1)

Air De Rock deserves a change of luck but the handicapper has made this a bit tougher. In contrast VOCALISER has slipped below his last winning mark and there were signs he was heading the right way last time. The Captain has shaped as though he is ready for this stiffer stamina test and comes into the reckoning, but General Bux will find this much harder than last time.