15:50 Huntingdon

Tuesday 15 October 2019

All14:1014:4515:1515:5016:2016:55

MansionBet Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:55 | Winning time: 3m 46.8s

San Pedro De Senam¹⁹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: N F Houlihan⁽⁷⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 115| C

6/1

Looks useful on his day and likes it here, ready winner from 9lb lower last December and ran at least as well back here on next start; may need this after a break though, and would ideally want another half a mile.

Form: 631283-

Mystic Court¹⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: D A Jacob| T: B Pauling| OR: 114| CD

8/1

C&D winner back in May, although made hard work of what looked a simple task in the end; might not want a lot of rain but is at least unexposed and has the potential for better.

Form: 1567-31

Thaqaffa^h⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr Eddie Edge⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Miss A Murphy| OR: 112

16/1

Placed all three starts over hurdles and his effort behind the useful Pacify at Uttoxeter reads pretty well; bit below par on the Flat when last seen and wouldn't want a lot of rain, but clearly has ability and could go well.

Form: 233

Crushed^p,t³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: M Walford| OR: 109| D

25/1

Winner for Alan King last year but looked regressive after that and never really reached those heights again. On a good mark if he can recapture his form but plenty of questions to answer after a break.

Form: 7/13587-

Bardd¹⁷²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: G Sheehan| T: Mrs D O'Neill| OR: 109| D

11/2

Was hard to win with at the best of times for Nicky Henderson, but new yard have turned him around (to a point) and he won't mind a bit of rain; tends to run his race but usually finds something too good.

Form: 445532-

Mabela^t¹⁷⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 107| BF| C

7/2

Winner over half a mile further here in March but couldn't follow that up and in truth, didn't progress as expected; may want further but top yard are always to be respected and it's hard to totally rule her out.

Form: 459122-

Lock's Corner^p1,t⁵⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 105WS

10/1

Has been going backwards for a while now and you wouldn't give him a second look were it not for connections and the fact he's had a wind op since his last start; takes a leap of faith but well handicapped, so watch the market for a clue.

Form: 5-55846

Bartholomew J⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Mrs L Pearce| OR: 105

10/1

Definite signs of ability in three starts over hurdles and opening mark looks fair based on his Flat exploits; wouldn't want any more rain (best on good or better) but of interest for a yard that pop the odd big-priced winner in.

Form: 863-

Borak^p,t¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Robert Williams⁽³⁾| T: B J Llewellyn| OR: 104| D

25/1

Consistent in the main, but quite hard to catch right; this is his trip though, and he's happy enough on most ground, but now needs to put a poor effort at Bangor behind him, and on balance, others preferred.

Form: 126-437

Ventura Dragon^p¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: L P Aspell| T: O Sherwood| OR: 103

12/1

Placed all three starts over hurdles but the form is not strong, and he's already been a beaten favourite along the way; disappointed again at Worcester last time, weakening too quickly for comfort, and plenty to prove now.

Form: 234

Limelighter¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 10-6| J: M Goldstein| T: Miss S West| OR: 112| D

7/1

Sprang a 20-1 surprise in a Plumpton maiden hurdle last September and ran at least as well in a handicap hurdle here on final start; worry would be that rain might scupper his chance, but gets plenty of weight and should have more to come.

Form: 614

Forecasts

Mabela (7/2), Bardd (11/2), San Pedro De Senam (6/1), Limelighter (7/1), Mystic Court (8/1), Lock's Corner (10/1), Bartholomew J (10/1), Ventura Dragon (12/1), Thaqaffa (16/1), Crushed (25/1), Borak (25/1)

Mystic Court might get an easy time of it on the front end, and that would help his chance, but he does have a little to prove and one or two others make more appeal. Bartholomew J would be a lively big-priced selection if the ground doesn't get too deep, and similar comments apply to Limelighter, who gets plenty of allowances as a 3yo here. Lock's Corner has no great form to speak of but looks dangerously well handicapped if the wind operation does the trick, but THAQAFFA ran well against the useful Pacify at Uttoxeter, a piece of form that gives him a solid chance here. He gets the vote in an open race.