14:41 Huntingdon

Thursday 20 February 2020

All13:4114:1114:4115:1115:4116:1116:41

Betway Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:41 | Winning time: 5m 44.30s

Elton Des Mottes⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 100

20/1

Six race maiden finished a fair 12L ninth in a 2m novices' event on handicap debut at Warwick (soft) last month. Worth a check in the market following a 3lb drop in the weights.

Form: 5/905-59

Butler's Brief⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: L Treadwell| T: A Ralph| OR: 100| BF

7/1

Registered a career best effort when finishing 12L second on handicap debut over an extended 2m3f at Hereford (heavy) early last month. Races off the same mark here and holds strong claims stepping up slightly in distance.

Form: 9772

Very Intense²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Bryony Frost| T: N B King| OR: 99| D

10/1

Multiple point-to-point winner but a 16 race maiden under Rules. Returning from over two years off the track when runner-up over an extended 2m7f at Fakenham (good-to-soft) on stable debut last month. Bold show expected dropping in trip.

Form: 22112/2

Ninth Wave³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr G Disney⁽⁷⁾| T: J Mason| OR: 98

20/1

Finished fourth on both starts since joining this yard most recently when beaten 12½L over an extended 2m3f at Lingfield (heavy) last month. Regular jockey on board and is worth a check in the market racing off a 2lb lower mark on this occasion.

Form: 4367-44

With Pleasure^b⁵¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: C Brace⁽³⁾| T: J L Flint| OR: 97

12/1

Back from a short break with a 9L third in a 2m3f novices' handicap hurdle at Warwick (soft) at the end of December. Useful conditional jockey in the saddle in this contest.

Form: 88/6-573

Milesha^v1⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: T J O'Brien| T: H D Daly| OR: 97

40/1

Five race maiden was making her handicap debut when unseating over an extended 2m3f at Hereford (heavy) early last month. Market support would be notable with a visor worn for the first time.

Form: 9-090P

The Premier Celtic^p²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Sean Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: P Phelan| OR: 96

8/1

Ran well when finishing third in a handicap hurdle over an extended 2m5f at Fontwell (soft) last time out. Likely more needed despite a 1lb drop in the weights however.

Form: 85U253

Winged Affair³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: G Sheehan| T: P R Webber| OR: 96

25/1

Improving with racing registering his best effort to date when 30L fifth in a 2m novice hurdle at Ludlow (soft) last month. Interesting runner stepping up in distance on handicap debut.

Form: 005

Skylanna Breeze⁷⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Adrian Heskin| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 95

12/1

Placed in a good-to-yielding ground point-to-point last April but has struggled in four starts under Rules. No surprise if he leaves previous Rules efforts well behind stepping up in trip on first start in handicap company.

Form: 32-0788

Project Mars^p²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 95| BF

7/2

13 race maiden was making his debut for this stable and first start in over 18 months when finishing 8½L second in a handicap hurdle over an extended 2m5f at Fontwell (soft) last month. Leading contender dropping back in distance.

Form: 2062/0-2

Queen Of The Court³³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J G Cann| OR: 94

33/1

Point-to-point winner in June 2018 but has struggled under Rules of late including when finishing a well beaten 29L eighth in a 2m3f novice hurdle at Taunton just over a month ago. Others make more appeal on first start in handicaps.

Form: 95-5P08

Tis Fantastic⁷⁹

9/1

Finished runner-up in both starts in handicaps to date including when beaten 8L over an extended 2m4f at Southwell (soft) in early December. Interesting returning from a break having had wind surgery since his latest outing.

Form: 58-722

Pond Road^p⁷⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 94| BF

9/1

Failed to build on a promising 10L fourth at Fontwell (3m2f, soft) in november when pulling up in first time cheekpieces (retained) over 2m5f at Warwick (heavy) the following month. Needs to return to form to figure in this event.

Form: 4583-4P

Raise Your Shades²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Luca Morgan⁽⁷⁾| T: B Pauling| OR: 93

20/1

Well held in three starts since winning over an extended 2m4f at Southwell (good-to-soft) last June. Probably best watched racing off a mark 4lb higher than for that success.

Form: PP-1505

Dapa Lad²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: David Noonan| T: J Candlish| OR: 92

40/1

Failed to build on a promising debut at Plumpton (2m, heavy) in November in three subsequent starts including when ninth of 16 over an extended 2m3f on handicap debut here last month. Others make more appeal.

Form: 50P9

Galtee Mountain³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: M D Grant| T: P G Murphy| OR: 89| BF

20/1

Off the mark at the ninth time of asking when winning by 6L in a 2m3f novices' handicap hurdle at Warwick (soft) in December. Pulled up off this 10lb higher mark at Lingfield (heavy) subsequently and needs to put that latest effort behind him.

Form: 00941P

Say The Word¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 99

8/1

Placed three times on the Flat for Simon Crisford and recorded his best effort over hurdles when finishing 6L third on handicap debut over 2m on good-to-soft ground here earlier this month. Step up in trip looks likely to suit.

Form: 4863

Nothing Man⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: David Dennis| OR: 88

22/1

Seven race maiden finished a well beaten eighth in a 2m3f novices' handicpa hurdle at Warwick (soft) in December. Plenty to find with Galtee Mountain on that form.

Form: 0-08778

Forecasts

Project Mars (7/2), Butler's Brief (7/1), Say The Word (8/1), The Premier Celtic (8/1), Pond Road (9/1), Tis Fantastic (9/1), Very Intense (10/1), Skylanna Breeze (12/1), With Pleasure (12/1), Galtee Mountain (20/1), Ninth Wave (20/1), Elton Des Mottes (20/1), Raise Your Shades (20/1), Nothing Man (22/1), Winged Affair (25/1), Queen Of The Court (33/1), Milesha (40/1), Dapa Lad (40/1)

PROJECT MARS showed good form when placed on his debut for this yard last time out and he can go one better than when finishing runner-up that day. The selection represents a good yard and he can get the better of Very Intense who also finished runner-up on his most recent outing. Third place can go the way of the four-year-old Say The Word who receives weight from all bar one of his rivals and should appreciate this step up in distance.