13:40 Huntingdon

Thursday 8 February 2024

All13:0513:4014:1514:5015:2516:0016:35

Mulberry Developments Novices' Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:42 | Winning time: 4m 7.53s

Roccovango⁹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| OR: 109

3/1

Fair in bumpers and similar form when placed on 2 of his 3 starts over hurdles last season. Shaped as if better for the run after 8 months off when well held in a Clonmel maiden in November and has since joined Olly Murphy.

Form: 2/0353-7

King William Rufus⁴⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: Rex Dingle| T: C Gordon| OR: 108

11/2

Showed plenty when placed all 3 bumper outings last season. Best effort over hurdles when runner-up in 2m Newbury maiden at the beginning of December but failed to improve (despite travelling as well as any) switched to a handicap at Ascot last time.

Form: 32-6725

Bluegrass^t³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: C Gethings| T: S Edmunds| OR: 105

25/1

Useful on the Flat for Aidan O'Brien (placed in the 2022 Dante). Showed promise over hurdles when runner-up in a pair of juveniles in March. A shade underwhelming on his handicap debut at Ascot but shaped as if needing the run on his comeback at Taunton last month.

Form: 4220-7

Nordic Tiger^t⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Alice Stevens⁽⁵⁾| T: Harry Derham| OR: 104

11/10

French import who showed improved form to get off the mark in 11-runner handicap at Wincanton (19.8f, soft) last week, easily. Escapes a penalty for that and shouldn't be inconvenienced by the drop back in trip given how he went through the race. Hard to get away from.

Form: 4-45331

Quian⁵⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: J M Quinlan| T: T Gallagher| OR: 103| D

22/1

Smart performer at one time on the Flat and took a step forward to open his account over hurdles in 11-runner handicap at Taunton (16.5f) 56 days ago. That form has taken a few knocks since but he's clearly still well-in on Flat form following a 5 lb rise.

Form: 6-851

Goblet Of Fire³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: James Bowen| T: N J Henderson| OR: 109| D

5/1

Won 3 of his last 4 starts on the Flat for Nigel Tinkler and made the most of a good opportunity on his second hurdle start at Hereford (16.2f) last month, pushed out. The runner-up has franked that form and he's open to further improvement now handicapping in this sphere.

Form: 41

Non-Runners

It's A Love Thing¹²

Weight: 11-11| Age: 6

T: S England J: Jonathan England

Thorpeness¹⁴²

Weight: 11-0| Age: 6

T: B R Summers J: Non Runner

Orchestra¹

Weight: 10-12| Age: 4

T: F O'Brien J: P J Brennan

Forecasts

Nordic Tiger (11/10), Roccovango (3/1), Goblet Of Fire (5/1), King William Rufus (11/2), Orchestra (8/1), It's A Love Thing (10/1), Quian (22/1), Bluegrass (25/1), Thorpeness (33/1)

Cases can be made for quite a few, but it was hard not to be impressed by NORDIC TIGER'S manner of victory at Wincanton last week and he's hard to get away from given he escapes a penalty for that success. Goblet of Fire and Orchestra are a pair of interesting handicap debutants, and they head the opposition.