14:05 Cheltenham

Wednesday 17 April 2024

All13:3014:0514:4015:1515:5016:2517:00

Kingston Stud Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:05 | Winning time: 4m 57.28s

Pentland Hills⁴⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 140| C

33/1

Very smart in his pomp (won 2019 Triumph Hurdle) and produced easily his best effort for some time when a smooth-travelling second at Doncaster (19.4f, good to soft) in December. However, jumped none too fluently at Kelso (20.9f, soft) last month so must bounce back.

Form: 14FP-2P

Kamsinas³²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 132

5/1

Landed Haydock Grade 2 in November. Shaped as if he'd be suited by longer trip when mid-field in Betfair at Newbury and he duly got back to winning ways when stepped up to 21f at Kempton (novice) last month. Unexposed now tackling only his second handicap.

Form: 121601

Peking Rose^t⁷³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: J J Burke| T: F O'Brien| OR: 131| D

80/1

Posted a career best when winning 6-runner handicap at Doncaster (19.4f, good) in December (albeit helped by the omission of so many hurdles) but not in the same form 10 weeks on at Musselburgh (23.8f, good to soft) last time, considerately handled once held. Back down in trip.

Form: 7/16P-18

Windtothelightning⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Henry Brooke| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 131| D

16/1

Picked up the progressive thread straight away when bagging Wetherby handicap on her return. Very good fourth off a 12 lb higher mark over C&D next time and proved her well-being less than a fortnight on from a heavy fall at Haydock when fifth back at Wetherby just under 7 weeks ago.

Form: 13-14F5

Spring Note⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: James Bowen| T: N J Henderson| OR: 130

14/1

Bumper winner who doubled her hurdles tally at Newbury just after Christmas, proving well suited by the drop back in trip and clear before 2 out. Improved further to defy a 13 lb higher mark back there last month and she's one to remain interested in, especially if getting her own way in front.

Form: 216-711

Lallygag⁵⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 128

11/1

Proved a useful novice hurdler last season, winning on 3 occasions. Yet to fire this term (including a couple of low-key displays over fences) but the handicapper has cut him some slack as a result. Worth a second look back up in distance.

Form: 33-86P5

Zestful^h¹²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: S Bowen| T: M Keighley| OR: 128

25/1

Won first 2 starts over hurdles and even better form when second in a listed contest over C&D and a Market Rasen handicap last spring. Satisfactory return at Chepstow in October but looked to lose interest after a jumping error over C&D 4 months ago. Hood reapplied but others look stronger.

Form: 112-24P

Samuel Spade²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Beau Morgan⁽⁵⁾| T: B Pauling| OR: 127

25/1

Two wins in his juvenile season and got his head back in front when stepped up to 19f at Taunton in December. Struggled at Kempton on his next 2 starts but capitalised on a drop in grade at Huntingdon (20.7f, good to soft) just over 3 weeks ago. Not the most fluent but can feature.

Form: P41061

Bashers Reflection^p1,t³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Harry Bannister| T: B I Case| OR: 125| D

40/1

Improved performer this season, building on his reappearance to score over at Wetherby in November. Took another step forward when runner-up there (19.7f, heavy) in February but was below form at Sandown subsequently. First-time cheekpieces applied and heads back up in trip.

Form: 1-31728

Whatsupwithyou^p,t¹⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-13| J: Ben Jones| T: B Pauling| OR: 125| D

16/1

Back to best when winning at Ludlow (21.2f, soft) in December and offered the main opposition to the favourite 3 months later when runner-up at Plumpton (20.5f, good to soft) 17 days ago. Could well hit the frame for his in-form yard.

Form: 4-34912

Titan Discovery³²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Liam Harrison| T: R L Llewellyn| OR: 124| BF| D

11/2

Runner-up in 2 bumpers last spring and going the right way over hurdles, making it 2-3 in handicaps at Sandown (2½m, soft) in February. Again progressed and ran a fine race behind a winner that got the jump on him at Kempton (21f, good to soft) last month and he remains unexposed.

Form: 421212

Arqoob²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Bryony Frost| T: L Wadham| OR: 120

16/1

Second win over hurdles for his current yard at Sandown in November. Wasted no time getting back to form faced with a far more suitable test than at Doncaster when runner-up at Ascot (21.6f, good) last month and could have a say from the same mark.

Form: 153352

Sea Invasion¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Freddie Gingell⁽⁵⁾| T: C Gordon| OR: 119

9/2

Bought for £110,000 after a promising effort between the flags in 2022 and has made steady progress under Rules, getting off the mark on handicap debut at Plumpton (20.5f, good to soft) 17 days ago, seeming to relish the step up in trip. Capable of better again.

Form: 2-35341

Doyen Quest²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 119

4/1

Made a successful bumper debut at Ffos Las in October and got it right at third time of asking over hurdles in Taunton maiden in February. Good first attempt in handicaps when second back there last month and showed a good attitude to go one better 11 days later at Newbury. Now upped in trip.

Form: 063121

Uggy Uggy Uggy¹⁷⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: Miss Megan Bevan⁽⁷⁾| T: Kieran Burke| OR: 116| BF

28/1

Is going the right way and resumed winning ways in good style at Warwick (2m) back in September, travelling powerfully. Shaped well enough to think he can resume winning ways another day after a 10 lb rise when fourth at Plumpton a month later and not seen since (has left Milton Harris).

Form: 312414

Non-Runners

Teddy Blue¹⁷

Weight: 11-3| Age: 6

T: G & J Moore J: Non Runner

Lord Of Cheshire⁵³

Weight: 10-12| Age: 7

T: N & W Twiston-Davies J: Sam Twiston-Davies

Artistic Endeavour⁴⁴

Weight: 10-2| Age: 6

T: Tim Vaughan J: Alan Johns

Forecasts

Doyen Quest (4/1), Sea Invasion (9/2), Kamsinas (5/1), Titan Discovery (11/2), Lallygag (11/1), Spring Note (14/1), Teddy Blue (14/1), Whatsupwithyou (16/1), Windtothelightning (16/1), Arqoob (16/1), Lord Of Cheshire (20/1), Artistic Endeavour (20/1), Zestful (25/1), Samuel Spade (25/1), Uggy Uggy Uggy (28/1), Pentland Hills (33/1), Bashers Reflection (40/1), Peking Rose (80/1)

An ultra-competitive handicap with the vote going to SEA INVASION, who was much improved when making a winning handicap debut at Plumpton recently and Chris Gordon's 6-y-o should have more to offer on just his sixth career start. Kamsinas took full advantage of a drop in class to gain a third win of the campaign at Kempton last month, so he heads up the dangers, while Spring Note, Lallygag and Titan Discovery all having plenty going for them, too.