13:50 Huntingdon

Thursday 9 May 2024

All13:5014:2514:5515:2516:0016:3017:03

Virgin Bet Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 4m 39.80s

King Of The Road²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 12-1| J: Ben Jones| T: B Pauling| OR: 111

3/1

Improving 5-y-o who arrives on a hat-trick after 2 wins at Market Rasen (18.5f/16.5f) this spring. Up another 10 lb but it may not stop him with further progress likely.

Form: 778911-

Mistral Milly^h²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 109

8/1

Showed some promise in two bumpers for Alan King and has made steady progress over hurdles for this yard, finishing second of 6 on 21.5f Hereford handicap debut last month. May do better again.

Form: 48/4432-

Fautinette⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Miss Lucy Turner⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 109

14/1

Unbeaten all 3 starts over hurdles in France. Struggled badly on her first 5 starts in Britain but better signs when stepped up to 21f at Wincanton 6 weeks ago, finishing third of 9. On a handy mark if she can back that up.

Form: PP0P/43-

Kay Tara Tara⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 109| CD

9/1

Bumper winner on debut and made a successful start in this sphere over C&D (good) in October. Placed on next 3 starts (including a handicap) but does need to shrug off poor run in the Mares' EBF Final at Newbury in March.

Form: 0/1322P-

Fat Sam²¹⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-13| J: James Davies| T: C J Down| OR: 109| D

40/1

Took a heavy fall over fences at Newton Abbot last summer and was perhaps still feeling those effects when down the field in a chase and hurdle in the autumn. First outing for 7 months. Others more persuasive.

Form: 6/32F56-

Jaramillo¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Ben Bromley⁽⁵⁾| T: W Greatrex| OR: 109| D

11/1

Unreliable individual who has largely struggled since opening his hurdles account in a Sedgefield novice handicap last February. Did take a step back in the right direction when fourth of 9 at Taunton (19f, good) recently but he's no good thing to build on it.

Form: 31/P9P4-

Forget The Way¹⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Alex Chadwick⁽⁷⁾| T: James Owen| OR: 108

10/3

Won a 2m Worcester handicap for Alan King last summer. Placed on next 3 starts but off since pulling up over fences at Wincanton in January. New stable returns him to hurdles and steps him back up in trip.

Form: 21232P-

Cottie²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 106

12/1

Scored at Downpatrick last June for Henry de Bromhead but hasn't fired in 4 runs for Dan Skelton, including when the market spoke in her favour at Cheltenham last month. Still no surprise were she to click for this yard at some point but has a bit to prove for now.

Form: 596549-

Mammies Boy³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 103

17/2

Much improved when getting off the mark in 16-runner handicap hurdle at Taunton (19f, good to soft) in February. Raised 10 lb for that and he was beaten 8¾ lengths into fifth by King of The Road at Market Rasen since.

Form: 3/P7P15-

Ferrobin^b,t¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Murray Dodd⁽⁷⁾| T: M Young| OR: 103| CD

33/1

Revived out of the blue when springing a 66/1 surprise over C&D (good) a fortnight ago. Recent record raises doubts about him backing that up but he retains handicapping scope on old form.

Form: 6458/P1-

Charlie My Boy¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: R T Dunne| T: J R Jenkins| OR: 102| D

80/1

Big improver over hurdles when winning a pair of handicaps at up to 2½m for Keiran Burke at the start of last summer but well held in 3 runs back with John Jenkins this spring.

Form: 115088-

Let's Go Joe^t³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Toby Wynne⁽³⁾| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 101| D

33/1

Runner-up in a point before making a winning hurdles bow for new yard in maiden at Sedgefield in November but his 3 efforts since switching to handicaps have been disappointing (fences last twice).

Form: 2/1454P-

Lifetime Legend^v¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: J M Quinlan| T: N B King| OR: 88

10/1

Good second in first-time visor here (20.5f) in March last month but not so good at Taunton last month.

Form: 057626-

Forecasts

King Of The Road (3/1), Forget The Way (10/3), Mistral Milly (8/1), Mammies Boy (17/2), Kay Tara Tara (9/1), Lifetime Legend (10/1), Jaramillo (11/1), Cottie (12/1), Fautinette (14/1), Let's Go Joe (33/1), Ferrobin (33/1), Fat Sam (40/1), Charlie My Boy (80/1)

The progressive KING OF THE ROAD can defy the handicapper again and complete a spring hat-trick. Mistral Milly is another 5-y-o going the right way and is second choice ahead of Fautinette, who took a step back in the right direction when third at Wincanton last time.