15:30 Huntingdon

Tuesday 8 October 2024

All14:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:3517:07

JCB Hydrogen Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:30 | Winning time: 4m 56.32s

El Rio¹⁶⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: C Gethings| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 116

7/1

Point winner who opened his account over hurdles at Ascot in April 2023. However, he hasn't shown much spark in 4 subsequent starts, including on chase debut here when last seen in April.

Form: F1/7P6P-

Cartonne^t¹⁴⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Theo Gillard| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 113| D

10/3

Won back-to-back handicap chases last winter and posted creditable efforts in defeat at Ludlow and Hereford during the spring. Remains on a workable mark following a break and will be in the thick of things, provided he is fully tuned-up for this assignment.

Form: 11663-2

Sea Prince⁴¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Kielan Woods| T: A M Hales| OR: 113

12/1

Returned to form with a narrow success back hurdling at Worcester (2m, good) in June but has failed to build on that in 2 subsequent appearances. Will probably come up short back over fences.

Form: 65-U17P

Cracking Destiny²⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-8| J: Craig Nichol| T: Ewan Whillans| OR: 110| D

8/1

More miss than hit since latest success at Musselburgh last November but, on the upside, he's now 6 lb below that winning mark and the Kelso race in which he was fourth last time was a stronger one than this. Considered.

Form: 3-67U04

Mix Of Clover^p³²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Murray Dodd⁽⁷⁾| T: A Ralph| OR: 109

20/1

Added to Worcester success in July when belying odds of 33/1 in a Bangor handicap (17.4f, good) with cheekpieces refitted last month. 4 lb rise for that is hardly the end of the world but his record is decidedly patchy, so it's hard to predict what he'll do here.

Form: 361PP1

Abingworth¹⁷⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Caoilin Quinn⁽³⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 109| BF| D

7/2

Added second chase success to CV at Wincanton (2½m, heavy) in March and was still very much in contention when, following a series of errors, he eventually unseated rider 4 out at Plumpton the following month. Will be a threat if his jumping is more slick back from a break here.

Form: 21221U-

Playtogetaway¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 107| C

10/3

A fairly useful 2m hurdles winner but didn't cut much ice starting out over fences at Worcester recently.

Form: 32-P565

Maninsane^p,t¹⁶⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Lily Pinchin| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 104| CD

8/1

Dual winner in first campaign over fences, including over this C&D, and shaped as though returning to form when third in a 6-runner handicap at Market Rasen in January. However, it's been all downhill since and he needs to bounce back in a major way.

Form: 463P86-

Non-Runners

Imac Wood¹⁰

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: Deborah Cole J: Chris Ward

As Tears Go By²⁷

Weight: 11-3| Age: 6

T: D J Jeffreys J: Thomas Bellamy

Forecasts

Cartonne (10/3), Playtogetaway (10/3), Imac Wood (7/2), Abingworth (7/2), El Rio (7/1), Maninsane (8/1), Cracking Destiny (8/1), Sea Prince (12/1), Mix Of Clover (20/1), As Tears Go By (25/1)

It could be worth chancing CRACKING DESTINY, who usually plies his trade in higher-grade handicaps than this and he's now 6 lb below his last winning mark. Imac Wood is feared most ahead of Cartonne and Abingworth, both of whom are returning from breaks. Mix of Clover did the job well at Bangor last month but he's by no means certain to reproduce that form.