17:15 Huntingdon

Thursday 22 February 2018

All13:5014:2014:5515:3016:0516:4017:15

Smarkets Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 17:15 | Winning time: 5m 35.4s

1^st

Malachite

511-4

3/1

T: N J HendersonJ: N de Boinville

Raced keenly, 2nd or 3rd, led before 2 out, clear flat, stayed on op 7/2

2^nd

2 ¼

Voie Dans Voie

511-4

4/6f

T: A KingJ: Wayne Hutchinson

Held up, headway after 7th, ridden after 3 out, went 2nd last, no impression on winner flat op 8/11 tchd 4/5

3^rd

Fawsley Spirit

511-4

5/1

T: B PaulingJ: D A Jacob

Led, not fluent 7th, headed before 2 out, stayed on same pace and edged left flat op 6/1

4^th

Lough Ryn

611-4

25/1

T: N P MulhollandJ: N D Fehily

Held up in rear, headway going well 3 out, 2nd 2 out until mistake last, no extra flat

5^th

3 ½

Touch Of Velvett

610-11

50/1

T: D Killahena & G McPhersonJ: Kielan Woods

Held up in rear, pushed along after 7th, went 5th before 2 out, unable to trouble leaders

6^th

Farmer Boy

511-4

50/1

T: N J HawkeJ: Tom Cannon

In touch on outside, lost place when mistake 3 out, soon behind op 40/1

7^th

2 ¼

Little Allstar

511-4

33/1

T: S ThomasJ: James Davies

2nd or 3rd, pushed along after 7th, weakened after 3 out op 40/1

8^th

Rebel Commander

611-4

7/1

T: N J HendersonJ: J McGrath

Tracked leaders, jumped slowly and lost place 1st, ridden and weakened after 3 out op 4/1

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Non-Runners

Ebonys Encore⁶³

Weight: 10-11| Age: 6

T: J & A O'Neill J: Aidan Coleman

Betting Breakdown

Tote Win:£4.20Pl:£1.40, £1.02, £1.50EX:£7.80Trifecta:£21.90SF:£6.12Swingers:£1.50, £2.30, £1.60

Forecasts

Voie Dans Voie (4/6), Malachite (3/1), Fawsley Spirit (5/1), Rebel Commander (7/1), Ebonys Encore (12/1), Lough Ryn (25/1), Little Allstar (33/1), Touch Of Velvett (50/1), Farmer Boy (50/1)

Nicky Henderson does well here and is doubly represented by two of his lesser lights Malachite and Rebel Commander. Both may improve now hurdling over this trip, but the vote has to go to VOIE DANS VOIE. Alan King has his team in great shape and his young horse will find this a lot easier having bumped into the useful Dr Des last time. It was a surprise to see him well-backed to beat a 142 rated rival and this is a less demanding task. Fawsley Spirit shaped well on his hurdling debut, whilst Ebonys Encore and Lough Ryn are probably far better than their latest efforts indicate.