Racecards
15:05 Huntingdon
Celebrate Christmas At The Races Novices' Chase (Class D)
- 7 Runners
- Distance: 2m 4f 110y
- Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places
- Form 1F2310-
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer A King
- Jockey R Thornton
always prominent, led and mistake 3 out, soon ridden, headed last, soon beaten
Catchatan (IRE)
666- Form P1P4/
- Age 7
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer P R Webber
- Jockey T Doyle
held up, reminders 6th, weakened 11th, behind when pulled up before 13th
Claymore (IRE)
201- Form 0F12P3-
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer O Sherwood
- Jockey R Flavin
in touch, pecked badly 7th, blundered 9th, headway 13th, mistake 3 out, soon ridden and weakened
Modem (NZ)
520- Form 121/115-
- Age 8
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer S Sherwood
- Jockey H Oliver
took keen hold, always behind, tailed off and pulled up before 13th
Scots Grey
201- Form 110320-
- Age 7
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey M A Fitzgerald
close up and always going well, hit 3 out, led last, ridden out
- Form 00/2424-
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer Miss H Knight
- Jockey J Culloty
led, headed and mistake 3 out, weakened quickly
- Form 3441/0-
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer Miss H Knight
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
held up, weakened 12th
In depth
Verdict
A winner over hurdles at this venue in January, Ballycassidy is just about the best of these over timber and with Alan King's stable in reasonable form it would be no surprise to see the son of Insan translate the best of his hurdles form over the larger obstacles. Henrietta Knight has made a bright start to the season but her two representatives, Umbrella Man and Whether The Storm, need to step up on what they have shown previously to take a hand in this company. Paul Webber's Catchatan is entitled to need this after a lengthy lay off and does not look good enough anyway. Modem, four times a winner over hurdles, has always been rated a chaser by his handler Simon Sherwood and he warrants respect, as does Scots Grey. Nicky Henderson's seven-year-old rose steadily in the weights after some decent placed efforts towards the end of last season so it is hardly surprising that he now switches to chasing. However, the son of Terimon has less scope for improvement than Claymore, who gets the TEAMtalk vote. The son of Broadsword progressed from bumper company into a decent handicap hurdler last term but has always looked likely to prove a better horse once tried over fences. Sure to have been well schooled for his chase debut, he gets the nod to maintain Oliver Sherwood's winning run.