February 08 / 13.40 Huntingdon

13.40

Good

Mulberry Developments Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £4901.4
  • 1m 7f 171y
  • Class 4
  • 6 runners
RTV
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Mulberry Developments Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

13/8 (Won)

  • Win: £2.10
  • Place: £1.20

Form: -45331

Last run: 7 days

W: 11st 9lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 104

Form & Verdict
Escapes a penalty for his account-opening success at Wincanton (2m4f, good to soft) last week and is 10lb ahead of the assessor; Alice Stevens, who was on board that day, can now use 5lb claim to boot; cracking chance provided the drop back in distance doesn't have negative effect.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

8

22nd Mar 2025

Good

2m 4f 189y

Class 2

14:25 Kelso

Nordic Tiger

11st 3lb

J: Alice Stevens

T: Harry Derham

Well beaten on soft ground on last three starts; has won on such going previously but maybe better ground is preferable and he's just 1lb higher than when winning at Southwell (2m4f, good) last April; not written off.

9/1

10th

4

14th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 6f 151y

Class 4

13:50 Kelso

Nordic Tiger

11st 13lb

J: Alice Stevens

T: Harry Derham

towards rear

8/1

11/1

  • Place: £1.90

Form: 0353-7

Last run: 91 days

W: 12st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Placed in bumpers and over hurdles; well beaten in sole outing this season but is open to improvement now handicapping on debut for new yard; market support should be heeded.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

13th Feb 2025

Soft

3m 0f 37y

Class 3

15:05 Sandown

Roccovango

12st 5lb

J: Miss Brodie Hampson

T: Olly Murphy

9yo who is lightly raced for his age and made it four wins from his last five starts, and 2-3 over fences, when scoring at Uttoxeter (3m, soft) in November; has a progressive profile and could play another leading role.

2/1

Form: 4220-7

Last run: 31 days

W: 11st 10lb

5 yo Colt

OR: 105

Form & Verdict
Useful on Flat for Aidan O'Brien; has not transferred that form to hurdles but looks hard to dismiss off current mark returned to handicap level (second attempt).
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

8

2nd May 2026

Good

2m 3f 207y

Class 3

15:50 Uttoxeter

Bluegrass

11st 6lb

J: Charlie Hammond

T: Stuart Edmunds

All five wins over hurdles have been at 2m; hasn't won since his return to action in October and ran poorly when eighth of nine finishers at Chepstow (2m3f, good to soft) last month; handicapper is at last relenting but his best chance of success in the short-term may be back at 2m.

8/1

8th

1

2nd Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 100y

Class 4

16:07 Chepstow

Bluegrass

12st 0lb

J: Charlie Hammond

T: Stuart Edmunds

Record of 5-23 over hurdles and placed a few times as well; a bit up and down this season but ran respectably in the new blinkers at Fakenham last time and now regular cheekpieces return over a longer trip that may suit him better.

10/1

Form: 41 D

Last run: 35 days

W: 11st 2lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Three Flat wins for previous yard; justified favouritism at Hereford (2m, good to soft) last month on second attempt under this code, pulling clear with a subsequent scorer; this unexposed juvenile hurdler is due to go up 3lb in future and has to be respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

12

(2)

3rd May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 6f 0y

Class 2

14:55 Newmarket

Goblet Of Fire

8st 3lb

J: Saffie Osborne

T: Nicky Henderson

All of his Flat success for this yard has been on AW, albeit with good-ground hurdle wins too and he was runner-up at Goodwood (1m6f, good to firm) last August; has a run under his belt this term but to win this would require a new best performance on turf.

7/1

5th

9

(9)

6th Apr 2026

Standard To Slow

1m 3f 219y

Class 3

15:30 Kempton (AW)

Goblet Of Fire

9st 2lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: Nicky Henderson

Was a more convincing Wolverhampton winner (2m) in October than the narrow margin suggests, making it 4-5 on sand for this yard, including at 1m3f and 1m4f on this track; well held over hurdles in November but had wind operation since; by no means out of it.

13/2

1st

3

(3)

25th Oct 2025

Standard

2m 0f 120y

Class 4

19:00 Wolverhampton (AW)

Goblet Of Fire

9st 11lb

J: Daniel Muscutt

T: Nicky Henderson

Mainly seen over hurdles these days but he finished second of ten at Goodwood (1m6f, good to firm) in October and had a good AW record last year (1112) including a win here (1m4f); attempts this far for the first time on the Flat and is off a career-high mark, but good chance if he stays.

6/4

Form: 6-851 D

Last run: 56 days

W: 11st 8lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
Absent since scoring at Taunton (2m, good to soft; off 5lb lower) eight weeks ago on handicap hurdle debut; remains favourably treated on best German Flat form which includes two Group wins in 2020; no longer that smart but is hard to leave out of calculations.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

4

21st Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 171y

Class 5

14:50 Musselburgh

Quian

11st 8lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Lizzie Quinlan

Has been resurgent after wind surgery and he's won at Catterick (2m3f, soft/good to soft) in the last two of his three runs for current yard; up another 5lb but he scored with some authority last time and remains well treated on old form; key player.

2/1

1st

8

25th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 66y

Class 5

14:30 Catterick

Quian

11st 3lb

J: Fern O’Brien

T: Lizzie Quinlan

pressed leader, led 4th

5/2

1st

8

31st Jan 2025

Soft

2m 3f 66y

Class 5

13:05 Catterick

Quian

10st 12lb

J: Jack Hogan

T: Lizzie Quinlan

raced in second, not fluent 2 out, ridden and led after 2 out, edged left run-in, kept on well

11/2

Form: 2-6725

Last run: 48 days

W: 11st 13lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
Ran respectably at Newbury (behind notable rival) and Ascot (handicap debut) the last twice; still well treated on bumper form, which has plenty of substance; one to consider.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

24th Oct 2025

Good

2m 0f 87y

Class 3

14:25 Cheltenham

King William Rufus

11st 3lb

J: Freddie Gordon

T: Chris Gordon

Two wins last season, the latter when holding on gamely in 16-runner handicap on New course here (2m1f, good) in April; needs another career-best performance today but still enters calculations.

5/1

1st

8

16th Apr 2025

Good

2m 0f 179y

Class 3

17:00 Cheltenham

King William Rufus

10st 13lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Chris Gordon

Ascot winner in December off 7lb lower (1m7f, good to soft); this represents a welcome drop in grade after contesting two high-profile handicaps and he's not out of it.

8/1

Non-runners

Its A Love Thing, Orchestra, Thorpeness

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £5.30
Straight Forecast £5.12
Tricast £45.02
Trifecta £39.60

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Nordic Tiger

SPOTLIGHT:

Goblet Of Fire

WEST COUNTRY:

Orchestra

The Times:

Bluegrass

TOPSPEED:

Nordic Tiger

POSTDATA:

Nordic Tiger

Telegraph:

Nordic Tiger

The Guardian:

Nordic Tiger

Daily Mail:

Nordic Tiger

Daily Mirror:

Nordic Tiger

The Star:

Nordic Tiger

The Sun:

Orchestra

LAMBOURN:

Goblet Of Fire

D Express:

Goblet Of Fire

Daily Record:

Goblet Of Fire