Timeform Daily: Kempton, 2:15

Race of the Day Preview / Timeform / 11 November 2008 / Leave a Comment

Timeform provide a comprehensive preview of the Pertempts Handicap Hurdle Series Qualifier (Class 2).

Henrietta Knight fields both Ringaroses and Harris Bay. The former was amongst the favourites for the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival last season, following a promising comeback from a leg injury when second to Backbord in a handicap at Doncaster in February. However, he was forced to miss his Festival engagement owing to a pulled muscle and reappeared in a beginners' chase at Ascot on 1st November. He pulled up when slipping on landing at the tenth that day but remains with plenty of potential. Harris Bay has been badly out of form since winning a handicap hurdle at Wincanton in January and is probably best watched for now.

Top-weight Middleton Dene won four times as a novice hurdler, running to a useful level of form. He put up good efforts when fourth to Hold Em at Huntingdon and when sixth to Nenuphar Collonges in the Spa Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham. He was possibly amiss on his final outing of the season at Aintree in the Sefton Novices' Hurdle. He is effective on the forecast good to soft ground and should run his race.

Champion Trainer Paul Nicholls saddles Nakai. The seven year old gelding made a good start over hurdles when easily landing the odds in a maiden at Chepstow in October 2007 and was runner-up to the aforementioned Harris Bay at Wincanton in January on his handicap debut. Given that he failed to settle and was conceding 25 lb on that occasion, he looks to have a good chance of overturning the form with Harris Bay, although he is likely to prove most effective over further than this two mile five furlong trip.

Nicky Henderson's string are flying at the minute, and Duc de Reginiere will bid to register another success for his stable. He showed promise in three chase starts last season, and had previously scored twice over hurdles in 2006/7, beating Champion Hurdle runner-up Osana by two and a half lengths at Newbury on the former occasion. He has an absence of nearly nine months to overcome but will be suited by the trip and ground.

Matuhi showed fairly useful form in novice hurdles, dead-heating with Prince Taime at Worcester in April when last seen out and this strong-travelling sort should give another good account.

Mister Gloss ruined his chance when reverting back to hurdles at Cheltenham last time, pulling too hard and looking none too straightforward whilst Freeze the Flame has been off the track for nearly twenty months and may need this return.