Swinton Hurdle Preview: Optimus Primed to go close for Skelton

Given that it is sat in between Chester’s May meeting and York’s Dante Festival, many racing fans will not pay the Swinton Handicap Hurdle the attention it probably deserves on Saturday, with a big-field handicap from Ascot and Lingfield’s Derby Trial also taking place on the same day. They probably should do, however, given the depth of the field currently entered in this year’s renewal, which would not look out of place on any big Saturday during the height of the National Hunt season.

Current favourite in the ante-post betting is Mohaayed, just the sort of horse whose profile appeals in this kind of race given that he holds solid big-field handicap form from the most recent jumps season, and yet hasn’t been on the go for too long. His first start over jumps was on Boxing Day, and he has progressed well since then, finishing a respectable seventh in the County Hurdle on his handicap debut and then improving again to finish third in the Scottish Champion Hurdle last time. He fared best of those held up at Ayr, and it isn’t a surprise to see him heading the market.

Mohaayed is one of three entries for Dan Skelton, however, and at double the price of the current favourite, another of his runners, Optimus Prime, is very interesting. A six-figure purchase out of Francois Nicolle’s yard, he was a listed winner over hurdles in France in early 2016, but improved on that effort on his first start for Skelton, in a handicap at Huntingdon in November. Though he finished second, Optimus Prime shaped best that day under an aggressive ride and looked sure to be winning races sooner or later. He dropped away tamely under another positive ride in a listed race at Musselburgh after that, but got back on track in a first-time tongue strap (perhaps indicating that all was not well with his wind the time before) when sixth at Newbury in March. He was travelling powerfully into contention when he was badly hampered by a faller two out that day, and is well worth another chance to prove that this mark is a workable one. Lightly campaigned and unexposed, he looks worth getting on side at double-figure odds.

Other than his stable-companion, the biggest dangers to Optimus Prime may come from the likes of Multiculture, who has been making mincemeat of some much lesser rivals in small-field novice races at short odds. He is hard to weigh up on his handicap debut, but a mark of 130 could well be workable. Also lightly raced is London Prize, who won the Imperial Cup at Sandown in March and wasn’t seen to best effect in a steadily run Scottish Champion Hurdle last time. Lithic was well beaten under a penalty in the Imperial Cup, but was turning out just six days after a romp at Huntingdon; another with few starts under his belt, he also looks open to improvement.

Heading the category of the more established types who have fallen to good marks is Court Minstrel, whose trainer won this in 2013 and 2014. Court Minstrel would have top weight here off a mark of 144, but did win Chepstow’s Silver Trophy off 149 in 2015 and didn’t run badly in the County Hurdle last time. Evan Williams could also saddle last year’s fourth John Constable, who was booked for second in a warm conditional jockeys' handicap at Aintree when falling late on. The form of that race has worked out since, with the winner Chesterfield taking the Scottish Champion Hurdle next time out. Regulation is another who hasn’t won since 2015, but has made the frame on his last two starts and is now 2 lb below his last winning mark. Holly Bush Henry hasn’t cut much ice over fences this season but would be able to run off 134, the mark from which he won a handicap hurdle at Musselburgh off in 2016, and he is also respected.

The relative lack of options for these mid-to-high-end handicap hurdlers at this time of year should hopefully mean that the majority of those mentioned above turn up; if they do, this should make for a very interesting renewal. In terms of betting at this stage, the unexposed Optimus Prime makes most appeal, and can hopefully give Dan Skelton a first win in the race.

Recommended bet:

Back Optimus Prime in the Swinton Hurdle at 14/1