TAKE FLIGHT
Jonjo O’neill’s top Deck may come up trumps in Heroes Handicap
FLIGHT DECK is ready for take-off in the Virgin Bet Heroes Handicap Hurdle (2.55) at Sandown this afternoon.
The son of Getaway hasn’t been an easy horse for Jonjo O’neill (right) to get to the track – he’s just turned nine and has had just 13 starts under Rules.
But there’s an engine in there – Flight Deck has scored on five of his 12 attempts over hurdles, and returned to winning form on Chepstow’s Welsh Grand National undercard in December.
Ridden by O’neill’s son, Jonjo jnr, my selection denied Bells Of Peterboro by four and a quarter lengths and the top weight should again give a good account despite a 7lb hike in the handicap.
The runner-up’s trainer Tim Vaughan is taken to capture the Virgin Bet Masters Handicap Chase (3.30) with
EVA’S OSKAR.
The fitting of a visor has triggered a return to form for Shirocco’s son, who marked his first start in the headgear with a cosy success at Exeter last March.
Eva’s Oskar was back in the winner’s enclosure after holding Spiritofthegames at Cheltenham last time out, evidently doing no more than was necessary to land the spoils by half a length, and is fancied to overcome a 3lb rise in the weights.
The Virgin Bet Dolos Handicap Chase (1.45) rates a good opportunity for RED ROOKIE to double his tally over the larger obstacles. On the back of an authoritative triumph at Hereford last January, Emma Lavelle’s eight-year-old went off an 80-1 outsider for the Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham – and was running above those odds, albeit beaten at the time, when coming to grief at the final fence.
Red Rookie should come on for his return-to-action fifth over Christmas and still has an upside as a chaser.
Twinjets had TWIN POWER in his wake when the pair met at Plumpton at the beginning of last month, but an 8lb pull in the weights will help the latter’s cause in the Virgin Bet Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (1.10).
At Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing
Festival, GALOPIN DES CHAMPS should justify cramped odds in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup (3.05).
Four wins over fences, gained at an aggregate of 62 lengths, have propelled the Willie Mullins trainee to the head of the Cheltenham Gold Cup market, so there will be a big shake-up in the ante-post lists if his colours are lowered here.
At Wetherby, Irish raider O’TOOLE made a taking debut over fences at Newcastle last month – he landed a handicap chase by three and threequarter lengths from Castle Rushen – and is capable of shaking up hotpot Ballygrifincottage as he steps up in class for the Grade 2 William Hill Towton Novices’ Chase (2.40).