GIRL CAN POWER HOME TODAY
TODAY’S nap vote gos to handicap debutant BALLYGRIFFIN GIRL (3.42 Punchestown) in the Bar One Racing Download The App Handicap Hurdle.
Johnny Flavin’s daughter of Doyen is a half-sister to a useful performer over jumps in The Very Man, and caught the eye on the second of her qualifying runs behind the high-class Gaelic Warrior at Tramore, giving the impression she was being brought along gradually.
The handicapper has given her a mark of 87, which looks workable, and her trainer has an excellent record with his handicappers first time up.
Given the promise Ballygriffin Girl has shown amidst greenness to date, I’m expecting a much improved effort in a weak handicap.
ROCAMBOLAS (2.05 Plumpton) travelled well on his chasing debut at Newcastle last time, looking all over the winner in the straight but he didn’t pick up as expected and in the end finished fourth.
Given that was his first start for nearly six months, and his first after wind surgery, I’d say it was a lack of fitness rather than a recurrence of any wind problems that caused him to fade out of things.
Chance
As far as I can tell, this is the first Greenall/Guerriero runner at Plumpton and Craig Nichol’s first ride at the Sussex venue, and they wouldn’t be wasting their time travelling this far south if they didn’t feel they had a good chance.
Further entries later in the week for Rocambolas might hint at a plan, too.
It’s been a tough season for Lucy Wadham, with just the two winners until the turn of the year, now she’s 4-22 in January with plenty of others running their races, and that gives hope REVASSER (3.15 Plumpton) can finally start to fulfil his potential.
A close relative of dour stayers Join Together and Le Reve, he’s bred to excel at three miles and further.
Revasser has been on my radar since beating the useful Dalamoi on his bumper debut at Warwick.
After showing promise in his three novice hurdle starts, he was upped to almost 3m for his handicap debut at Fakenham.
He finished fourth there, beaten just two lengths, and an extra furlong today is only going to help his chances.