COTTAGE...
Ballygrifin looking as safe as houses for the Skeltons
ON his latest spin at Plumpton, TWIN POWER was beaten nine lengths by Twinjets, but getting a healthy pull at the weights, Paul Nicholls is keen to have another crack at the winner in the Virgin Bet Novice Handicap Hurdle (1.10) at Sandown Park.
That’s good enough for me to back the unexposed horse running in this company for the first time.
Having started this campaign off a mark of 142, BEAR GHYLLS can snare the Bet365 Novice Handicap Chase (1.28) run over two and a half miles at Mussleburgh off a ledge of 138. It will be a long drive back to Somerset if the horse is turned over.
In the Virgin Bet Dolos Handicap Chase (1.45) run over two miles at Sandown Park, it would be great if the horse who the race is named after obliges, but RED ROOKIE looks a better treated animal.
Thought good enough to run in the Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham festival in March, he landed a similar event at Hereford last January off
134, so a mark of 138 is very workable.
SLIPWAY glided home over three miles and three furlongs at Fontwell Park on his last outing in November.
So a 7lb rise may not be enough to stop this progressive stayer from following up in the Bet365 Edinburgh National Handicap Chase (2.03) run over four miles at Mussleburgh.
Tilt
The fact Gordon Elliot is sending GERRI COLOMBE across the Irish Sea for a tilt at the Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novice Chase (2.20) run over two and a half miles, rather than run him at Leopardstown tomorrow is surely very significant. Unbeaten in seven starts, this horse jumped like a
stag when scoring over fences at Limerick and Fairyhouse this season.
Harry Skelton is heading to Wetherby to partner BALLYGRIFINCOTTTAGE in the William Hill Towton Novice Chase (2.40) run over three miles for his brother, Dan.
This creature looked a natural over the larger obstacles when making a successful debut over fences at Haydock Park in November, and he will a short price to follow up.
Rated 152 over fences, it seems a cute move by David Pipe to run REMAS-TERED off a perch of 142 in the Virgin Bet Heroes Handicap Hurdle (2.55) run over three miles at Sandown Park.
The tenyear-old obliged off a mark of 146 over the birch at Kempton Park over Crimbo, and he will be staying on strongly up the stiff Esher incline.
It will a big surprise if GALOPIN DES CHAMPS fails to pass the judge in first place when he rocks up in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup Chase (3.05) run over three miles at Leopardstown.
Thrashed
Willie Mullins’ beast thrashed a subsequent Grade 2 scorer by 13 lengths at Punchestown in December, and his powerful stable is in unstoppable form.
Paul Nicholls has sent GRIVETANA all the way from the west country to Mussleburgh as he believes his mare will love the decent ground in Jockland.
She chased home First Street off a perch of 121 at Newbury in November off a ledge of 121 in a better race, so off a pound higher mark and Angus Cheleda taking off 5lb, she will take all the beating.
The assessor has given the improving BANGERS AND CASH a 7lb rise in the weights for his smooth victory over 14 rivals at Market Raspberry on St Stephen’s Day.
That may not be enough to stop Ben Pauling’s beast completing his hat-trick in the Virgin Bet Masters Handicap Chase (3.30) run over three miles at Sandown Park.