Yarmouth braced to prove Global Excel is a sprinter
– Global Excel can atone for an odds-on reverse at Wolverhampton last month when he runs on a good card at Yarmouth today.
Ed Walker's inmate flickered promisingly in three starts last year and was heavily backed into 5-4 favouritism in a 1200m handicap at Dunstall Park. Global Excel could not deliver the goods - he finished third behind Wazin - but that performance was certainly not without merits.
The gelded son of Exceed And Excel was a little hamstrung by having to travel wide for much of the journey and galloped strongly towards the line once his chance had gone.
Walker seemingly now believes Global Excel is a sprinter - he was campaigned over 1600m as a juvenile - and gets to prove
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the point in this 1200m handicap. He can do some damage off a mark of 69, while the first-time appointment of Gerald Mosse is hardly off-putting.
But most chatter at Yarmouth will revolve around Without Parole, who runs in division two of the 1600m novice stakes. John Gosden's colt made an explosive debut at Newcastle in December when he trounced a fair field by upwards of six lengths.
The son of Frankel was a little green, as one might have expected, but he looks a really lovely horse.
Without Parole is quoted around the 25-1 mark about winning the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket next month. Expect those odds to be significantly shorter if he does what is expected of him by the seaside.
Stormingin looks worth a play in a 2000m handicap at Brighton. The Gary Moore-trained grey has hitherto had a rather nomadic career, but his new connections now have something to work with on the evidence of his last start for Don Cantillon.
Stormingin was only just denied by Golconda Prince in a 2000m apprentices' handicap in which he was well supported into 9-4 favouritism, at Doncaster. It will be interesting to see how he gets on under the wise tutelage of Moore, who loves a winner at Brighton.
All eyes at Punchestown will be on Douvan as the eight-yearold attempts to show he retains plenty of spark in the BoyleSports Champion Chase. Willie Mullins' star looked like running a big race when he came down at Cheltenham in his first race for a year. As long as that has not left its mark, Douvan has to be the one to beat.
Mullins' Getabird is hard to oppose in the Herald Champion Novice Hurdle after he put a disappointing display at Cheltenham Yarmouth (UK) Tuesday Race 1: 14:50 behind him when getting back to winning ways at Fairyhouse.
Monalee only found the superb Presenting Percy too good in the RSA Chase at Cheltenham and can go one better in the Growise Champion Novice Chase.
Henry de Bromhead's progressive seven-year-old should have no stamina worries as he looked like he stayed the extended 4800m trip that day. –