Mythical Madness is the sane choice between stablemates
– Mythical Madness looks the safest proposition in the Irish Lotto Handicap at Chelmsford today.
With £20,000 up for grabs, a disappointing field of just six go to post, with trainer David O’Meara providing two.
They include the selection and the frustrating Firmament, who will surely pop up one day but perhaps this is not the time.
There is no doubt Firmament is weighted to win, and he ran respectably last time out, but the form book suggests he is better in a bigger field.
It has also been a long time between drinks for Mythical Madness, 10 races in fact. But he did win in July, whereas his stablemate is two whole years without a success.
Neither of O’Meara’s runners come without warning, as Mythical Madness likes to come late, but the small field should help that and there are bigger question marks over all of the others.
The Cashback Club Fillies’ Novice Stakes looks the most interesting race on the card, on paper, with several nicely bred newcomers.
However, it often pays to side with experience and John Gosden’s Jadeerah has finished second in both her starts to date, just getting run down close home last time.
The Frankel filly, out of a dam who was third in the Guineas, did everything right at Kempton only to be denied close home and, while she is up against some nice types, from a good draw she should be hard to beat.
Tom Lacey’s Jester Jet has had the misfortune of bumping into two well-above-average recruits to the chasing game this year, but can bag a valuable success in the Lady Godiva Mares’ Novices’ Chase at Warwick.
A smart hurdler, she won a valuable prize at the Grand National meeting and could be even better over fences.
On her chasing debut she was beaten into second by Bags Groove, who is already three from three this season and looks a fine recruit to the fencing game.
She then went to Market Rasen for a Listed event, where the front-running Maria’s Benefit just had a bit too much speed for her over 3300m, although she showed endurance capacity by staying on all the way to the line.
Given she only went down by two lengths to Bags Groove and just over a length to Maria’s Benefit, it will take a smart mare to beat her.
Lucinda Russell suffered a blow when One For Arthur exited early on Saturday on his comeback, but the exciting Highland Hunter can put the smile back on her face.
His only defeat to date came in a Grade 2 bumper at Aintree, but the fact he even ran in that shows the regard in which he is held.
After winning at Ayr, he must defy a penalty in the Novices’ Hurdle at Newcastle but should be up to the task.
Hawk High could be pretty decent over fences for Tim Easterby and is out again in the Bet & Watch Novices’ Chase.
Still only eight, he won the Fred Winter at the Festival in 2014 but only went chasing this season.
Third in a decent event first time over the larger obstacles, he made no mistake next time at Wetherby when beating a smart sort.
Capeland has won his last two and should take all the beating in the Elizabeth Chatfield 40th Birthday Handicap Chase at Taunton.
Paul Nicholls’ six-year-old was second on his first three runs over fences and appears to have got the hang of it now. – Press Association