Madness is set to strike
MYTHICAL MADNESS can strike for David O’Meara in thesunbets.co.uk Conditions Stakes at Wolverhampton.
The Winter Derby entry has been in great heart this winter and while he only finished fifth last time out, there are arguments to say it was a career-best effort.
He was only beaten three lengths by Decorated Knight and Arab Spring, who are both way above the average quality of horse you would normally see on the all-weather.
Mythical Madness, an ex-Godolphin horse, has been in great form at Wolverhampton this season, so there is also a reason for believing he is a few pounds better there than at Lingfield where his last race was.
Another reason to expect improvement is that race was over 10 furlongs when all his best form has been over shorter, so the drop in trip has to be seen as a positive.
Snapped up by O’Meara for just £10,000 after winning a claimer for Brian Ellison, he is finally showing the sort of form he looked capable of as a younger horse.
It appears Ian Williams has persuaded the owners of Byron Flyer to persevere on the Flat for a little while as he has been declared for the Betway Handicap.
He has had just the three starts on the level and is totally unexposed, winning as he liked last time out.
After that win his owners declared themselves “jumping people’’ but Williams is not one of the best dual-purpose trainers in the country for no reason and despite a 7lb rise, he obviously feels there are nice prizes to be won, starting with this nearly £20,000 pot.
The fact James Bethell has booked Luke Morris for On Fire in the Racing UK HD Handicap at Kempton suggests a big run is expected.
Placed a couple of times previously, his best run was last time out, crucially the first time he had been asked to tackle a mile and a half.
Over the same trip and off just 2lb higher, he should be hard to beat.
Two Swallows faced a pretty tough task last time out at Wetherby and is taken to return to winning ways in the Geoffrey Leaver Solicitors Mares’ Handicap Hurdle at Towcester.
Having shown glimpses of ability for Paul Webber, she then missed a whole season and was moved to Ben Pauling.
On her debut for her new yard she ran out a ready winner at Doncaster, looking like she was one to keep on the right side of. There was no disgrace in being no match for Kerry Lee’s Happy Diva next time as that one has since run very respectably in Grade Two company.
Two Swallows is suited by a test of stamina and Towcester is known for its steep uphill finish.
The drop in trip can help Amberjam maintain his winning run in the Sky Bet Making Betting Better Chase.
Having won his last two starts over hurdles, over two years apart, he then went chasing off a lowly mark.
He only just held on over three miles at Uttoxeter so the drop of nearly half a mile should be just what he needs at this track, with a 6lb rise to overcome.
Neil Mulholland’s Solighoster was a 17-length winner on his hurdling debut and can follow up in the Haygain Hay Steamers Clean Healthy Forage Novices’ Hurdle. He has only lost once in his life, when trying to carry a penalty in a bumper, and looks a nice prospect.