Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
DOUBLE TOP
Raise a glass to George ace in Wincanton’s Badger Ales
DOUBLE SHUFFLE is fancied to come home ahead of the pack in the Badger Ales Trophy Handicap Chase (3.35) at Wincanton.
The Tom George-trained seven-year-old followed an upward curve last season, winning a valuable event at Kempton over Christmas and then failing by half a length to follow up in in the Betbright Chase there two months later — despite trying to take the third-last fence home with him.
Pulled up behind One For Arthur in the Grand National at Aintree in April, Double Shuffle made a most encouraging return to action at
Chepstow last month, finishing second to
Romain De
Senam.
That contest was over two and a half miles, and the return to further here will benefit my selection, on whom rising star conditional Ciaran Gethings claims a 3lb allowance.
Rain-softened ground forced George to take Double Shuffle out of the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby last Saturday, but his no-show at Wetherby is a blessing in disguise.
Nicky Henderson and Nico De Boinville are the men to follow in the Elite Hurdle (3.00), in which stands out. Henderson’s five-year-old ran below par when pulled up behind Finian’s Oscar at Aintree last April. But prior to that he was a going-places hurdler with successes at Kempton and Musselburgh. There is plenty more to come and Lough Derg Spirit looks up to improving past his 137 handicap mark. A year on from landing the mares’ handicap hurdle (1.50), is taken for a repeat.
Colin Tizzard’s daughter of Teofilo will need a personal best to defy a mark 10lb higher than 12 months ago, but the evidence of her last-time-out score here is that Harry Cobden’s mount is still heading in the right direction.
(above) will be short odds against two rivals, but he is hard to oppose in the Rising Stars Novices’ Chase (2.25).
At Doncaster, has strong claims in the Listed Wentworth Stakes (2.05), while can land the Listed Gillies Fillies’ Stakes (2.40).