Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Bec in the winners’ enclosure
A SMOOTH winner over hurdles at Kilbeggan last week, Bective Cave will be expected to beak his duck over fences, in today’s opener at Tramore, the Core bullion Traders.ie Handicap Chase.
A twelve-year-old, from the in-form yard of Matt Smith, Bective Cave has failed to win in eight runs over fences.
But, successful three times over flights last year, he looked in good nick when beating Thousand Tears in Kilbeggan and, compared to his hurdle rating, he races off a favourable chase.
And it’s significant that champion-jockey Paul Townend, on board in Kilbeggan, was anxious to renew his association with the gelding.
Bective Cave won off 114 in Kilbeggan and earned a 9lb hike for his troubles. Now rated 123 over hurdles, he races here off a chase mark of 97 and, despite his moderate record over the bigger obstacles, is expected to deliver for trainer Smith.
Another horse with a similarly unimpressive record, the Gordon Elliotttrained Give Him Time, appeals in the Newtown Cove Handicap Chase.
Placed three times over fences – off higher marks – when trained by Nick Gifford in England, this fellow showed little in his first run for his current stable, making a succession of mistakes before finishing in rear behind in-form The Trigger in a handicap chase in Tipperary.
But he stepped-up on that dismal effort to win a Downpatrick handicap hurdle off 88 (went up 10lb for it) and, if tidying up his jumping, might take plenty of beating here.