Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CAMENA SHOULD BE RIGHT AT IT IN WOLVES
FATHER and son training partnership Simon (inset) and Ed Crisford can enjoy success at Wolverhampton tonight with their filly ATACAMENA.
On her racecourse debut at the Dunstall
Park track last month, the three-year-old was beaten eight lengths into fourth.
Atacamena cut out plenty of the running and set a steady gallop before a few speedier rivals swallowed her up in the home straight. But there should be enough improvement for that run to see her land the Play Ladbrokes 5-A-side On Football Novice Stakes (6.45).
At Lingfield, MUMMY BEAR looked a likely future winner when second at the track last month and her moment can come in the Ladbrokes Watch Racing Online For Free Fillies’ Novice Stakes (1.25). She finished well enough over six furlongs to be beaten a length and a half, with thirdplaced The Hulk having since scored in fine style.
Also on the Surrey polytrack, look out for another relative newcomer CASE OF THE EX in the Play Ladbrokes 5-A-side On Football Fillies’ Novice Stakes (12.50).
On her only previous appearance, David Loughnane’s threeyear-old looked quite green but was still a close third to dual winner La Tihaty at Chelmsford.
If she settles better on this occasion, the sevenfurlong contest can be hers.
BY DAVID YATES METIER, as short as 5-1 favourite for the Betfair Hurdle, will miss the rescheduled version at Newbury tomorrow week.
The Harry Fry trainee, who took his unbeaten sequence over obstacles to three when lifting the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown last month, will now head straight to the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham — for which he is a 7-1 chance — on March 16.
“The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle is very much our number one target and, while we were happy to have a go at the ‘Betfair’ en route, next weekend is only just over three weeks before the Festival,” said Fry.
“Newbury and everyone involved deserve a lot of credit for rescheduling the whole fixture, but sadly it doesn’t fit into our plan for Metier — it wasn’t to be.
“We think he’s got a very good chance in the Supreme, so that’s where our focus is.”