IT’S AWESAM!
Sam Cooke should ensure it’s not just another Saturday night for his backers
SAM COOKE can make it a Wonderful World for punters with a victory in the Virgin Bet November Handicap (2.40) today.
After returning to winning form over a mile and a half at York’s Ebor meeting in August, the Ralph Beckett-trained son of Pour Moi stayed on well to take second to Injazati over two furlongs shorter at Newbury next time.
The step back up in distance here will be of benefit to Rob Hornby’s mount, who is proven on rain-softened ground.
Hornby has more than an each-way squeak of landing the Listed Virgin Bet Wentworth Stakes (2.05) aboard
JOUSKA.
The Henry Candy four-year-old hasn’t exactly been a winning machine but gained a cosy Listed success at Newmarket in October last year and shouldn’t be underestimated.
After a course-and-distance second last time out, ORBAAN gets the vote to end a 12-race losing sequence as he locks horns with 17 opponents for the Virgin Bet Handicap (1.25).
His British Horseracing Authority mark of 94 is 6lb beneath the rating from which he scored at York in July 2020, and there’s no better exponent of the laughs-last-laughs-loudest tactics that show him to best effect than Jamie Spencer.
At Wincanton, SOME CHAOS is the selection for the 60th Badger Beer Handicap Chase (3.00).
Little went right for Michael Scudamore’s son of Brian Boru when he came home fifth in this race 12 months ago, and a comeback score at Chepstow – on the back of wind surgery – promised much for the winter.
Alan King’s Sceau Royal will be a warm order for the Grade 2 Unibet Elite Hurdle (3.35), but an on-song GOSHEN for Gary Moore would give the reigning title-holder plenty to think about.
Paul Nicholls has taken Bravemansgame out of the John Romans Park Homes “Rising Stars” Novices’ Chase (1.50) but the Grade 2 prize still looks destined to go back to Ditcheat, courtesy of MICK PASTOR.
She has a 352-day absence to overcome, but previous courseand-distance winner KISSESFORKATIE goes well fresh and features on a workable mark in the Richard Barber Memorial Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (2.25).