Goddess can Storm to Newbury victory

STORM Goddess can claim compensation for her Cheltenham Festival mishap in the BV Handicap Hurdle at Newbury tomorrow.

Charlie Longsdon’s mare was quietly fancied to run a big race in last week’s ultra-competitive Pertemps Network Final.

She got no further than the second flight, however, unseating Tom Buckley.

Storm Goddess is clearly none the worse for that experience, because she is redirected here quickly.

Buckley can again claim 5lb, and there is plenty of form in the book from last autumn which indicates he could be in business this time.

Storm Goddess was receiving more than two stones when she just got the better of Younevercall in a Kempton Pertemps qualifier over three furlongs shorter than this in November.

That nonetheless demonstrated she is well capable of winning off her current rating, and she also ran a very creditable race in Listed company over an extended three miles to sign off for the winter before the ground got too deep.

She has her preferred conditions here, and clearly should be ready to do herself justice.

Earlier on the card, Masters Legacy ought to be well tuned up too in the BetVictor Handicap Hurdle.

Philip Hobbs’ six-year-old appeared to be in need of the run when he returned from an absence of more than 400 days at Taunton last month.

He ran with promise nonetheless, leading three out before weakening to finish an 18-length fourth on handicap debut.

As a previous winner over three furlongs further, the likelihood must be that it was fitness rather than stamina that gave out so improvement can be expected.

All four of Masters Legacy’s career starts have been at Taunton, including back-to-back wins in the space of a month last season.

He tries something different here. But there is no obvious reason why it should be a problem – and after being dropped 2lb for his comeback effort, he has been given a chance to prove himself in this decent company.

Progressive can live up to her name in the ITM Northern Lights Juvenile Hurdle Series Final at Musselburgh.

Nicky Henderson’s filly is on a Scottish retrieval mission, having proved all at sea on her last two runs at Doncaster and Haydock.

Although she was previously successful on her hurdles debut in heavy ground on Town Moor, it may well be those conditions did not play to her strengths up to Listed class and then pitched in against some of the country’s most promising juveniles.

Progressive twice ran with credit on much quicker ground on the Flat, and was also a Tapeta winner, so she ought to be much more at home round Musselburgh and well capable off her relatively modest current rating.

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