Scottish Daily Mail

Believe me, this is no Pipe dream

- By SAM TURNER

Put your trust in trainer David Pipe and back MAKE ME A BELIEVER (Warwick, 2.25) to land today’s Ballymore Leamington Novices’ Hurdle. the Pipe operation ended a Grade One drought at Chepstow last weekend courtesy of Adagio and, although today’s hurdling feature is a level down, victory for the imposing son of Presenting would be further evidence of a renaissanc­e in the Pond House academy. Related to the talented King Rowland, Make Me A Believer bumped into a class prospect in Bear Ghylls at Lingfield on his comeback before connection­s felt he would benefit from wind surgery. the procedure paid immediate dividends before Christmas at Cheltenham, where the selection displayed terrific tenacity and resolve to battle back and overhaul Any News after jumping the final hurdle in arrears. the two-mile-one-furlong trip that day appeared a wholly inadequate test for a horse that looks a solid galloper and a three-mile chaser in the making, so this afternoon’s step up in distance by another four furlongs could well be the catalyst for another marked improvemen­t. the Pipe juggernaut has picked up pace since Adagio’s victory at Chepstow and everything looks in place for Make Me A Believer to convert a legion of new fans this afternoon. Having won this race twice in the last decade, Dan Skelton’s representa­tives are always worthy of a second look so Midnight River could also make a bold bid to follow in the hoof prints of previous stable winners Beakstown and three Musketeers. Although the Midnight Legend gelding made heavy weather of scoring at Leicester last time, he remains an exciting prospect and, providing he manages to cope with the prospect of deep ground with morning rain forecast, could trouble the selection. It has been ten years since Alan King lifted the Classic Handicap Chase with West End Rocker but NOTACHANCE (Warwick, 3.00) can defy his name and supplement a smooth comeback win. there is even a chance that we are yet to see the best of the seven-year-old, who spent part of his career biding his time over hurdles, waiting to develop physically before being sent over fences. Staying chases always looked likely to be his game and so it proved when he capitalise­d on a lenient mark at Exeter on his second start over the larger obstacles. the point-to-point winner took the eye on his return to action last November with a compelling win at Bangor, where he defied a lack of chasing experience to beat a talented group of rivals soundly. A 7lb ride for that cosy success doesn’t look too harsh a penalty and I am hopeful Notachance can find a rhythm around this track given he coped with the turns of Bangor so well.

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 ?? GETTY IMAGES ?? Double act: Tom Scudamore on Make Me A Believer
GETTY IMAGES Double act: Tom Scudamore on Make Me A Believer

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