Sigurd still well placed to succeed

SIGURD can register his fourth victory of a fine campaign in the racingtv.com Handicap Chase at Wetherby.

It is coming up to three years since the Sholokhov gelding made his debut for Joanne Foster following previous stints with Kevin Ryan and Jonjo O’neill, but he appears to be in the form of his life at the age of nine.

Sigurd won by 11 and 39 lengths in the space of a week at Catterick over Christmas and the New Year.

It looked like the handicapper might have caught up with him after being pulled up on his next couple of appearances at Carlisle and Sedgefield in February, but he bounced back to winning ways in no uncertain terms over this course and distance on his latest outing.

What was most encouraging about that most recent performance was the fact that for the first time this season, Sigurd was able to take a lead, rather than having to dominate from the front, while he also proved a sounder surface suits him just fine.

A further 9lb hike makes life tougher of course but with title-chasing Brian Hughes in the saddle, he should take plenty of beating.

EDEN COLLONGES can follow up a recent Kelso verdict with victory in the 100% RacingTV Profits Back To Racing Handicap Hurdle.

SELECTIONS:

FFOS LAS: 1.55 Steady Away, 2.25 Up For Parol, 3.00 Rosmuc Relay, 3.30 Anax, 4.07 Not Sure, 4.37 Volcano, 5.10 At First Glance, 5.42 Do It For Thy Sen.

UTTOXETER: 1.00 Riggs, 1.30 Hurricane Ali, 2.05 Oski, 2.40 Chinwag, 3.10 Animal, 3.40 Boughtbeforelunch, 4.15 Chase The Wind, 4.45 Get A Tonic. WETHERBY: 1.15 Fete Champetre, 1.45 Mizen Master, 2.15 Buck’s Bin’s, 2.50 Stop The World, 3.20 One Fine Man, 3.50 SIGURD (NAP), 4.22 Eden Collonges.

DOUBLE: Sigurd and Eden Collonges.