The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Take Tacenda to top the lot at Newbury
racing: Honeyball keeps the faith after disappointing effort at Carlisle
TACENDA had to settle for second at Carlisle earlier this month but she can enjoy her moment in the spotlight in the Thoroughbred Breeders Association Mares’ Novices’ Chase at Newbury.
A winner at Fontwell in November, she found Willie Mullins’ Benie Des Dieux far too good in Cumbria, coming home eight lengths adrift after a couple of slightly suspect leaps.
Tacenda appeared to enjoy making her own running at Fontwell, but she just could not get rolling in front at Carlisle and that was possibly a factor in what was a slightly disappointing effort.
However, she is not one to give up on just yet, a view Anthony Honeyball clearly takes as he gives her another short at Listed glory here.
HOLBROOK PARK wasted no time in opening his account over fences when striking over three miles at Fakenham four weeks ago and can follow up in the St James’s Place Chase.
He drops back ever so slightly in distance, but that should not be a problem to Neil King’s seven-year-old.
Having blown away with the cobwebs with a spin over the smaller obstacles at Aintree in October, Nicky Henderson’s high-class hurdler BURBANK can make a successful transition to fences in the Alfa Aggregate Products “Confined” Novices’ Chase at Ludlow.
OUR MAN IN HAVANA is the pick in the 32Red.com Nursery Handicap at Lingfield.
He switched to the care of Richard Price in October and has clearly been suited by the move as he has won once and finished second in two starts for that handler so far.
He only had a neck to spare in a moderate Wolverhampton contest last time, but there was much to like about his attitude that day.