The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Warpath to win the battle at Southwell
Promising youngster need not worry about conceding weight to prosper
ON THE WARPATH can continue his progression with victory in the 32Red. com British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes at Southwell.
The son of Declaration Of War has presumably been slow to come to hand having not made his juvenile debut until early October, but he appears to be learning on the job.
Sir Mark Prescott’s youngster shaped with abundant promise when a largely unconsidered 33-1 shot for his introduction at Chelmsford and stepped up to fill the runner-up spot at Lingfield the following month.
He was widely expected to make it third time lucky over this course and distance a fortnight ago and did so with his head in his chest.
The handicapper was impressed enough to hand him an opening mark of 85 and while he has to concede weight to one or two promising sorts today, he should be up to the task. GOOD TIME AHEAD also did the job well here a couple of weeks ago and is taken to follow up in the Betway Casino Handicap.
Phil Kirby’s three-year-old has a more than respectable record on the allweather, winning three of his 14 starts and finishing either second or third on six occasions.
He was rated in the mid 70s last year, but a few disappointing efforts saw his mark drop to 59 and he profited with a January triumph at Wolverhampton.
Results have been mixed since as he has switched between turf and artificial surfaces, but he returns to Southwell in rude health after finishing third and winning here in November.
Good Time Ahead has returned to a mark of 69, but that is not unfair and in current mood he is capable of adding to his tally. The David O’Meara-trained ABRAJ DUBAI could not have been more impressive on his racecourse debut at the track, coming home eight lengths clear without breaking sweat.
An opening perch of 80 may have underestimated him and he gets the nod in the sunbets.co.uk Handicap. Recent Plumpton scorer ROKSANA is fancied to strike again in the Salisbury Hardwood Flooring Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Fontwell.
Dan Skelton’s charge shaped with some encouragement in a Chepstow bumper last spring and returned to the Monmouthshire circuit to finish third on her hurdling debut.
She looked to have been found a fine opportunity to open her account at Plumpton and was odds-on to do so, but it was still hard not to be impressed by the way she put her rivals to bed with minimum fuss. SELECTIONS: FONTWELL: 12.45 Hold Me Tight, 1.15 Staunton, 1.45 Roksana, 2.15 Get On The Yager, 2.45 Our Merlin, 3.15 Spirit of chartwell, 3.45 Llantara, SOUTHWELL: 12.30 Rock On Bertie, 1.00 Bernie’s Boy, 1.30 ON THE WARPATH (NAP), 2.00 Good Time Ahead, 2.30 Abraj Dubai, 3.00 Mach One, 3.30 Krystallite.
DOUBLE: On The Warpath and Good Time Ahead.