Haston Clermont should be one step ahead of the handicapper at Chepstow
Haston Clermont is fancied to complete a hat-trick for Noel Williams and Jonathan Burke in the Chepstow Summer Sessions Handicap Chase today.
After hinting at ability in point-to-point, bumper and hurdles events, he has begun to blossom since being put over fences and upped in trip.
The seven-year-old won with far more in hand than the official margins suggest at both Lingfield and Wincanton and, although now 11lb higher than his first success, there is every chance he is still at least one step ahead of the handicapper.
Castelfort looks a horse with potential and is taken to win the Hozier Live In July Junior "National Hunt" Hurdle.
Jane Williams' charge was 17 lengths clear of the third when runner-up at this course on his racecourse debut behind Balboa, who has since competed in much better company.
The French import still seemed far from the finished article when rallying late on to edge out Ithaca's Arrow at Sandown in testing conditions, form which has been franked by the well-beaten third and fourth scoring since.
Castelfort has been given a couple of months off to develop further and the feeling is there is lots of improvement to come with this future chaser.
Supremely West does not
seem harshly treated for his first step out of novice company in the Cuffe And Taylor Handicap Hurdle.
A three-time bumper winner, the son of Westerner started off this campaign by scoring at Carlisle and Sedgefield over timber before a double penalty proved too much when second to Bugise Seagull at Southwell.
His conqueror that day is held in high regard by Charlie
Longsdon, so the form looks solid.
Authorised Speed was just below top class in bumpers and over hurdles and can make it third time lucky tackling bigger obstacles in the Live Music In Summer 2024 Novices' Limited Handicap Chase.
Gary Moore's charge took a tumble at the second-last when still ahead at Ascot and may just have suffered a hangover from that experience when third at Plumpton, where he made a few mistakes.
Connections could have switched him back to hurdles for a confidence booster, but reports suggest he has always schooled well at home, so keep the faith for now.
At Newcastle, Nicky Richards will be keen to get Florida Dreams back on track in the Download The Quinnbet App Novices' Hurdle.
A Grade Two bumper winner at Aintree last April, he got off the mark over timber at Ayr last month and was beaten – but not disgraced – when returning to Liverpool for a red-hot Grade One contest on Boxing Day. Florida Dreams has been crying out for this step up to two and a half miles.