Hill’s aiming to reach peak
JOSSES HILL is fancied to emerge triumphant in the Betfred Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon, on what might be the best jumping Sunday of the season so far.
Nicky Henderson’s eight-year-old seems to have been around for longer than he has and might not yet have gained the rewards his talents deserve.
Second only to the much-missed Vautour in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle of 2014, he subsequently picked up a Grade Two at Aintree before making the switch to fences.
There is no doubt his fencing has been questioned when push has come to shove in the big tests like the Arkle and Ryanair, but equally he is good when it goes right.
The latter was the case when he dismissed useful hurdler Camping Ground in a two-runner affair at Kempton on his reappearance and with Henderson going great guns now, he has to be the one to beat.
Grove Silver can give his supporters a big run for their money in the Persimmon Homes Scottish Borders National Handicap Chase at Kelso.
The Jennie Candlish-trained sevenyear-old banished memories of a poor effort when odds-on for a three-runner race at Musselburgh to win with some style at Uttoxeter last month.
A consistent sort who jumps and stays, he would relish some cut in the ground but either way looks well worth his chance from the right end of the handicap in a marathon contest such as this.
The Dutchman should offer up a bold account in the Cuthbert Paris Pike Novices’ Chase.
His trainer Sandy Thomson has a smart chaser in his yard with Seeyouatmidnight and in this lightly-raced six-year-old has another good-looking prospect in the staying ranks.
The King’s Theatre gelding showed a nice amount of ability over the smaller obstacles, winning at Wetherby and finishing third to Le Prezien in the Premier Hurdle here.
He was pulled up when bursting a blood vessel in the race won by Yorkhill at Aintree and returned over fences back at Wetherby in early November.
The winning margin was only a neck but he was reportedly badly in need of it and should only come forward for both the run and the experience.
It was also over a trip some way short of his best and this significantly longer distance will very much be to his benefit, making him a value shout against likely hotpot Aux Ptits Soins.