NOT ALL HEROS
WITH the great Cheltenham festival just days away, us wagon shunters need to get a few quid in the pot before we have a fire-up in darkest Gloucestershire.
Paul Nicholls has captured the European Breeders’ Fund Betfair Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (1.50) run over two and a half miles at Sandown Park three times in the past, so FIRE FLYER will carry my each-way wonga.
This strapping sort has won his last two starts at Taunton and Wincanton, and he looks well-treated racing off an opening salvo of 127.
The shrewd Oliver Greenall has decided to swerve harder tasks at Prestbury Park next week and send MAKING HEADWAY to Sandown Park to contest the Betfair Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle (2.25) run over two miles.
This novice – 14 out of the last 23 winners have come from that category – was rated 129 when he accounted for a dozen rivals in a Newbury novice hurdle in February when he was carrying a 6lb penaty for a success in the Carlisle mud in October.
Obliged
I’m amazed the assessor has left the animal on the same perch, so get stuck in each-way around the 8-1 ledge with a bookmaker paying five places.
On his seasonal bow last campaign after a break of 105 days
SHOULDVEBEENARING
obliged on the sand dunes at Southwell, so the 113-rated beast is going to take a world of beating in the Listed BETMGM Lady Wulfruna Stakes (2.40) run over seven furlongs at
Wolverhampton.
The last time we sighted Richard Hannon’s beast he was third in a Group One affair run over this afternoon’s trip at Longchamp on Arc day in October, and this race represents a massive drop in class.
The Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Mares’ Bumper (3.00) run over two miles at Sandown Park is going to be a proper stamina test for these young ladies up the punishing Esher hill, but JUST CALL ME LUCY powered up the steep Carlisle incline to open her account by 17 lengths in December.
Mark Walford has had this race in mind ever since, and the stable are having winners. As she is out of a Kayf Tara mare, she will handle the squelchy conditions.
You know the Flat season is about to burst into life when the BETMGM Lincoln Trial Handicap (3.15) is run over an extended mile at Wolverhampton. Charlie Fellowes has just returned from a skiing holiday, so the Newmarket handler will be hoping SMOKEY MOUNTAIN can slalom his way to victory from stall one, which is the plum draw.
This horse was second last time out at Newcastle off a perch of 85, and Lady Bamford’s son of Frankel runs off the same rating.
The four-year-old produced a sparkling piece of work under today’s pilot, Harry Davies, on Wednesday morning so get stuck in each-way around the 8-1 mark.
‘Fellows has just returned from a skiing holiday’
Boasts
My confident selection boasts form figures at this tight track of 1212, which is a very encouraging sign.
When the mud is flying one of the best things to do when hunting down winners is to stick with any beast trained by Venetia Williams.
I’m hoping HEROS can be a winner – even if it’s just for one day – in the Betfair Novices’ Handicap Chase (3.35) run over two and a half miles at Sandown Park.
He was narowly touched off when second on his last trip to the belts and braces at Wetherby last month when the stable were out-of-form, and even off a 3lb higher mark, he looks a corking each-way wager with only 10st 7lb on his back.