Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
OVER EASY!
Walford looks in the driving seat in Newcastle’s Rehearsal Chase as Into Overdrive goes for fifth win in row
INTO OVERDRIVE has got the gears to cope with hot favourite L’homme Presse in the Rehearsal Handicap Chase (3.25) at Newcastle today.
The Mark Walford-trained seven-yearold hit a purple patch in the spring, with wins in handicap chases at Carlisle, Hexham and Perth.
Those successes came in cheekpieces, but Into Overdrive raced without the headgear when landing a similar event at Wetherby at the end of last month, making much of the running under Jamie Hamilton to beat Dublin Four by three and a half lengths.
The return to three miles – his Perth victory came at this afternoon’s distance – won’t be an issue and there is plenty more to come.
Locking horns with a Cheltenham Gold Cup contender in L’homme Presse, winner of the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the National Hunt Festival in March, is clearly no easy task.
But my selection receives a whopping 26lb from his rival – and that can prove decisive.
The return of CONSTITUTION HILL is of limited significance from a betting perspective, but no jumps fan will miss Nicky Henderson’s star (right) make his comeback in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle (2.10).
On the strength of a Supreme Novices’ Hurdle romp at
Cheltenham last March, he is as short as 5-4 at the head of the betting for the
Champion Hurdle.
His stablemate
Epatante – the mare won this race in 2020 before a dead-head with Not
So Sleepy 12 months ago – will be no pushover, but
Nico de Boinville’s partner should deliver.
There was enough in his fencing debut at Ayr
17 days ago to make
LORD
ROCO of strong interest in the Betfair Daily Rewards Novices’ Handicap Chase (1.35). The six-year-old was having his first start for 242 days when beaten a length and a half by Grand Voyage on Scotland’s west coast and, with that run under his belt and off the same BHA mark of 117, Lord Roco can go one better. At Newbury, the in-form Dan Skelton has sound prospects of a double, teed up by WEST BALBOA in the Coral Racing Club Handicap Hurdle (1.55).
The Yeats mare sauntered to a 17-length margin at Warwick last November on her Rules debut before a fine second to Stage Star in the toplevel Challow Hurdle at Newbury four days after Christmas.
West Balboa hasn’t been seen since, but has been given a favourable mention in despatches from her trainer and a BHA rating of 127 looks within range. Skelton’s PIKAR rates a worthy market leader for the following Coral Bet Bundles Intermediate Handicap Hurdle (2.30).
The five-year-old drew a blank in three tries over hurdles last season but came good at his fourth attempt under the trainer’s brother Harry in a novice event at Chepstow a month ago.
The assessor has given Pikar a figure of 127 as he dips his hooves into handicap waters, and that’s a judgement that could prove lenient.
Two years after starring on this card, ZANZA is the choice to end a losing run in the Sir Peter O’sullevan Handicap Chase (1.20).
Rated 147 at his peak, the eight-yearold is now 13lb lower and there were green shoots in his second to Karl Philippe at Wetherby last time out.
Chris Gordon’s horses are in flying form and ONLY MONEY should appreciate the return to drying ground in the Coral Get Closer To The Action Handicap Chase (3.40).