Get ready for a shift in Power
HAVE a Power play in the McCoy Contractors Classic Chase (3.00).
Warwick’s big race of the year is usually won by an in-form horse with plenty of experience and PETITE POWER fits the bill.
He ticks most of the boxes needed to land this marathon contest. Bear in mind the recent trends:
■ A winner over at least 3m1f
■ Hit the frame in one of the last two starts
■ Old age is no barrier to success
Some might be put off by Petite Power’s age. He turned 11 on New Year’s Day but that’s a positive — NOT a negative.
In line with most big chases over extreme distances, older horses do well in the Classic Chase.
In fact, in the last 30 years, the winner’s age has been in double figures more often than not.
My fancy also arrives in the form of his life.
After wins at Cheltenham and Uttoxeter, he was beaten just a neck by Belle Empress over
3m6f at Exeter last month when trying to come from further back than ideal.
He seems to get on really well with promising young amateur Liam Harrison. His 7lb weight allowance might well come in handy as the last two winning jockeys in this race — Sam Waley Cohen and Bryony Frost — both rode with a claim.
It gives Petite Power a low weight and only one of the last seven winners of today’s prize carried more than 11st 2lb. With trainer Fergal O’Brien firing in the winners from his new Cotswolds base, have 1pt each-way at 12-1 with Betfair and Paddy Power.
The Unibet Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton is the day’s other big handicap.
It doesn’t look wise taking on NOTRE PARI, trained by Olly Murphy (above), and he is likely to go off a strong favourite.