DOUBLE CROSS
Bailey’s battling 2019 Eider champion looks primed to down his rivals all over again
CROSSPARK is fancied to make light of top weight and repeat his win of 2019 in the Vertem Eider Handicap Chase (3.15) at Newcastle.
Caroline Bailey’s 11-year-old is without a victory in eight outings since beating Mysteree in this stamina test two years ago.
But Crosspark is due a change of luck as he’s taken the silver medal from all four starts this season, going under by one length or less on each occasion.
Sean Bowen’s mount has edged up the weights as a result of the close calls, and is 2lb higher than when a length behind the decent Seeyouatmidnight in the valuable Veterans’ Handicap Chase at Sandown in January.
But going back up to this extended four-mile, one-furlong distance is a definite plus for Crosspark as he bids to regain the elusive winning thread.
At Kempton, GA LAW gets the vote for the first of three Grade 2 events, the Close Brothers Pendil Novices’ Chase (1.50).
Having scored over the larger obstacles at Fontwell and Exeter, the Jamie Snowden trainee jumped his rivals into submission to capture the Grade 2 “Rising Stars” Novices’ Chase at Wincanton, and shoulders a 3lb penalty as a result.
Ga Law wasn’t discredited when third to Allmankind in the top-level Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown in December, but comes back down in class. After a pleasing debut over obstacles at Ascot five weeks ago, TRITONIC is a worthy favourite for the Close Brothers Adonis Hurdle (2.25).
A smart performer on the Flat in the hands of Alan King (left), Adrian Heskin’s mount marked his hurdles bow by overhauling Casa Loupi by a length, and has more to offer. The Sky Bet Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle (3.00) looks a good opportunity for ATHOLL STREET to defend his unbeaten record over jumps. Paul Nicholls’ son of Jeremy scored by four lengths at Taunton in November first time over timber, and extended that supremacy to 16 lengths under a penalty at the
Somerset venue 15 days before Christmas.
Nicholls has hardly scratched beneath the surface, and the hat-trick beckons.
Five horses line up for Lingfield’s Group 3 Betway Winter Derby (2.40), in which FATHER OF JAZZ stands out.
An easy four-and-a-half-length score in a course-and-distance handicap last time took the son of Kingman’s record on the all-weather to three from three, and this step up to Pattern level holds no fears.
John Quinn’s Yorkshire raider LORD RIDDIFORD has a pound or two to find with several rivals in the Listed Betway Hever Sprint Stakes (2.05), but the six-year-old travels south at the top of his game and should not be underestimated.
LOSTINTRANSLATION remains on course for the WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 19 — despite finishing last of five finishers at Newbury last Sunday.
The Colin Tizzardtrained nine-year-old finished third in the Festival feature in 2020.
But Robbie Power’s mount has performed a long way below that form in three starts this season, returning with a distant third in Haydock’s Betfair Chase before pulling up in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
Lostintranslation (right) finished a wellbeaten fifth to Secret
Investor in the Betfair Denman Chase last weekend, and Tizzard’s son and assistant Joe said yesterday: “I think it was just purely fitness.
“He went to Haydock on ground he hated and didn’t have a race as such, the King George he bled after two miles and didn’t have a proper race.
“He’s a big, gross horse and there were positives to take out of Newbury. He blew very hard and hopefully it will just knock the cobwebs off him.”
Tizzard, whose gelding is 33-1 to go two places better than last March, added: “He hasn’t got many miles on the clock this season, and he’s a good horse in the spring.”
JOCKEYS face career burnout unless “much more” is done to ease “significant pressures” on their workload, the riders’ chief warned yesterday.
The full fixture list for 2021, published by the British Horseracing Authority yesterday, contains three days without racing between mid-April and October.
And the Professional Jockeys Association’s Dale Gibson (above) called for more periods of rest in the racing programme for 2022 — or he fears his members will suffer.
“Whilst we need to be mindful of recovering from the financial impacts of the Covid-19 crisis, much more needs to be done to ease the significant pressures on the workforce,” said Gibson.
“Flat Jockeys, valets and other racing staff will see 167 days of racing with only three guaranteed days off between April 19 and October 2 — two Sundays in May and one in July. “Participants in racing are not afraid of long days and hard work, but that is a tough gig in anyone’s book.
“In 2022, we need to see a combination of extended breaks and more single-code Sundays.
“The sport needs to pay more than lip service to participant welfare.”