A RAGING STORM
THE rain is showing no signs of abating and jumps trainers hoping for a bit of spring ground will have to keep being patient.
It’s Challenger Series Finals day at Haydock today, and it looks to me as if the Two Mile Handicap Hurdle showdown is another big chance for Dan Skelton to keep up the pressure in the trainers’ championship. PLAYFUL SAINT (2.05)
was unlucky when bumping into Milldam at Stratford last time as Gavin Sheehan was on fire that day and simply caught Harry Skelton napping around the bend.
In the sectionals, we can see where Sheehan kicked around the bend and nicked a few lengths that Skelton could never get back.
Having led Milldam into the final half a mile, he ended up completing the last four furlongs 0.13 seconds slower than Milldam, and recording the fastest final furlong.
For this reason, I think a 3lb rise in the weights is very reasonable and the more galloping track should stop him from getting caught out again.
Later in the day we have some old favourites in the Middle Distance Veterans’ Handicap Chase and one horse who looked rejuvenated last time was RIDERS ONTHE STORM (3.15). He only just lost out to Homme Public at Doncaster and I believe the handicapper has been very lenient by leaving him on the same mark.
His jumping that day was outstanding, gaining +6.09 lengths on the field.
And if he can put his rivals under pressure like last time, I think he will find a few of them out. It wasn’t a case of him getting tired close home either, as he finished with an FSP of 103.16%.
Up at Musselburgh, the turf season is in full swing, but some jumpers are paying the track a visit in the 1m 6f Queen’s Cup.
I like the claims of BERKSHIRE ROCCO (3.35) trained by Andrew Balding (above). He’s fallen some heights since his second in the St Leger in 2020, but he showed last season that he is now back down to a workable mark, not least when beaten by only two and a half lengths in the Ebor.
In slightly calmer waters such as this, his mark of 96 should be very workable.