WAD A PRICE!
Walker’s Cup hope looks great value
TERWADA (3.15, nap) looks a huge price to be the Cup king at Newbury today.
Ed Walker’s four-year-old was smart last year but his progress stalled on fast ground on his final two runs.
Conditions will be more forgiving in the OLBG Spring Cup, and the last time he ran on this sort of terrain he beat The Gatekeeper, who is useful, a shade cosily at Newmarket.
He looks nicely treated off a mark of 94 on that effort.
The in-form trainer originally had two entries for this race and the other, Hafeet Alain, won at Newmarket on Tuesday, so a big run will be expected from this 16-1 shot.
HAMISH (1.30, trb) has been near impossible to beat in Group Three company and can see off the classy Arrest in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes.
He’s going for a fifth win on the bounce at this level and his 7-2 price makes more appeal than the favourite’s short odds.
Italian import FOLGARIA (2.05), an intriguing contender under Hollie Doyle in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes, can extend her five-race unbeaten streak, while ZOUM ZOUM (2.40) is hard to go against in Watership Down Stud Greenham Stakes.
The jumps card at Ayr should go a long way towards deciding the trainers’ title, and Willie Mullins is fancied to draw first blood with UNCLE PHIL (1.15) in the Scotty Brand Handicap Chase.
This lightly-raced novice had tons in hand when making all on his handicap debut last time out and holds a Grade One entry.
The CPMS Novices’ Champion Handicap Chase is tricky but DEEPER BLUE (1.50, nb) wouldn’t be winning out of turn.
He chased home a subsequent Grade Two winner in January before going down to a well-treated rival with the pair ten lengths clear.
The step up to three miles that day clearly suited and first-time cheekpieces could squeeze more out of him.
L’Eau du Sud looks the right favourite in the Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle, but
CRACKING RHAPSODY (2.25) is hard to ignore at odds around 20-1.
The progressive youngster is on a hat-trick after running away with the Morebattle Hurdle and is overpriced.
Mullins runs three in the Jordan Electrics Mares’ Handicap Hurdle but his title rival Dan Skelton is fancied to come out on top with COCO MADEMOISELLE (3.00).
She was impressive last time and should appreciate the step back up to three miles.