Legend worth following at Sedgefield

Step up in distance is sensible call for Rebecca Menzies’ six-year-old

NORTON THOR PE LEGEND is worth a play on a tough card at Sedgefield.

With quality thin on the ground at the County Durham circuit, stakes are probably best kept to a minimum.

That said, Norton thorpe legend’ s trainer Rebecca Menzies must be cautiously optimistic in the Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Handicap Chase.

The six-year-old gelding is pretty unexposed in the chasing ranks, having won nicely over an inadequate trip at Carlisle in April.

His comeback run at Wetherby on November 12 was also pleasing, particularly in the manner in which he kept going towards the end of a threemile handicap chase.

Norton thorpe legend finished third, beaten 10½ lengths by West Of The Edge, but jumped well for most of his first outing for the capable Menzies.

Encouraged by that run, the North Yorkshire handler has made the sensible call to step him up to 3¼ miles.

And though Norton thorpe legend would probably not want a bucket-load more rain, this looks a good bit of planning in what is a bad race.

ROYAL VACATION has to be backed in the Injured Jockeys Fund Intermediate Handicap Chase at Lingfield. The three-times hurdles winner looks yet another nice chasing recruit for Colin Tizzard, having twice finished runner-up in October.

He had a lot on his plate against the experienced As De Mee on his fencing bow at Fontwell, after which he was not given too hard a time once the useful Zeroes had es of grey cut loose at Wetherby.

This does not look quite as hot an encounter, so it would be a bit disappointing if the mud-loving Royal Vacation did not improve on his rating of 129 throughout the winter. SELECTIONS:

LINGFIELD: 1.00 Notre Ami, 1.30 Forecast, 2.05 Viking Mistress, 2.35 Billy No Name, 3.10 ROYAL VACATION (NAP), 3.45 Odello.

SEDGEFIELD: 12.10 Pamak D’Airy, 12.40 The Bay Oak, 1.10 Master Jake, 1.40 Discoverie, 2.15 Four Mile Beach, 2.45 Norton thorpe legend ,3.20 Codeshare.

DOUBLE: Royal Vacation and Norton thorpe legend.