Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Venetia can keep up her hot streak at Sandown
IT is often folly to ignore the evergreen yard of Venetia Williams once it hits form, and she may just hold the key to Sandown’s ultra-competitive Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase this afternoon.
If so, and either of her two fine 12-year-olds, Tenor Nivernais or Houblon Des Obeaux, proves up to the task, the winning odds are likely to be rewarding.
The latter, twice a Cheltenham Gold Cup contender and Newbury Grade Two victor in his youth, has marginally the better back form.
Houblon Des Obeaux was also sixth to Buywise here last year, as the winner of a qualifier for this annual final for ageing friends – over course and distance 14 months ago.
Charlie Deutsch has become by far his most regular partner, so today’s jockey bookings may not be entirely instructive.
More persuasive perhaps is last month’s hint of renewed well-being for Tenor Nivernais.
Ridden by Deutsch at Ludlow, but Aidan Coleman again this weekend, Tenor Nivernais threatened to run away at one point with a minor handicap before fading into a 17-length fifth behind improving youngster Beau Du Brizais.
Since then, Williams has embarked on one of her traditional hot streaks – delivering a near 25 percent winning strike-rate, includ- ing a notable across-the-card double at Cheltenham and Exeter on New Year’s Day.
Pundits typically ascribe a rush of her winners to the pre-requisite of soft ground, but that is not necessarily the case this time – with so little winter rain of late.
Either way, when it starts to happen it usually pays to get involved – and Tenor Nivernais, a proper force in many of the best handicaps not so long ago, may be a case in point.
The Grade One Unibet Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle is the other highlight at Sandown, and it may be Elixir De Nutz can boss less experienced but hugely promising rivals.
Colin Tizzard’s five-year-old will perhaps not be totally in his element toughing it out on ground still forecast to be soft – but after his back-toback Cheltenham wins, with form veritably franked, his trainer has made it abundantly clear the grey is very highly rated down in Dorset.
There is also a decent jumping card at Wincanton, where Paul Nicholls can almost always be trusted to excel. This time, the well-touted My Way is his eye-catcher in the last – dropping in class after a disappointing stable debut but surely a very likely winner of the Every Race Live On Racing TV Maiden Hurdle.
At Newcastle, Ravenhill Road is weighted to come out on top this time in the Watch Sky Sports Racing HD On Sky415 Novices’ Chase after chasing others home in his first two attempts over fences.