Found On can step up to Listed class at Bangor
THE prolific Found On can successfully graduate to Listed class in the Yorton Stallions Mares’ Novices’ Chase at Bangor today.
Martin Keighley’s seven-year-old was beaten in her first three attempts over fences, but has not looked back since opening her account with a 21-length demolition job at Market Rasen in March.
She went on to complete a hattrick before the end of her campaign with back-to-back wins at Uttoxeter and has picked up where she left off since returning from a short break scoring at Worcester in September and at Cheltenham last month.
Found On’s revised rating of 138 makes her comfortably the highestrated mare in this field and she is expected to extend her winning streak to six and secure some valuable black type.
The Jane Williams-trained Yggdrasil is taken to land the opening Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Handicap Chase for the second year in succession.
The Kapgarde gelding is 12lb higher than when triumphing 12 months ago, having since added to his tally at Hereford and Uttoxeter.
His reappearance run at Worcester three weeks ago was nothing to write home about, but that should leave him cherry-ripe for his return to North Wales.
Grand Voyage looks the one to beat in the Virgin Bet Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase at Ayr. Following a trio of placed efforts, Stuart Coltherd’s six-year-old won twice over hurdles at Kelso last winter, but then spent 10 months on the sidelines.
Bringing a mark of 119 to the table, he looked to face a tall order on his recent fencing bow at Carlisle when taking on two rivals rated in the 130s, but ran a screamer to push Irish raider and odds-on favourite So Scottish all the way before ultimately going down by half a length.
Grand Voyage is able to compete from 119 once more switching to 0-120 handicap and will take some stopping despite the burden of topweight.
Nicky Richards has his string in excellent early-season form and can add to his tally with Hard Iron in the Virgin Bet Handicap Hurdle.
The six-year-old looks to have improved for a summer break judged on his winning handicap debut over this course and distance last month and a 7lb hike may not be enough to prevent him from following up.
Charm Offensive, a dual winner at Ayr in the spring for Nick Alexander, is another course scorer who should be followed in the Virgin Bet Mares’ Handicap Hurdle.
Sundayinmay will not be winning out of turn if she can hit the bullseye in the Norwich Inns 40th Anniversary Handicap at Kempton.
The three-time winner has been beaten a length and a neck in her last two races and should be right in the thick of the action once more.
There is a huge prize fund of £80,000 up for grabs Unibet London Sprint Series Final and the lion’s share is expected to go to the Mick Appleby-trained Aphelios.
The gelded son of Kodiac has proved another shrewd purchase by The Horse Watchers, with six starts for his new connections yielding two wins and four seconds.
He produced a career-best when winning over this course and distance last time out and a 4lb rise does certainly not look insurmountable.