DOWN ROYAL
12:40 – MAIDEN HURDLE – 2M6F
We kick things off on Friday with FAROUK D’ALENE starting his career over hurdles and I’m so pleased to see him trying this trip from the off. He got away with it in bumpers at the minimum trip because of his class but he didn’t look the quickest. He was a convincing winner in his point with the quickest time on that day so he’s one to look forward to over these kinds of trips and over obstacles. GRANGECLARE NATIVE also Gigginstown and Elliott was going ok in a Maiden hurdle earlier this month when falling but that came on good ground. He won a bumper on soft in which he beat a now 133 rated hurdler so that’s steady enough form. Well beaten on his first start over hurdles last season back in February but that was a Grade 2 and over 2m so I suspect they think a bit about him and he’s at least got race fitness on his side. Noel Meade sends two in here also but both look a bit short of winning this
13:15 – MARES NOVICES’ HURDLE (G3) – 2M ½F
Tidy enough looking Mares Novices race here with ANNA BUNINA coming out again after disappointing at Cheltenham. I say disappointing because plenty expected more from her on those terms but I think she’s slightly overrated on her current mark of 131. BRAVE WAY goes for HDB, Rachel Blackmore and Alexander and while she steps back in trip here she was a ready winner last time out and looks to be a major player. QUEENS BROOK would have been on many peoples horses to follow lists following her 3rd in the Champion Bumper but while I appreciate she might have needed the run last time out, she slightly underwhelmed. Admittedly it was hands and heels and she didn’t really look in danger but that tempers my enthusiasm for now at least. POLITESSE is a half siter to DON POLI and has earned her place in this race off the back of two nice enough wins. This is a step up in class and with that family line you’d think she’ll improve for a step up in future but this may have been a target since last term given she’ll be in open company after this.
13:50 – WKD HURDLE (G2) – 2M ½F
I suppose all eyes on ABACADABRAS here but followers will know I’ll have one on the other Gigginstown runner, SIXSHOOTER. 3lbs splits the pair on adjusted figures and my guy has race fitness on his side so while I think he wants a bit further than this trip, I expect him to put in a big performance. Supreme runner up ABACADABRAS will rightly head the market and even back to his bumper form he’s been a top horse throughout his career. This will be a stepping stone on to warmer tasks but this isn’t a walkover by any means. That said, you’d expect him to take this if he’s going to be a Champion Hurdle contender. Henry De Bromhead saddles two here with Rachel on board Triumph Hurdle runner up ASPIRE TOWER. It’s said every season, but 4yos going into open company can be found wanting and really he will need to have improved to take this. Paul Townend picks up the ride on the stables other runner, JASON THE MILITANT, who beat BEACON EDGE in a Grade 2 last spring which is decent form. He’s had a flat spin in prep for this so while on these terms he’s got to have improved too, he might just have done so and the more ran the better for him.
15:00 – BEGINNERS CHASE – 2M 3 ½F
ENVOI ALLEN has been given the best part of a walkover here and while JANUARY JETS has some warm point form, he’s been disappointing under rules. ENVOI sports a first time tongue-tie here which is interesting enough (did same with SAMCRO last year), but make no mistake, he should win this in a canter
16:10 – BUMPER – 2M ½F
5 runner affair here and I’m not expecting fireworks but ON EAGLES WINGS is giving 7lbs to most of his rivals here with 4lbs because of age and an extra 3lb because of winning two bumpers. But, he has form behind FERNY HOLLOW, and his last two bumper wins were decent enough. The last was visually impressive while the time before he beat another nice horse in STATTLER. I’d be keen to see what price he is here. ANY GIVEN SUNDAY won with more to offer the last day and has FELIX YONGER in the family. CHEMICAL ENERGY for Gordon Elliott and Jamie Codd will be popular based on those names alone but I wasn’t overly impressed with his bumper debut so I’m hoping he’s short enough to make ON EAGLES WINGS playable at the price despite his weight difference
WETHERBY
13:00 – NOVICES’ CHASE – 3M
SHAN BLUE was so impressive on his chase debut he’s bound to be short odds to follow up here even though he’s trying the trip for the first time. Second season novice HOLD THE NOTE is officially rated the same but gets 6lbs so with experience on his side he might just be the one to beat, especially as he was only just beaten in a Grade 2 over this trip last season. He holds an entry in the Ladbrokes Trophy so maybe this is more of a prep run towards that. I K BRUNEL was second behind COOLANLY over 3f shorter earlier this month and the step up in trip will bring about improvement. He does need to jump a bit better but add depth to this race for sure. SNOW LEOPARDESS completes the line up and ran OK behind THE BUTCHER SAID last time out but shouldn’t be good enough to take this.
14:45 – JUVENILE HURDLE (LISTED) – 2M
LONGCLAW & DUFFLE COAT both run for Gordon Elliott here and with Richard Johnson on the former you’d suggest he’s the first string. Narrowly held on the last day but is 3 from 3 now and that last run was his first after being gelded. LANGER DAN took this race last year for the Skeltons and they run CABOT CLIFFS who sported a hood earlier this month on his hurdle bow. Won that nicely enough despite being keen so you’d hope this race being a step up in class might allow him to settle better so he’s got a chance. SOLDIER ON PARADE carries the only penalty in this race courtesy of his win last time out which made it 3 on the spin at Market Rasen. He reversed the form with HICONIC despite giving weight away which shows how this horse has progressed, but also maybe how he’s been suited to a right handed track (0/3 left handed). Those wins all came on good ground too. HICONIC re-opposes again here on 3lb better terms and seems to struggle a bit in a faster paced race. This won’t be any slower so despite the weight received her form is all on good ground so she’s vulnerable. Alan King runs MIDNIGHTS LEGACY who was beaten favourite (joint) on his only hurdle start. He did race here latest so this seems to have been in the back of the mind but he will need to travel and jump a lot better to figure. FIRST IMPRESSION is the last to get a mention but was the other joint favourite in that race here at Wetherby. He was just as good as any of the flat runners and better than most so if the ground didn’t get too soft he’ll have a chance
15:55 – NOVICES’ HURDLE – 2M
Champion Bumper 4th THIRD TIME LUCKI was an impressive winner on his hurdle debut a couple of weeks ago but it was a dire field so not a great deal else was expected. This looks a tiny bit deeper but still shouldn’t be a problem despite carrying the winners penalty. EWOOD PARK goes for Olly Murphy and the McNeills after a spin in a bumper earlier this month. That will have blown away the cobwebs and he stayed on nicely for a horse who was quietly ridden. HEART OF A LION goes for Alan King and JP McManus but he’s been absent for over a year since his bumper debut. In fairness he hacked up that day but we know now that he beat very little (runner up is now 97 rated hurdler).
UTTOXETER
12:50 – NOVICES’ HURDLE – 2M 4F
GET IN THE QUEUE looked a proper sort in his bumpers and while he missed last season but it was only minor. He’ll be so good from this middle trip upwards and he looks to have found a quiet enough opener here
14:35 – BUMPER – 2M
You don’t get too many bumpers in the middle of a racecard but Harry Fry is set to unleash FISHKOV under rules and although he was a runner up in his point, the level of that form looks OK ( winner of his point was second over 2m4f at Punchestown Wednesday) and you’d think he’ll be going hurdling after this. With that thought in mind, while I think he’ll still take this, he might just improve for the run. BABY BEN is a full brother to stablemate ASK BEN so you’d hope the yard know his type quite well while LANDEN CALLING & PIRATE OF THE SEA are related to some OK types.
15:10 – BEGINNERS’ CHASE – 2M
This 8 runner race looks a pretty good standard with 5 of the runners 130+ rated already. GUMBALL is a free going sort who paid the price of a decent field last time out but the same could be true here. The assignment is easier and that freshness may have gone so he’s probably the one to beat. KING ROLAND disappointed slightly at Cheltenham when looking the winner. Transpires he had a fracture to the pelvis so he can easily be forgiven and travelled so strongly into that race. He need his first start last term in a decent novice hurdle race at Newbury and he will be better over the middle trip so this might just be a warm up for bigger targets in the future but make no mistake, this horse has bundles of potential and oozes class but we’ll need to see how he goes following that injury really. GETAWAY FRED, BOLD PLAN & CHEDDLETON will all be better chasers than they were hurdlers so that pushed them into the 140’s potential bracket. All in all this race will turn out to be informative going forward and will produce plenty of winners
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