I’m intending to head to Sunbury tomorrow afternoon to attend Kempton’s NH meeting so I thought I would share my early thoughts. Light rain has fallen in east London this afternoon and I expect the ground to be between good and good/soft for tomorrow’s action.
The card opens with a novices’ hurdle over two miles. ROLLWITHTHEPUNCHES did nothing wrong at Huntingdon but I’d be surprised if he could cope with CAPTAIN CHRIS who bolted up in the autumn and looks to have been kept for a spring campaign.
Race two is a novices’ handicap chase over two and a half miles. One or two of these have shown sparks of promise in their chasing campaign but haven’t perhaps improved as connections might have improved. SILVER DOLLARS did it well at Musselburgh last time but the second was well held at Chepstow ten days ago and I’m not convinced. TOOKA won well at Leicester but I’m more interested in the younger RELAND who was second in a competitive heat at Ludlow over two miles. There must be a slight doubt over the stamina but he has youth on his side and could well be improving.
Race three is a novices’ hurdle over two miles and five furlongs. GREAT REASON won well at Ludlow but over two miles and has to give weight to some lightly-raced sorts. RAVETHEBRAVE was fifth in a better race at Doncaster and looks a viable alternative subject to market support for the Hughie Morrison newcomer CLASSIC BAVARD.
Race four is a handicap hurdle over two miles and five furlongs. This looks a trappy heat complicated by a dearth of solid recent form over the trip. The principals are coming back in trip from three mile races for the most part including WOOLFALL TREASURE who was a good third at Newbury and he’s probably just preferred to GALAXY ROCK who also ran well in defeat at Doncaster. That said, with both having run well over galloping tracks and the other way round, it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise to see something improve a fair bit among the longer-priced types. PIPE BANNER didn’t impress me at Fakenham so I’ll have a little each-way on LASKARI, a CD winner who did ok over a shorter trip last time.
Race five is a handicap chase over two miles. KING BREX hasn’t fired at times this season but has looked much better with the return of a sounder surface and did it well at Sandown last time. Were this at Plumpton, I would give SEBASTIANO a big chance but I think the top weight will prevail.
Race six is a handicap hurdle for conditional jockeys over two miles. Not the strongest race you’ll ever see as this kind of race often is but at least ZEN FACTOR comes here in a little form off a Huntingdon win. SYNTHE DAVIS is a rare runner for the Henderson stable at this level but he has let down by his jumping at Leicester last time. This is a track that punishes errors as there is little time to recover so I’ll pass over the top weight. EXULTO represents the in-form Hobbs yard and could be anything though this level suggests he’s pretty moderate. MINNIE HILL may well be the safest option after her fair fourth at Taunton the other day.
Race seven is a hunters’ chase over two and a half miles. It’s disappointing there aren’t any younger types on display here as this is effectively a veterans event. WHO ELSE KNEW is a tentative selection in a race where nothing has a convincing profile.
Tuesday’s Nap: LASKARI (each way) in the 3.40.
The card opens with a novices’ hurdle over two miles. ROLLWITHTHEPUNCHES did nothing wrong at Huntingdon but I’d be surprised if he could cope with CAPTAIN CHRIS who bolted up in the autumn and looks to have been kept for a spring campaign.
Race two is a novices’ handicap chase over two and a half miles. One or two of these have shown sparks of promise in their chasing campaign but haven’t perhaps improved as connections might have improved. SILVER DOLLARS did it well at Musselburgh last time but the second was well held at Chepstow ten days ago and I’m not convinced. TOOKA won well at Leicester but I’m more interested in the younger RELAND who was second in a competitive heat at Ludlow over two miles. There must be a slight doubt over the stamina but he has youth on his side and could well be improving.
Race three is a novices’ hurdle over two miles and five furlongs. GREAT REASON won well at Ludlow but over two miles and has to give weight to some lightly-raced sorts. RAVETHEBRAVE was fifth in a better race at Doncaster and looks a viable alternative subject to market support for the Hughie Morrison newcomer CLASSIC BAVARD.
Race four is a handicap hurdle over two miles and five furlongs. This looks a trappy heat complicated by a dearth of solid recent form over the trip. The principals are coming back in trip from three mile races for the most part including WOOLFALL TREASURE who was a good third at Newbury and he’s probably just preferred to GALAXY ROCK who also ran well in defeat at Doncaster. That said, with both having run well over galloping tracks and the other way round, it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise to see something improve a fair bit among the longer-priced types. PIPE BANNER didn’t impress me at Fakenham so I’ll have a little each-way on LASKARI, a CD winner who did ok over a shorter trip last time.
Race five is a handicap chase over two miles. KING BREX hasn’t fired at times this season but has looked much better with the return of a sounder surface and did it well at Sandown last time. Were this at Plumpton, I would give SEBASTIANO a big chance but I think the top weight will prevail.
Race six is a handicap hurdle for conditional jockeys over two miles. Not the strongest race you’ll ever see as this kind of race often is but at least ZEN FACTOR comes here in a little form off a Huntingdon win. SYNTHE DAVIS is a rare runner for the Henderson stable at this level but he has let down by his jumping at Leicester last time. This is a track that punishes errors as there is little time to recover so I’ll pass over the top weight. EXULTO represents the in-form Hobbs yard and could be anything though this level suggests he’s pretty moderate. MINNIE HILL may well be the safest option after her fair fourth at Taunton the other day.
Race seven is a hunters’ chase over two and a half miles. It’s disappointing there aren’t any younger types on display here as this is effectively a veterans event. WHO ELSE KNEW is a tentative selection in a race where nothing has a convincing profile.
Tuesday’s Nap: LASKARI (each way) in the 3.40.
