1.45 - Bangor - Buttercup. 2.5 pts win. Available at 7/2.
Several of these have been in good form recently and, of those, Buttercup is preferred. She had some fair form over hurdles and kicked off her British campaign with a useful third in a Novice race at Warwick in January. She was one length behind a horse who was rated 127 (now 139) and had a subsequent dual winner (now rated 121) a further eight lengths behind. It was therefore disappointing that she never achieved anything like that level of form in four races after. It would've taken a leap of faith to support her after those efforts but switched to fences on her reappearance last month she ran well until tiring late on, looking in need of the outing. She will need to build on that performance and, although she failed to do so last season, it may be worth giving her the benefit of the doubt from a mark of 110, fifteen pounds below her original hurdle's rating. Trip and ground will suit and she represents a yard who have had four winners from their last eight entries. Their Chasers have a very profitable 24% strike rate here in recent seasons
2.00 - Musselburgh - Final Countdown. 1.5 pts win. Available at 8/1.
It's difficult to know how much flat ability Final Countdown still has but he ran well to finish a three length second from a mark of 82 as recently as fifteen months ago. Two efforts this year have proved nowhere near as good but they came after significant breaks so there may be excuses. He eventually ended up well beaten returned to hurdles at Kelso last month but he ran well to a point. He will need to better that if he is to get involved here but he did have better form over obstacles a few seasons back and, if he can repeat anything like that level of form, he would be well handicapped in this sphere on a mark of 99. This is just his third run for an in-form yard who are enjoying by far their best season to date. Both they and the jockey turn up for just the one entry.
4.40 - Newcastle - Dutch Art Dealer. 2 pts win. Available at 11/2.
Several of these have been in good form recently and, of those, Buttercup is preferred. She had some fair form over hurdles and kicked off her British campaign with a useful third in a Novice race at Warwick in January. She was one length behind a horse who was rated 127 (now 139) and had a subsequent dual winner (now rated 121) a further eight lengths behind. It was therefore disappointing that she never achieved anything like that level of form in four races after. It would've taken a leap of faith to support her after those efforts but switched to fences on her reappearance last month she ran well until tiring late on, looking in need of the outing. She will need to build on that performance and, although she failed to do so last season, it may be worth giving her the benefit of the doubt from a mark of 110, fifteen pounds below her original hurdle's rating. Trip and ground will suit and she represents a yard who have had four winners from their last eight entries. Their Chasers have a very profitable 24% strike rate here in recent seasons
2.00 - Musselburgh - Final Countdown. 1.5 pts win. Available at 8/1.
It's difficult to know how much flat ability Final Countdown still has but he ran well to finish a three length second from a mark of 82 as recently as fifteen months ago. Two efforts this year have proved nowhere near as good but they came after significant breaks so there may be excuses. He eventually ended up well beaten returned to hurdles at Kelso last month but he ran well to a point. He will need to better that if he is to get involved here but he did have better form over obstacles a few seasons back and, if he can repeat anything like that level of form, he would be well handicapped in this sphere on a mark of 99. This is just his third run for an in-form yard who are enjoying by far their best season to date. Both they and the jockey turn up for just the one entry.
4.40 - Newcastle - Dutch Art Dealer. 2 pts win. Available at 11/2.
