No rescheduled Peterborough Chase at Taunton this afternoon but there is a terrific eight-race card including a competitive 2m 2f handicap chase.
This is a better race than the one that Glajou (3.17) took apart at Southwell last week, but he is difficult to oppose under a 7lbs penalty such was the ease of that success. He must prove today’s additional couple of furlongs is within his compass, but he is clearly going the right way and he receives a 6lbs weight for age allowance as a four-year-old. He bounced off the good ground at Southwell but this afternoon’s forecast good to soft ground should not be an inconvenience. He opened up at 2/1 with William Hill but is a best price of 13/8 with BetVictor at the time of posting.
Passing Shadow (1.42) failed to get home having been too keen when runner up at Huntingdon last month and he is taken to go one better dropped back to the minimum distance in the novices’ handicap hurdle. A 2lbs rise for that effort looks fair and Lily Pinchin keeps the ride taking off a valuable 5lbs. The selection is 3/1 with Unibet.
I followed Good Man Pat (2.47) over a cliff over fences and promised never again after a series of moderate efforts. He was never the bravest over the larger obstacles but I am convinced he wants decent ground and I think he can run a big race dropping in both grade and distance over timber. The combination of 3m and soft ground was all against him last time at Cheltenham but he travelled well for a long way. The each way recommendation has been given a chance by the handicapper and he is 11/2 with Unibet who are betting each way 5 places.
There is a listed Mares’ Chase at Warwick and I hope to see Legends Gold (1.27) return to winning ways having jinked right and fell two out at Uttoxeter last time when going best. As is the norm Bryony Frost had got a good tune out of Rebecca Curtis’s 6-y-old before their mishap two out, but it did show that the mare has her quirks. The stable have been quiet of late, but they have had one or two run well in defeat and this 2m 4f trip on soft ground looks the optimum conditions for the selection.The mare is 7/2 with Boylesports.
Olly Murphy had a welcome double at Uttoxeter earlier in the week and he takes a strong team up to Newcastle including Linelee King who looked ready for a step up in trip when runner up over 2m 4f at Plumpton under a penalty last time.
I am loath to desert him but, including jockey’s allowance, he must try to give a stone to Enquarde (12.45) and that might be beyond him given how well the selection ran at Ascot over 3m on his British/handicap debut. Trained by Dr Richard Newland the selection was a winner over fences in his native France but travelled like the best horse in the race last time – albeit from a lowly mark of 115 – and he is entitled to improve for the run. The slight drop back in distance is considered a positive. The French import is 13/8 with 10bet.
