Racing Preview of this weekend’s racing with Farringdon: March 4-5
THE dry weather and spring ground is playing havoc with the national hunt racing season in the run-up to Cheltenham, so how ironic that the big festival in less than two weeks’ time will be the first meeting in a while which is expected to have some long awaited and needed rain.
But for Saturday afternoon Kelso is the only race meeting in Britain likely to have the word “soft” in the going description.
So let’s start at the Borders track which has its big race day of the year, and because of the ground conditions, has been rewarded with a fair entry of 65 runners which compares very favourably with both Doncaster and Newbury.
The outstanding bet on the card could come in the form of CASTLE RUSHEN in the opening novices’ handicap chase at 1.15. Long held in high regard by trainer Nicky Richards, the eight-year-old has been struck down by several niggly problems through the years, and then when looking set to land his last race at Newcastle when swinging along on the bridle entering the home stretch, he got rid of champion jockey Brian Hughes at the fourth last obstacle.
The step back to this trip is a minor negative as may be the slightly quicker ground, but in my eyes he is a winner without a penalty and off a mark of 130 I strongly fancy him to take care of the likes of Sholokjack and Miah Grace in what amounts to a cracking race of its kind.
The feature race on the card is the Morebattle Hurdle at 1.50, a handicap hurdle over an extended two miles, and there should be plenty of race on here with no less than four frontrunners/pressers in the field of 16 – and that should ensure a true run race which would suit LUTTRELL LAD at a double figure price.
Switched from Philip Hobbs to Tom Lacey, the selection had been running on the flat until his move and comes here off a 169-day break. However, he has a really good record when fresh and remains thoroughly unexposed over timber. He looks the value play against the Irish raider and top weight Colonel Mustard and Tritonic. The last named has been given a real chance by the handicapper on his return to the minimum distance.
The Listed Premier Chase at 3.35 has only attracted a disappointing entry of five for the prize money, but offers a huge chance to EMPIRE STEEL to enhance his already cracking course record. The selection has only raced twice in the past 12 months, but I thought that there was plenty to like about his 10 of 12 in a class two handicap chase at Sandown Park last time out when he ran in need of the race. That day he was very keen, but despite expending plenty of energy was still in with a chance approaching the third last before those exertions began to tell.
Sure to strip fitter for that run and back at his favourite track I think he is a sporting bet at a double figure price against Grand National bound Le Milos and Zanza; the latter more likely to run at Newbury.
There is a moderate turn out of just the eight horses for Doncaster’s big event, the Grimthorpe Chase at 3.35.
Good ground is the big factor at the Town Moor track and that should suit the old boy Windsor Avenue who has been given a massive chance off a mark of 140, but I just wonder if the eight-year-old NEVILLE’S CROSS is even better handicapped. He won off a mark of 137 at Bangor last season, but after a series of uninspiring efforts he gets to run off a rating of 134 here. A clear round will see him go very close here at the main expense of Castle Robin and Cooper’s Cross.
Of the supporting races on the card, AUBIS WALK has the potential to improve past her five rivals in the Listed Mare’s Novice Hurdle at 2.40. The step up to three miles for the first time since her point to point days should see her take the necessary step forward here. With the blinkers on for the first time, old boy SIROBBIE may bounce back to form in the staying hurdle at 3.50, while the Alan King trained THUNDER AHEAD will do for me off his low mark and on spring ground in the finale at 4.25.
At Newbury, former Gold Cup winners DE RASHER COUNTER and Cloth Cap return to the scene of their big days in the sun in the veterans chase which opens up the Berkshire card at 1.40. The former is just preferred having shown a glimmer of his old ability at Warwick in November. The run of the race didn’t suit him at Uttoxeter last time out and I confidently expect the hugely underrated Tom Bellamy to make plenty of use of him on his beloved good ground.
JAY BEE WHY (nap) simply didn’t get home over three miles last time out at the track and the return to an extended two and a half at 2.10 in a seniors handicap hurdle looks made to measure for him, while the feature Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase (2.45) could well go the way of course specialist ZANZA. He has quite an incredible record at the track and despite the Grade Two Denman Chase falling apart around him, he was still mightily impressive and I fancy that he will be able to defy an uplift to 158 to see off his six rivals here.
Under the lights at Wolverhampton, the opening fillies’ handicap at 5.30 can go the way of VICTORIA FALLS off a lowly mark of 60, but an even better wager could come in the form of LE BAYOU in the basement grade extended mile handicap due off at 6.00. Despite the fact that the six-year-old is only 1-36 in his career, he has very rarely had the conditions to show his best form, a fast pace over an extended mile, but there seems to be enough speed on here and I will be having a lumpy each-way play on the six-year-old bay gelding as he gets to run off a career low mark of 46 with Lewis Edmunds up top.
