Fine Form
New Order WA – 4.30
faces his easiest task for some time and can get back to winning ways in the JCB Handicap Chase at Warwick.
Without a success this season, the only time he has finished outside the first three was on his seasonal return at Bangor when the ground was too soft.
Admittedly he was beaten a long way into third in the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster last time out, but the three and a quarter miles there allied with ground much softer than expected stretched his stamina to the limit.
Prior to that he had gone close behind Herakles Westwood at Cheltenham and been placed in the Great Yorkshire Chase.
It is that Cheltenham run which is his standout piece of form, and that crucially came on the fastest ground he has encountered all season so this looks a good bit of placing by Charlie Longsdon in a valuable race.
Nick Scholfield and Freddie Keighley celebrated the biggest winner of their respective fledgling careers on Saturday when Queenie St Clair won a #100,000 pot at Kelso.
They are teaming up once more with
Junior Des Mottes WA – 2.58
in the JCB Mini-Excavator Novices’ Limited Handicap Hurdle, who is sporting first-time blinkers.
Scholfield has shown on numerous occasions this season that he is adept at improving horses who have joined him with low handicap marks and this looks another.
Jedd O’Keeffe’s
Ip Up WA – 3.58
ran in France last time out but that failed to bring him an overdue win as he was second again at Fontainebleau.
That followed placed efforts at Ludlow, Haydock and Leicester but he is clearly still on good terms with himself and looks the one to beat in the Betano Boosted Odds Every UK Race Mares’ Handicap Hurdle.
Paul Nicholls has an interesting newcomer in the SIG Roofing Ltd Open National Hunt Flat Race at Chepstow in
Stick To The Board CP – 5.20
He fell at the last when holding every chance in an Irish point-to-point in November which it would be fair to say has worked out well.
The winner, Red Acres Max, has won a bumper for Jamie Snowden, second Soul Asylum has won at Punchestown for Gordon Elliott and the third won his next point.
Sir Alex Ferguson is among the owners who went to #215,000 for him at the sales so they will be looking for a bold show.
Chelsea Banham has worked wonders with
Combustion CC – 6.00
who has won seven of his last nine starts.
The way he won the most recent of them at Kempton suggested there was still a bit more in the locker and he can add the All Weather Handicap at Chelmsford to his record.
St Faz SO – 2.37
has found a new lease of life for Adrian Keatley on the Flat having been chasing for Gordon Elliott.
He won at Southwell and Lingfield 10 days apart and his victory on Friday came with the minimum of fuss.
As that was an apprentice race he escapes a penalty and Keatley showed with Aisling Oscar through the winter he is excellent at placing his horses to the best effect.
He should be very tough to beat in the Midnite, Building The Future Of Betting Handicap at Southwell.
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