This afternoon's turf card at Taunton has been abandoned but the prospect of racing at both Huntingdon and Doncaster looks promising with ground at the latter currently described as ‘good-to-soft, soft in places' and 74 runners declared for today's seven-race card. Alan King recently enjoyed a red letter day on Town Moor two weeks ago with Ziga Boy's success in the Great Yorkshire Chase completing an across-the-card five-timer for the Master of Barbury Castle and can taste further success with Willoughby Hedge (1.15) in the opening 3m Handicap Chase. The selection came unstuck on his debut over the larger obstacles but bettered that last time out at Warwick when chasing-home Anthony Honeyball's progressive As De Fer on ground softer than ideal. Conditional jockey Tom Bellamy remains excellent value for his 3lb claim and he boasts obvious claims from an unrevised mark of 120.
The pair team-up with Kerrow in the Novices' Hurdle over two and a half miles and is respected after a promising run when well-supported last time out at Ascot. He will similarly appreciate the forecast better ground but so will Nicky Henderson's Newsworthy (1.45) who gets the nod to shed the maiden tag over timber at the second time of asking.
The well-bred son of Presenting made a promising debut over hurdles when fourth in a warm race at Cheltenham in the autumn and should strip fitter to go close under Barry Geraghty.
Geraghty travels to South Yorkshire for the ride aboard JP McManus's Winter Escape (2.20) in the 2m Novices' Hurdle and is a confident selection to follow-up his recent course and distance success under a penalty. The gelding cost connections €52,000 at the sales and looked an exciting prospect when defying signs of greenness to make a winning debut under Wayne Hutchinson. Success this afternoon could potentially tee up a crack at the Cheltenham Festival and BetVictor make the 5-y-o a 33/1 chance for Supreme Novices' Hurdle success at next month's greatest show on turf.
Paul Nicholls' Baouolet Delaroque (1.35) scored for column readers last week at Wincanton and should be able to follow-up under a penalty at Huntingdon. The selection bolted-up by eight lengths under Sam Twiston-Davies on his handicap debut and looks well treated under a 7lb penalty with his official rating due to go up by 15lb when re-assessed next week.
A field of six go to post for the feature Sidney Banks Listed Hurdle over two and a half miles with Minella Awards a fascinating runner for the Nicky Henderson yard. The form of his second behind Champers on Ice has worked out well and he is entitled to build on that promising hurdles debut, however he may come unstuck with the pair of North Hill Harvey and Ma Du Fou two exciting novices for the Dan Skelton and Warren Greatrex yards respectively.
The former has to concede 4lb to the Greatrex charge, which should tip the balance in favour of Ma Du Fou (3.05) who can complete the hat-trick under Gavin Sheehan. The selection made a winning debut in a Wetherby bumper but was unable to shed the maiden tag over timber when placed in Novice Hurdles at Wetherby and Bangor over two and two and a half miles. He has looked a different proposition this term, winning by six and ten lengths in comfortable victories at Ffos Las and Bangor respectively and should prove even better now stepping up in trip. The 6-y-o is 66/1 with BetVictor for next month's Neptune Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and will likely be half that with listed success this afternoon.
Greatrex and Sheehan can double-up with Milanese Queen (4.50) in the 2nd division of the Mares' Bumper. The selection was well-backed when disappointing on last season's debut at Fakenham when running as if amiss and can make amends in this afternoon's finale.
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