Wetherby‘s first jumps card of the season and their feature Bobby Renton Chase is an absolute cracker. Upepito has left Venetia Williams for the yard of Dan Skelton who have a reputation of improving horses from other yards; often considerably.
That said the ground is drying out all the time in west Yorkshire and that might not suit the Skelton horse although he is one to consider on softer ground going forward. Village Vic goes well fresh but he has often flattered to deceive and he is another best watched on this occasion.
Distime has left John Quinn and was sold for only £4,000 back in the spring for his new yard; he can go well fresh but is 8lbs higher than when winning at Sedgefield back in November. The vote goes to last year’s winner Foundation Man (3.50) with a visor back on having worn cheek-pieces on his last couple of starts. The selection was one of four winners on the corresponding card for Jonjo O’Neill 12 months ago and is 5lbs lower this time around. Noel Fehily takes the ride and he must go close in a competitive event.
Spirit Of Shankly makes his Chase debut in the Novices’ Chase for Charlie Longsdon and the 7-y-old has won first time out for the last three seasons. He and Southfield Royale are likely to head the market but there could be value elsewhere with Twelve Roses and The Grey Taylor (2.40) also making their chase debuts.
Twelve Roses has not been seen out since finishing 10l behind this year’s Champion Hurdler Faugheen in the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2014. That is obviously outstanding form but the Kim Bailey yard have had one or two disappoint of late and he is best watched unless the market says otherwise.
The vote goes to the Brian Ellison 6-y-old who has never been out of the first two in three starts at Wetherby and is a winning point-to-pointer in his native Ireland. Connections have always thought he would make a better chaser than hurdler and he gets his chance in another top class race.
Potters Corner (3.15) should be up to giving weight and a beating to his eight rivals in the Novices’ Hurdle but winning Irish pointer Dalia Pour Moi comes all the way up from Somerset with Village Vic and is one to note for a market move.
Walk On Al reverts to timber after a modest first season chasing for Dan Skelton; he could be very well handicapped but my two against the field in the 2m 6f Handicap Hurdle are Rival D’Estruval and Racing Europe (4.25) with preference for the latter. The selection is likely to go chasing this winter but connections must feel he is on a winnable looking mark over timber.
At Worcester Be On Time (2.50) has his first start for Jamie Snowden and could be well treated on his British debut given he already has lots of chase experience for a 4-y-old in France. The yard can double up with recent Chepstow Bumper winner Fact Of The Matter (4.00) who will appreciate this 2m 4f trip on his first start over timber.
On the level at Nottingham and Hereawi (2.30) is taken to go one better than when runner up at HQ on debut. A daughter of the stable’s Oaks winner Look Here she has an excellent draw and is entitled to improve for her debut when the penny dropped too late. There are some beautifully bred fillies in opposition and this is another excellent midweek contest.
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