Heavy rain forecast overnight but that is the last significant rain due ahead of next week’s Cheltenham Festival. We cut Victoria Pendleton from 7/4 to 6/4 to complete the course in the Foxhunters’ Chase on Friday after sustained support and it really would be a magnificent achievement if she and Pacha Du Polder got competitive but let’s hope they both get round safe and sound.
At Catterick the lightly-raced Casual Cavalier made an encouraging start to his chase career and is refitted with blinkers now that he has blown away the cobwebs; a market move would be significant but he doesn’t look the easiest of conveyances and preference is for Bollin Line (3.30) who is taken to confirm C&D running with Discoverie on 5lbs worse terms for a couple of lengths.
The selection was beaten 4L over C&D at the beginning of the month and can race from a 1lb lower mark this afternoon.
Carlton Ryan (4.30) was all out to land the odds at Leicester last month but had looked progressive in point-to-points previously and today’s step up in trip should suit in the Hunter Chase. It wasn’t much of a race he won at Leicester but he showed plenty of heart and is open to further improvement.
Kempton stage a cracking flat evening card with the feature being the valuable 10f handicap; Truth Or Dare is interesting stepping up to 10f for Willie Muir but I felt Razor Wind (6.10) shaped with considerable promise returning from a lay-off and gelding operation and can go one better for Charlie Appleby.
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