Beaten Supreme Novice Hurdle favourite Getabird showed his Cheltenham running to be all wrong when running out an impressive winner of a Fairyhouse Grade 2 on Monday and he was cut to 14/1 (from 20s) for the 2019 Champion Hurdle at Betvictor. The suggestion is that he is a better horse going right-handed, however, and the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton looks a more realistic target.
No turf racing in Britain again today after Catterick was abandoned yesterday, but we have good all-weather cards at Lingfield this afternoon and Kempton this evening to look forward to.
In the 7f handicap for three-year-olds Insurgence is a fascinating contender for the inform James Fanshawe making his seasonal reappearance having scored over C&D in a Nursery from an 8lbs lower mark back in October. He must go well but marginal preference is for Flavius Titus (2.45) who won a Kempton maiden on his final juvenile start back in November and represents the yard of Roger Varian.
In the 6f Fillies’ Handicap Kath’s Lustre (3.15) was a bit too keen to do herself justice at Kempton coming back from a two-month break 12 days ago, but the hope is that she is more amenable to restraint this afternoon. Handicap debutantes Faay and Haylah would be of interest if the market spoke in their favour.
Interlink has his first start for Michael Bell and must have every chance in the 7f Handicap for older horses, but Frozen Lake (4.45) has been running consistently well of late and the hope is that the first-time cheek-pieces can eke out a bit of improvement. The selection is partnered by talented 5lbs claimer Rossa Ryan and has a good draw in stall three.
At Kempton Losingmyreligion (6.15) has his first start since winning over C&D for Marco Botti from a poor draw back in November. The horse has been gelded in the interim period and there might be more to come from the son of Planteur who has an excellent draw in stall four.
Know Your Limit had a hugely frustrating three-year-old campaign but I am sure he can break his maiden tag this year although it might not be this evening. Mordin (6.45) won his sole start over a mile at Lingfield back in December and travelled like a decent animal. James Doyle takes over in the saddle and I am looking forward to seeing his reappearance for Simon Crisford.
I was disappointed with the run of Tribal Warrior (7.15) at Wolverhampton last time but he clearly goes well at Kempton, having won over C&D back in February and has a good draw in stall three. James Tate has his string in good form and I am convinced the selection is better than he showed at Dunstall Park last time.
Richard Hannon has his string in top form and his Tig Tog and Revolutionary World of Crisford are big dangers in a competitive 3-y-old handicap.
A number of big yards are represented in the 11f handicap including Arctic Sea (8.15) of Paul Cole. The selection has not been on the track since the end of August but he is a course winner who has hinted that he could be ahead of the handicapper and gets a narrow vote in a cracking six-runner race.
In the finale, Iley Boy (9.15) has only been raised 3lbs for his recent C&D success and the 4-y-old might be able to defy the rise given he is in the form of his life at present.
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