By Charlie McCann
An excellent card of summer jumping brings further opportunity for AP McCoy to enter the winners’ enclosure after his excellent start to the new season. The Champion Jockey rode 15 winners last week and started the week with a double at Huntingdon on Monday and likely to add to his tally with Ever So Much (2.10) for Brian Haslam in the opener. McCoy guided the selection to victory last week at Sedgefield when making a mockery of his first start on handicap chase company and under a 7lb penalty is a confident selection.
Nicky Henderson‘s Heronry (2.40) looks a cut above the quartet for the novices” chase, last of three when last seen here in July but impressive two starts back when routing a good field at Worcester. The 6-y-o remains the least exposed of the four and can return to winning ways providing his jumping holds up his regular partner David Bass in the plate.
The feature handicap hurdle can go to Franklin Roosevelt (4.45) with jockey Tom Scudamore likely to be handy on the 8-y-o who is visored for the first time. The selection made all two starts back at Newton-Abbot and after disappointing over fences last month at Worcester, reverts back to the smaller obstacles. The gelding was a scorer over course and distance last season and can bounce back to continue the fine form of the David Pipe stable at the expense of Jonjo O’Neill’s well-handicapped Listen and Learn.
Brian Ellison’s Admiral Hawke (3.40) defied a penalty to win well last week at Sedgefield and gets the nod in the novices’ hurdle on the card in what looks on paper a two-horse race with Peter Bowen’s Rolling Maul. Both concede weight to the field with Ellison’s charge receiving 7lb from his main rivals and given the nod to land the hat-trick under Danny Cook.
A mixed-card at Lingfield can bring success for Her Majesty the Queen with Kinematic (2.00) sure to go close for Andrew Balding and Ryan Moore in the opener. Despite finishing a disappointing third last time out at Sandown the filly is related to plenty of winners and put in her best effort to date on her sole outing over this trip.
Kieren Fallon gets the ride on Shama’s Crown (5.05) in the feature ten furlong handicap with Jeremy Noseda’s filly expected to continue her upward curve on her handicap beau. The selection ran an excellent second behind Luca Cumani‘s subsequent winner Pleasant Valley and learnt from that experience when winning cosily last time out at Windsor. The daughter of New Approach has both the pedigree and the talent to be much better than that of an 81-rated handicapper and can land this en-route to some valuable black-type thereafter.
The Noseda yard can double with Commandaria (6.10) at this evening’s twilight card at Kempton Park bidding to make it third time lucky under Silvestre De Sousa. The Smart Strike filly ran an excellent second over course and distance last month when bumping into a smart one for Ed Dunlop and a replication of that level of form can see her get the better of Charlie Appleby’s stoutly-bred Emirates Joy.
For all the latest odds and more head to BetVictor.com
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