Ayr’s meeting this afternoon has been abandoned with weekend storm’s causing structural damage to the track’s buildings. With the weather forecast unlikely to improve clerk of the course Emma Marley deemed the track too unsafe, leaving this afternoon sole jump meeting at Plumpton.
Jebril sets a fair standard in the opener and was far from disgraced last time out in the Ladbroke Hurdle at Ascot however the unexposed Ryeolliean (1.20) gets the nod for team of Gary and Jamie Moore. The son of Haafhd was rated 76 on the flat and has shown glimpses of promise in his first two starts over timber, with the form of last month’s debut at Fontwell working out particularly well. He receives 18lb from Chris Gordon’s charge and that should tip the balance in his favour.
The pair can double up with De Blacksmith (3.35) who returns hurdling after an unsuccessful time over fences. The selection has disappointed in three starts since returning from a break however, that has seen the 7-y-o tumble down the weights as a result, falling to a career-low mark of 112 in the process. The gelding has scored at the track before and chased home subsequent G1-winning chaser Uxizandre in a handicap chase last year. The gelding is the sole runner in the field able to boast course-winning form and can return to winning ways sporting first-time cheek-pieces.
Tom Cannon enjoyed an extremely fruitful Saturday, winning on Alan King‘s Sego Success in Warwick’s Listed Novices’ Chase, earning a quote of 12/1 with BetVictor for the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Cannon can continue his excellent season when teaming up with Chris Gordon’s Tigre D’Aron (3.05) in the feature novices’ handicap chase over two and a half miles with the 8-y-o fancied to give weight and a beating to his four rivals.
The selection concedes upwards of 11lb to the field but is undoubtedly the classiest runner in the field, a six-figure purchase by Graham Wylie in 2010 and impressive in his stints with Howard Johnson and Paul Nicholls thereafter. He made a winning debut for the stable when winning over course and distance two starts ago and despite being pulled-up last time out, will handle conditions more than most and can defy an 11lb rise by the handicapper.
Should the national hunt action at Plumpton fall foul to the elements then there’s always racing on the all-weather from Wolverhampton, and Mick Appleby’s in-form Pearl Nation (2.55) fancied to land the feature 0-95 handicap. The 6-y-o returned from a short break to dot up in a warm Southwell handicap and followed-up by chasing home stablemate Starfield last Sunday at the same venue. He remains potentially well-treated to follow-up however with the Appleby stable operating at a 27% strike-rate thus far in 2015.
Another stable thriving since the turn of the year is Charlie Appleby and his well-bred Oasis Dream filly Beta Tauri (4.25) can land the 6f handicap under talented apprentice Alistair Rawlinson. The selection will need some luck in-running bidding to defy a wide berth in stall nine however she was well-backed on her handicap debut last time out at Kempton and is improving with every race. She can get off the mark at the fifth time of asking with Rawlinson’s 5lb claim hopefully seeing her get the better of handicap debutants Bracka Legend and Kodiac Legend.
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