A competitive midweek Warwick card and a good 3m Chase the feature with American Legend able to race off the same mark as when runner up at Worcester on ground, arguably, softer than ideal last time. The 7-year-old will appreciate returning to a sound surface but I am going to take a chance on Horatio Hornblower (4.20) who is rated 7lbs lower over fences than timber yet has the scope to make his mark over the larger obstacles and ran well on his first start at 3m when a close fourth at Newbury back in the spring.
Off The Ground has been given a chance by the handicapper but his stamina is a concern and a bigger danger is likely to come from Gallery Exhibition representing the red-hot yard of Kim Bailey who, at the time of writing, have had three winners from their last five runners.
At Bangor Valadom (4.00) runs under a 7lbs penalty having made all at Worcester on Friday in the manner of a progressive young chaser. He has been raised 12lbs by the handicapper and is thus 5lbs well-in despite the penalty and he is taken to follow up.
Donald McCain like having winners at his local track and his Witness In Court ran well at Stratford last time but a bigger danger might be the mare Faustina Pius who is on a hat-trick having won her last two races at Stratford. She is 17lbs higher than for the first of those successes and this looks a more competitive heat.
In the handicap hurdle over the minimum trip Triple Eight is another who is “well-in” as the handicapper has raised the novice 3lbs for finishing runner up at Uttoxeter last time but he can race off his unrevised mark until the weekend. He must run well but preference is for McCain’s Prince Khurram (3.25) who drops back in trip having scored at Sedgefield from a 2lbs lower mark last time under today’s conditional.
At Beverley Absolute Zero (2.00) is taken to go one better than when runner up at Sandown last time for Roger Varian. The son of Cape Cross holds an entry in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster later in the month and is taken to fulfil the promise of his latest start when he was well backed.
There is plenty of stamina in the pedigree of Vanishing (4.10) who is taken to improve for the step up to 2m for the first time. The filly chased home a well-handicapped sort at Bath on her last start staying on well over 13f on that stiff track and she can race off the same mark this afternoon. Graham Lee takes the ride and she can foil the hat-trick seeking Night Generation who is 6lbs higher than winning a poor polytrack handicap over today’s trip. The runner up finished last at Ayr on Monday and is likely to go off a false price given he is trained by Sir Mark Prescott.
Over to Clonmel and I was taken with the success of Colms Dream (4.45) at Roscommon earlier in the week and I’m not surprised to see Karl Thornton try and follow up under his capable young pilot with a 6lbs penalty. Ruby Walsh rides Old Castletown for Father Ted and he looks the danger having won well for the same combination at Tramore back in August but if Colms Dream is in the same mood and jumps with the same fluency as on Monday he will be hard to peg back.
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