The ground is described as soft for today’s Wincanton card and there is further rain forecast. Miles To Memphis is a horse who will do well this season and his current mark looks workable but I’m not convinced 2m 4f on testing ground will suit and the hope is that San Benedeto (1.50) is more amenable to restraint than he was on his reappearance when beaten 12L by Maputo who franked the form, despite suffering a career threatening injury, at Cheltenham at the weekend.
Despite the steadier of 11st 12lbs Alder Mairi (2.25) can go close in the following handicap chase. The mare is 19lbs lower over fences than she is over timber but will appreciate underfoot conditions, and Andrew Thornton knows her well having been in the saddle for two of her three career wins.
There are only four to post for the Mares’ Novices’ Chase but the quartet were all rated 129 or more over hurdles and it promises to be a most informative chase. Cresswell Breeze is entitled to come on for her Fontwell debut over the larger obstacles, but I was impressed with Blue Buttons (3.00) when she won a listed contest at Wetherby over hurdles last month and this winning point-to-pointer is taken to make all on a track that she scored over hurdles earlier in the year.
At Market Rasen Uhlan Bute is 4lbs well, in despite shouldering a 7lb penalty for last week’s Bangor success, given he has been raised 11lbs for that facile success when he gave the impression that he might be even better served by going right-handed.
The nod, however, goes to St Johns Point (1.00) who hinted that he would appreciate a drop in trip when finishing third off a 1lb higher mark at Worcester last month on his chase debut. The Charlie Longsdon horses haven’t exactly been setting the world alight of late, but the selection’s sole win came on soft ground at this trip over timber and he was a winner between the flags in his native Ireland.
I am a big fan of Work In Progress but he will do well to give 15lbs to Nicky Henderson‘s Clondaw Banker (2.05) in the feature race. The early tissue price I saw yesterday was 9/2 at BetVictor and he would rate a cracking each way bet at that price given he is unexposed on soft ground at this trip. He is 5lbs well-in on official figures and has always been held in some regard at Seven Barrows.
It almost goes without saying that Willie Mullins has his string in rude health and I’m looking forward to the chase debut of Moyle Park (12.25) at Thurles who has been off the track since finishing third in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown the best part of 700 days ago. The gelding won his first three starts under rules including the Champion Bumper at Punchestown back in 2013 and, as long as he settles after his long lay-off, he can make a winning start over fences.
Sir Des Champs, runner up in the 2013 Gold Cup, also returns from a long absence but I have always felt he was at his best going left-handed and I am going to take a chance on Lyreen Legend (12.55) another coming back from a long lay-off. The selection has only raced once since finishing a close fourth in the Gold Cup of 2014, was an impressive winner over timber here on his sole start around this tight track and has run well fresh in the past.
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