The ground is sure to be heavy and stamina will be at a premium at Towcester for this afternoon's six-race card. In the opener top-weight Chankillo is likely to go off favourite with Sam Twiston-Davies reunited with the chestnut who has won two of his last four starts including on soft ground at Market Rasen (7lbs higher today) last time.
Lurking near the foot of the weights, however, is It's Oscar (1.00) who went off as if his tail was on fire over 3m at Huntingdon last time and gave himself little chance of seeing out that trip. Back to the minimum trip, and with a tongue tie fitted for the first time in over two years, I hope to see the 9-year-old make a bold bid having been dropped 5lbs since his latest start.
Eminent Poet (1.35) has been raised 11lbs for his recent Taunton success but can race off the same mark today given that was a conditional jockey's contest and his new mark doesn't kick in until the weekend. He won't have things all his own way with four other last time out winners in the field, although two of those opponents are returning from a long lay-off.
Cloudy Bob is undoubtedly well handicapped on his best form but he only got as far as the fourth at Leicester last time and is best watched at present. Son Of Suzie (2.05) is another who invariably attracts market support but has shown enough over the larger obstacles to suggest he is up to winning a handicap off a mark 4lbs lower than at Cheltenham last time.
Pulling Power (2.35) drops back in trip for Kim Bailey having made a satisfactory debut over hurdles when runner up at Ludlow (2m 5f) last month. She never got her head in front in four Bumper starts but finished second on two occasions and ran well in the listed race at Cheltenham won by the promising Copper Kay earlier in the winter.
Paul Webber had a welcome winner at Ludlow earlier in the week and his September Blaze (3.05) ran a terrific race (beaten half a length) on her reappearance following a 631-day absence. The handicapper, surprisingly perhaps, has left the mare on the same mark and she is taken to go one better although she is a prime candidate for the dreaded bounce where horses do not follow up an excellent first effort coming back from a lengthy lay-off.
At Lingfield Mayasa has improved since being fitted with blinkers but her recent win was on fibresand and in his own first time blinkers The Plough (2.20) is taken to score on his handicap debut for Martyn Meade and Fergus Sweeney. The grey wasn't beaten far at Wolverhampton last time and is certainly bred to be better than his current mark of 66.
John Gosden's Kalkrand is likely to head the market but he pulled hard on his last start and will have to be more amenable to restraint if he is to get home stepped up in trip although his pedigree suggests it will suit.
Hayley Moore is the most experienced jockey in the finale for Lady Amateur Riders and her mount Captain Felix must go close but Amy Taylor has already ridden a winner and Commissar (3.50) can land the finale for Heather Dalton. The selection has been running well in defeat on fibresand of late, but might appreciate the return to polytrack and he has bits of form which suggest he is well handicapped at present.
