Attentions will soon turn to Aintree and Willie Mullins‘ Boston Bob (33s from 40 at BetVictor) is the market mover for the Crabbies Grand National; the 11-year-old has stamina to prove (yet to win beyond an extended 3m) but has a touch of class and looks to have been laid out for the contest having bypassed Cheltenham.
The current dry spell is due to break with a band of rain due to hit Britain during Thursday/Friday and showers are forecast at Ludlow for their seven race card.
The mare Storming Strumpet is one to consider especially if the rain arrives in the Novices’ Handicap Chase but preference is for Oficial Ben (3.05) near the foot of the weights for Jonjo O’Neill. The selection is s a winning p-t-pointer and ran a decent race when runner up at Catterick when last seen in December. He remains lightly raced, his point win came on good ground and he could be well handicapped with his regular rider taking off 7lbs.
The feature race is a £20k Handicap Chase over the minimum trip and last year’s winner Arkaim is only 7lbs higher than winning the corresponding 12 months ago for Pam Sly. The 8-y-old is tried in a hood for the first time for his current yard and should go close.
The vote, in a wide open contest, goes to Artifice Sivola (4.15) for Lucy Wadham; the selection ran well on ground slightly softer than ideal at Newbury earlier in the month and has been dropped a pound by the handicapper.
The finish of the Hunter Chase can be fought out by two teenagers with Shoreacres (4.50) just getting the vote over Pearlysteps. The selection was well backed on his return here over 2m 4f and looked in need of a return to today’s 3m trip. He finished behind Grandioso on that occasion but the latter has stamina to prove.
No such problems for Pearlysteps but both his recent wins have come on soft or heavy ground and it is just possible that is the rain stays away Shoreacres might have his legs around this tight track.
At Wolverhampton connections of Intermittent will be desperate to get a win next to her name for breeding purposes but she has already had her limitations exposed and Mary Beale (5.40) is certainly bred for the job and can make a winning debut.
It should be noted that the filly is named after a 17th Century English portrait painter and not a distant relative of Ian from Eastenders! The filly is well drawn in stall 2, cost 190,000Gns as a foal and is a half-sister to six previous winners.
At Chepstow Silver Eagle (3.50) would not want further rain but he is taken to get his career back on track for Kim Bailey. As a son of Presenting he should appreciate today’s forecast good ground and he went off a well-backed 4/1 joint favourite for a better race than this on good ground back in November from a 12lbs higher mark. He was reported to have burst a blood vessel on that occasion but he is fitted with both a tongue tie and cheek-pieces this afternoon in what looks last chance saloon.
