Well there was not much to be said for my selections last night with some pretty disappointing performances. Oh well, as someone once famously said tomorrow is another day!
I will start tonight’s preview with a look at the Bangor 2.00, a handicap chase over an extended 3 miles which will be a test of stamina in heavy ground. The pair at the top of the weights, Nenuphar Collonges and Mr Strachan both stay well and are generally sound jumpers, albeit that the Alan King horse can be a little over cautious at his obstacles. He is 14 lbs well in on his chase mark compared to his hurdles rating and should go well. He has winning form on soft ground. Mr Strachan acts on heavy as well and these two would be my fancies for this race. Another to consider would be the grey Bob Bob Bobbin who won this race in 2006 and is not badly handicapped.
Alan King’s Black Jacari is likely to start favourite in the 2.35. He should win but on a cautionary note he has finished runner up on both his starts over hurdles so far and was favourite on both occasions.
In the 3.10 Grizebeck could be an interesting runner. He used to be trained by Roger Fisher but is now with Nicky Richards. Connections paid £75,000 to secure this 4 times winner on the flat and he has the right credentials to make a hurdler. On the flat he won the Pontefract Marathon over 2 miles 5 and a half furlongs so the 2 miles 1 over hurdles tomorrow may be a bit sharp for him. The ground should be really testing though so his stamina may well come into play. He does have winning form on the flat on soft ground.
Micheal Flips made a very favourable impression when winning on his hurdles debut at Stratford. This former Irish points winner reappears in the Kempton 12.20 tomorrow and he looks a horse to follow.
Recent Exeter winner Shalone runs for Alan King in the 1.05. He may have been a fortunate winner as his main rival fell at the last flight and in all probability Shalone would otherwise have had to settle for the runners up spot. He shoulders a penalty for that win and will need to improve to defy it, which of course he may well be able to do.
The 2.15 looks quite a competitive handicap hurdle. Middleton Dene had some good form last season but as a result is on a mark of 141. Connections have the option of fences but he is not over big so clearly they are seeing how competitive he will be off this mark over hurdles first. There might be a doubt about his ability to act of very testing ground. Ringaroses had something of a troubled passage before he was pulled up on his chasing debut at Ascot on the first of the month. He reverts to hurdles tomorrow. He was a progressive, if somewhat fragile hurdler and if none the worse for his last race he would come into the reckoning. I respect both these two but for my selection I am going for the course and distance winner Duc de Regniere. The stable are bang in form and won this race last season.
There is a small but quality field for the 2.50. I’msingingtheblues put in a slick round of jumping when winning on his debut over fences and if he can reproduce that sort of form will be hard to beat. The main danger may be Modicum, normally a sound jumper, who was an early faller on his last start at Ascot. Both I’singingtheblues and Modicum need decent ground.
Cruising River represents my list to follow in the 3.50. He may well be of interest later in the season but with the stable yet to really get going he is best watched for now.
My best offering at Fairyhouse is Smoking Aces in the 1.00. A bumper winner at Thurles he was 3rd at Naas on his hurdles debut and that run should put him spot on.
Today’s pictures are courtesy of the artist Alison Wilson.
ahorse 