The best race at Fakenham tomorrow is the 2.30 which looks to be between West End Rocker and Hora. The former is having his 3rd run over fences and the form of those first two efforts looks pretty solid. At Chepstow on his chase bow he was a neck second to the useful Wichita Lineman who has won since beating Pancake who has also won since (I hope you are following this!) In that Chepstow race Big Fella Thanks was 3rd and he has also well and truly franked the form. West End Rocker perhaps ran a little below that form on his next run when 3rd at Cheltenham but he was only a neck behind Big Fella Thanks despite not jumping fluently. Hora is an admirable mare that I have followed on the flat and over hurdles. She has been most consistent throughout her career and stays well so this trip should hold no fears. I would have to give West End Rocker the edge though on the basis of his experience over fences.
Mahonia will be long odds on to land the 3.00 while Hello Moscow looks interesting in the 3.35. He supplied AP McCoy with his 2,999th winner the other day at Plumpton and tomorrow has a very useful 7 lbs conditional jockey on board.
Turning to the meeting at Sandown Nudge and Nurdle represents my list to follow in the 2.35 but he comes from a stable that is struggling for winners and I will give him a miss this time.
The Royal Artillery Gold Cup at 3.10 may well go to the favourite Bannister Lane. I am going to take a chance with the outsider Cruising River though. He is trained by Jamie Snowden who has won this race 4 times in the last 6 seasons as a jockey. Cruising River will be ridden by the very capable Lucy Horner tomorrow and she has ridden the winner of this race before.
Sangfroid doesn’t look the easiest of rides but he did stay on in the closing stages to grab the runners up spot at Wincanton on his last start. He gave the impression that ne needs a bit further and tackles an extra half mile tomorrow in the 4.20. He has an each way chance.
With the Grand National weights just published I thought I would feature a picture of last year’s winner Comply or Die on his way to victory at Aintree. The picture is by kind permission of the artist Katie Scorgie. I should also mention that the picture was used for the 2008 Spinal Injuries Association Christmas card
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