Monthly Archives: October 2022

Maughold Head is a nice type who ran a promising race on debut in a Kelso bumper but then disappointed around here in May. He should improve for this race in which the favourite will be hard to beat but we do expect a decent run from him first time over hurdles.

Tfou ran well in all his races last season without managing a win. He starts off chasing in a novice handicap with top-weight, but it's only the fourth race of his career. If he meets the first few fences well and gets into a good position he should be all right and go very close.…

Hard Iron has been disappointing so far, not living up to expectations in his novice runs and looking rather slow. He starts handicapping off a lowly mark and should appreciate going half a mile further. We'll see how we go.

Shinobi unseated at Fontwell on Wednesday but won the race without a jockey!. This is not a great race, hence the quick return, while the track should suit. Place chances if all goes well this time.

Peking Rose ran in strong novice company all last season, winning one at Newbury by a wide margin. His final seventh of 21 here in a Grade 3 handicap at the Grand National meeting was creditable and a subsequent wind-operation should be beneficial. Hopeful of a nice comeback performance.

Honor Grey was very progressive in his novice season, winning two and then running a good third when favourite for his last run at Worcester in May where a last-flight mistake didn't help. He can still progress from his mark of 120 and while he can improve for the first run, with the horses going…

This is where the in-form summer jumpers test their present well-being with the emerging and better-class winter types just coming to the start of their campaigns. We run two in this amateurs' race, both with recent wins on the board and now trying further to see if that ekes out improvement. Anightinlambourn has the benefit…

It is hard to know where we are with Leading Theatre who has struggled the last twice after winning a mares' novice hurdle in the summer. The increase in trip will help and she is in good form but she could probably do with some help from the handicapper.

Age Of Illusion makes his debut over fences in this novice handicap. He jumps well and should run his race but his big weight possibly could scupper his chances.

Promoting has been kept to all-weather so far this year with the ground riding fast everywhere for most of the season. Now we have some give, he could come back to the good form of his second at Kempton last backend. His mark has slipped and I rate him a decent each-way chance today.

After his claimer win at Leicester, Bearaway ran no sort of race at Pontefract but then his inexperienced girl rider found plenty of trouble before finishing third at Haydock. Tom Marquand takes the ride now and Bearaway goes there with an obvious chance.

We have to assume Larry Looby may have come towards the end of his winning spell with the ground about to change and his mark considerably higher than when the sequence started. That said, the ground today will have been tightened by the windy conditions and we are hoping for what will probably be one…

Tea For Free made an impressive start to chasing with an all-the-way win at Huntingdon in May and has not been over-handicapped on that. He is ready for a good run on this comeback and while there are one or two to think about, he looks the horse to beat.

Inflagrante is a good horse at home but he has never replicated that talent on the racecourse. He needs to show something today otherwise he will be looking for a new life away from racing. He has, as they say, been frustrating in the extreme.

Court Dreaming has been a bit up and down but on his day he can be quite useful. He is in excellent form at home and if he can get into a rhythm with his jumping he might not be too far away at the finish.

Mulberry Hill was becoming rather expensive to follow during the summer. We've since given her a wind-op and hopefully that will help make her competitive in this tricky conditional riders' race.

Mac Suibhne won a hurdle for us in good style last season and now turns to chasing having had experience in Irish points. A good starting point.

Beach Buoy is a nice Footstepsinthesand gelding making his debut tonight. He will benefit from the experience.

I thought Caius Marcius was a veteran until I looked at today's top-weight who is two years older and gives him 15lb! We're at the right end of the handicap and he's been in great form. The ground and trip are fine so I'm hopeful he'll be back in the winner's enclosure again today.