The ground everywhere is slowly turning from dead winter ground to something more approaching Good to Soft and there are a few horses in here who will very much welcome that.

 

The top of the market is dominated by the "odds on" Hipop Des Ongrais, I'm not sure that an Handicap Hurdle win off 88 and a Chase win off 94 at Fontwell and a revised mark of 102 here warrants such confidence so very keen to take this one on. Limetree Boy for Jonjo made a promising handicap Chase debut finishing 3rd off a mark of 114 and whilst that actually seems promising and the horse has every chance I'm not overkeen on that one either at the price.

 

AMENON for the Nicholls yard looks like a bit of value early doors it drops in trip, will appreciate the Going and although one of the lesser lights in the Yard it can surely nick a small race, especially if it just tidies up uts jumping and that's something you'd be pretty sure they are addressing at Ditcheat.

 

Skinflint steps up in grade forHenry Oliver and it'll be interesting to see how it copes with that,Seven No Trumps drops back from 3 miles, if it can recapture the Novice chase form after a wind operation it will be a handful but until we see how physically well the horse is he's probably best watched if feared. Thomas McDonagh has best form on heavier Going than this and although dropping in Grade may need the rain to return.

 

Ballinsker would be VERY dangerous on genuinely Good or even Spring type Good to Soft going it won last April over Course and Distance off a mark of 111, has also won off 107 and runs off 116 here, just a bit too early for me in terms of Spring ground so I've added this one to the TRACKER to keep a very close eye on.

 

At nice each way Odds though I think that both DO IT FOR THY SEN who runs for Kerry Lee and whose last win was off a mark of 106 (also won off 99 and 104) and who ran 3rd in this race last year off a mark of 105 could now be primed fitness wise to run a much better race off a mark of 106 and DUC BE BEAUCHENE for the Pipe Team who has a Course and Distance win off 126 but whose sketchy jumping makes it a hostage to fortune has also come down to a mark where you have to balance that against the fact that if it gets round it really is a bit of a handicap blot.