A sharp right handed track where they always seem to be turning and suits a nippy prominent type athletic horse rather than a big longer striding horse who needs to be stoked up.

 

 

Long Distance races can throw up some strange results here as it's a long way to hold a position and pace and getting the timing fractions right is very difficult.

 

Collite Eile is probably the one they all have to beat here, from the Fergal O'Brien yard, up a few pounds and very solid but I'm keen to take it on in terms of market value. March Is On from the Jonjo yard would be the most likely to take the favourite on in terms of form, is below last win mark which is at Southwell, another tight turning track off a mark of 108, I'm never keen on the validity of form there though and the glaring gap in this horses form cv is success right handed, so for that reason I'm happy to take it on.The Tin Miner completes a trio near the top of the market who are all very obvious dangers, very solid in the grade a Distance winner but best form at this trip would be on better ground than this and for that reason may be vulnerable.

 

I've probably mentioned the winner there and if not Certainly Red is another to fear , last 3 runs have been very solid if not threatening a win and the horse seems stuck on a mark of 108 and probably needs a few pounds off the handicapper. I don't think 6/1 offers scope or each way value off this mark. 

 

My pair against the field with sporting each way bets at nice prices are CROWN HILL who we mentioned last time as one of those to follow on its next run. It duly ran a better race that day finishing 4th at 33/1 and remains very interesting off this kind of mark going right handed on a flat and easy track. It's not that price today but still good value and looks ready to come on a bit more for that last run and may have been nicely placed here. 

 

The other at bigger odds is JAMESAINTPATRICK who is a 3 mile P2P winner on soft, won at Warwick over 2 miles 5 furlongs last December off a mark of 106 where it travelled noticeably well into the race, made a small error jumping, but still had the heart to gamely hold on. It's had 2 runs and now steps up to this trip off a mark of 110 and I think worth a small interest.

 

Again plenty at the head of the market that looks very solid but may not be great value.

 

Project Mars a Course and Distance winner for Fergal O'Brien is the one they all have to beat and IF you want a win saver on something in the race I would not put you off. My main niggle is that it's recent best form has been on Good Going although it did have a few decent runs on softer/heavy Going when with Nick Gifford.

 

Dragonfruit also won last time, a Chase and is back over hurdles, this former 3 mile P2P winner has been kept to minimum trip under Rules, should have no stamina issues but at the very short price is less likely to win than Project Mars in my mind. Another who won last time out, springing a shock is Classic Time for Claire Dyson. It's not a great piece of form but the horse is still well handicapped and is wonderfully inconsistent. The double figure Odds are very tempting in some way and will be "one of those that got away" feelings if it did a double, but all past evidence suggests not a horse to trust!

 

Frisco Bay for Jonjo has had a few glimmers of good form, a 3 mile P2P recruit who could pop up soon, I'll take the chance its not today and the same applies to Kim Baileys horse the top weight Adjourned who seems to need to find its optimum trip and conditions. Either of those would be ones to add to the very long "danger list"; as is Shanroe Tic Tec a recent runner up..

 

My idea of value though and worth a small investment is LADY SALLY, a P2P winner over 2 miles and 4 furlongs and could be a canny recruit for Alistair Ralph who specialises in such types. I noted this one running strongly into contention up the hill at Leicester before clouting 2 out and losing momentum. That should have put it spot on for this and the P2P form is interesting and a horse I think who could be running off a handicap mark that can be exploited and may be a bit over generous.