This isn;t the toughest of tracks but it has a long run in although it does pay to race fairly prominently.

 

Defi Bleu made a promising reappearance for Gordon Elliott last time but is I think better at 3 miles than this extended trip, it won't harm it to have this run and one we'll come back to over shorter i'm sure in the near future. Spades Are Trumps was pulled up last year in this race, and is 5lbs higher in the handicap here with the ground a worry and I have stamina and race fitness concerns about Diol Ker. Siberian Prince is another who may not quite appreciate going this far in the mud but is in form and can't be easily discounted. Captain Kangaroo is interesting from the Mullins yard but is another who has yet to fully prove stamina over the trip and liking for deep winter ground. 

 

At big odds I'll throw a crafty £1 e/w on GLORIOUS GALWAY whose prominent running style could be ideally suited to the conditions and who has also often run well fresh, it'll need to off just shy of a 300 day break but at the price is one i think can surprise a few. MISTER FOGPATCHES was a remote 3rd in this last year when the front pair got away from the field and is an out and out plodder in the mud with stamina to go much further, if it turns out really attritional he could pick up some enhanced place money once again and is another who can run well enough fresh and is off a 202 day break.

 

At the favourites end of the market its really hard to pick between Recite A Prayer, Screaming Colours, BRAESIDE and DROMORE LAD and there is a bit of a curve ball for me in GLENLOE for Gordon Elliott who has taken a long time to really kick on but who is on an eyecatching weight and whose has plenty of stamina and if handling the ground looks one that may have been aimed at the race.

 

Recite A Prayer has a favourites chance but has so far been best at just short of this trip and on definitely better Going, Screaming Colors was runner up in this last year but is 16lbs higher following a win in the Midlands National at Uttoxeter whereas BRAESIDE who obliged last year with the pair well clear as we have said won off 133 and although 12lbs higher this time on 145 is better off with Screaming Colours. The mark is a niggle for BRAESIDE but I do think it's an Autumn horse on past evidence. DROMORE LAD won this in 2020 on soft Going and has since changed Yards, it needed a recent run but will benefit from it and is on a lovely mark 3lbs lower than the 2020 win if retaining the zest it had then.

 

GLENLOE is the curve ball off a lovely weight with assured stamina and it just depends on how sloshy it is (rain will actually help I think this morning as forecast) as opposed to dead and tacky ground.

 

 

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There are plenty here with chances but I'll focus more on the ones I really like.

 

The likes of Scaramanga, Jessie Evans, The Shunter, Flying Scotsman, Zoffman, Harrys Legacy, My Mate Mozzie, Dutch Schultz, Falcon Eight, Maze Runner and Dunvegan all have good chances on the form book but having considered the conditions, draw and trip, I simply think there are 3 others more suited on the day. Hopefully I've taken the right route as all of those have chances and will be tough opponents.

 

Peter Fahey prepared Dunvegan for this race last year and it finished 3rd off a mark of 79, it runs off 84 here but may need the run that it came here with last year, but I think he has prepared another one in DROP THE ANCHOR who is a decent hurdler and who has quietly been entered over the Flat and has had 3 run to get a Handicap mark for this. It looks to me like an engineered plot, how many others pick up on it I'm not sure so I'd grab the early price and try to BOG.

 

POWERFUL AGGIE was runner up in this last year off a mark of 91, runs off 89 and we know it can get the trip and handle conditions. THE VERY MAN is the most intriguing of the rest and has solid chances. I'd suggest a small e/w investment on first reserve LORD ERSKINE "with a run" as the price would certainly contract if anything pulled out in time for it to take its place.

 

TRACKERS - Powerful Aggie + Drop The Anchor / shrapnel - The Very Man (Lord Erskine - first reserve with a run)

 

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