Whilst this is very much still a "summer jumpers" race we will start to see the more traditional winter Jumpers come out and one thing we'll need to be very mindful of, and i'm sure will touch upon well into the start of the season proper is the impact the long hot summer may have had on the traditional Jumpers whose lack of turf gallop runs during the very hot spell when turf was very firm may be an early factor. It impacts a couple here.

 

It's a competitive 16 runner Conditional jockey's handicap and the one they all have to beat is the Twiston-Davies runner FINE BY ME.  It gets a 5lbs penalty for an impressive win over this trip at Bangor On Dee last time out and despite a 5lbs rise should take all the beating as it beat a very solid yardstick from the McCain yard that day, so I'll definitely recommend a Win Saver.

 

At the big priced end of the market, Mise Raftaire may be worth a £1 each way investment, this ex Irish horse hasn't yet delivered for Warren Greatrex but its best Irish run was over 3 miles and the trip may see some improvement and its one also the TRACK (add to Tracker) forwards. The same in terms of tracking applies to Top Drawer another from the 3 mile P2P fields and Winding Roe who has had one run after a 3 year break and Gentleman Valley (see below).

 

I noted Miss Bamy when finishing 3rd behind our 12/1 tip winner Sheila Nash at Worcester recently and it will again be a danger but i just have a niggle about the Going as there was a lot of rain in the area last week, so the Official description of "Good" may hide some softness in the ground. Robeam is a model of consistency and at around 10/1 would have been a tip but for fancying a pair a little more. For those who like to have a small extra punt based on analysis, this would be one to flag up. Gentleman Valley returns off 241 days for Ben Pauling and has won off an almost identical break before over shorter but I just have a hunch it'll come on for this (see above re Tracking it).

 

Both Dreamweaver and Balearic are ex Flat types who are upped in trip and whilst they both clearly have ability you'd have to suspect that on pedigree this will stretch them beyond their comfort zone if they go at any kind of genuine pace. The Questioner is a 3 mile P2P recruit and its upped 4lbs for a win which was 166 days ago and at the price I'd rather be on the favourite to be honest.

 

My pair against the field though are MILANESE ROSE and HANA COLLONGES.

 

MILANESE ROSE showed promise upped to this trip in the Spring and the Mulhollan horses are stripping fit enough coming out fresh, it could be an improving horse and at a very generous early price I'm happy to speculate it'll be fit enough to do itself justice.

 

HANA COLLONGES won impressively off 86 at FFos Llas in May for the Henderson yard, he's not sending out many yet but those that are are running very well. This one then flopped here over Course and Distance after running well for a long way last time out. There was no actual explanation for that but it was a very hot day I recall and that may explain the poor run. The fact they come back here suggests there are no concerns re the Course being suitable and based on the penultimate run and at again very generous early odds, I'm happy to take a chance.

 

TRACKERS - Milanese Rose + Hana Collonges (win saver - Fine by Me / £1 each way Mise Raftaire)