This early season race will be ideally suited to those with some Course form and proven to be able to win or run well first time out. The meeting tends to be dominated at 3 year old level by Gosden and Hannon but other Trainers like Kevin Ryan, David O'Meara and Richard Fahey are worth noting here. I narrowed the field down to 6 and I think both NORMANDY BARRIERE and BURIDAN could run big races but they are at the limit of their handicap marks; of the pair Normandy Barriere makes the Tracker and worth a small bet. BLACKHEATH has won on firm and first time up and is a big danger but just not convinced turf is its surface and the same applies to DESERT DOCTOR, Ed Walker enlists Gerard Mosse, a bit of a marmite rider for me and the horse is fit from AW and Yard have a good record in this race.

 

My pair against the field though are TOMMY TAYLOR who ticks just about every box, had a promising run at Doncaster, good CD form, handles ground and the icing on the cake is return of cheek-pieces, I think they were left off last time as he just needed the run and they wanted the freshness out of him. The other obvious selection is GREEN POWER  has had a run too and also ticks every box and if those pair are not both placed at least I will be very disappointed, similarly if the winner and Tricast does not include the 6 in the short list.