FFos Llas 12.50 - Novice Handicap Chase - Class 5 - 3 miles - 14 run - Soft

 

There are some nice second season and novice Chasers in here and a few with a bit more experience and some on Chase debut. As is the norm at this time a fair number on seasonal debut and we have to assess how fit they might be against past seasons and also to analyse how forward some Yards may be versus others. 

 

At the top end of the market, Monty's Soldier makes Chase debut but is a 3 mile P2P winner in Ireland, Hobbs Delight isn't entirely proven at the trip and Shalanavogy is a promising 2nd season Chaser but a 179 day absence just puts me off him today. At bigger prices, Wide To West who is a Course and Distance winner with a 7lbs penalty but off a 7 month break and Saxon Queen all of whose form is on Good ground, are live and genuine dangers not lightly discounted.

 

I narrowed my shortlist down to 3 horses.

 

Clear top 2 rated are BRIDGET MARY for Rebecca Curtis who seems to have her yard further forward than normal and this one really does tick all the boxes and has no excuse I can find for not putting up a bold show. WONDER OF THE SEAS for the Twiston Davies yard looks a nice prospect, has had a run and should be fit enough to really take a chance on here, my only niggle is a "PU" on it's only Course run but that did come at the end of a sequence of quite tightly packed races. 

 

If there is one at a bigger price to note and my 3rd rated (if we need a reserve) it would be The Scorpion King @ 11/1 , who may be ideally suited to a slog here more than most but who has a tendency to drop itself out and then run on, one to may be have a small "in running" punt on if it suddenly vanishes off the screen down the back second time round, as it can find a second wind and a wet sail! (Robin)

 

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FFos Llas 2.35 - Handicap Chase - Class 5 - 2 miles 3 and 1/2 furlongs - 14 run - Soft

 

Pep Talking at around 5/2 heads the market but carries a 7lbs penalty and probably prefers better ground. Peter Bowen enlists a 5lbs Claimer instead of either son on Lermoos Legend, a winner with a 7lbs penalty for a 2 mile win last time, although I would not be that surprised if we saw a late jockey change. The trip here is more of a worry than the penalty. Bobbi's Beauty may just need the run and One Last Glance may prefer more of a turning tighter track than this. At bigger Odds I will add Higgs who had two wins and 3 places last term but who arrives off a 158 day break and Rock On Rita who showed plenty of promise before a 2 year absence, to the TRACKER and will follow both after today's run with interest.

 

My clear top pair though are SUPASUNRISE for the Twiston-Davies yard who is in good solid form, like the Yard and hard to find any chinks in that form and FATIQUE DE L'ISLE who is more speculative but who has a course win off a mark of 96 and despite a moderate season last time around, did show distinct signs of form and enthusiasm on seasonal debut, whick makes a mark of 80, look a real eye-opener. (RJ)

 

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