DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 28
2.48 NEWBURY
OCEAN CONQUEST (best price 9-4) would have surely won last time out at Warwick but for making a complete Horlicks of the final hurdle and he is fancied to make amends despite coming up against the supposed form horse, Give It To Me OJ.
No match for Lulumba & Co at Ascot previously, Nigel Twiston-Davies’ gelding was facing genuine winter ground for the first time at the Midland venue and on the evidence of his display 20 days ago, he seemed to improve for the deeper surface.
A bit skewiff two out, the son of Time Test looked to have completely blown his chance when walking through the last but to his great credit, he rallied to the cause so well, he would have undoubtedly prevailed with a couple more strides.
Clearly, he has a decent engine, he just needs to brush up his jumping to make the grade over hurdles and providing he can do that here today, there’s every chance he can get off the mark.
OCEAN CONQUEST – 1-point win@9-4
4.33 NEWBURY
Mount Tempest produced a rather laboured display at Sandown last time out, which casta a shadow over his claims, and he is readily passed over in favour of THE FAMOUS FIVE (NAP) (best price 5-2), who is not only a previous C&D winner, but arrives here in arguably better shape.
For one reason or another, Venetia Williams’ gelding failed to fire when well fancied at Haydock two starts ago but he bounced back to something approaching his best at Chepstow last time out.
Although finding one too good in the shape of Donnacha, the seven-year-old kept on willingly all the way to the line having been out of his ground turning for home and with the data from the race at the Welsh venue suggesting it was a fair one for the grade, a performance of a similar magnitude can see him follow up his success here back in December.
THE FAMOUS FIVE – 1-point win@5-2
5.05 NEWBURY
MAGICAL KING (best price 7-2) just found one too good for over today’s C&D last time out but his performance in defeat didn’t come without its positives and he can carry forward those vibes into this similar contest on his return visit.
Under today’s testing conditions, you need a horse that travels well and that’s the one attribute the six-year-old has in his armoury, as he showed here last time out.
Unfortunately, he found himself in front almost too soon and, as a result, he couldn’t quite find the necessary response once joined by Santos Blue after the last, but at the same time, he kept on well to see off the rest of the pursuers.
Posting a useful speed figure in defeat, Stuart Edmonds’ inmate has now run three commendable races over today’s trip to rubberstamp his suitability to three miles and it’s hard to see him not having a huge say in matters again if running to a similar level.
MAGICAL KING – 1-point win@7-2