DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 8
2.58 NOTTINGHAM
PEARL RIVER (best price 4-1), even after four runs, still shapes like a work in progress but there was more to like about his most recent effort than any other and for that reason, he warrants a small interest on handicap debut.
Richard Hannon’s inmate went into plenty of notebooks following his debut run in a race that worked out well subsequently but despite that promise, he didn’t manage to build on that result on his next two starts.
In mitigation, he was up against the likes of Half Sovereign and Bow Echo, and he is much better judged on his performance at Goodwood 14 days ago.
Noted travelling well heading down to the business end at the Sussex venue, the son of Cotai Glory ended up just being outpointed by two highly regarded types from powerful yards in the final strides but it was a run that sparks interest in his chances against today’s opposition.
Now he is proven over 1m2f on soft ground, he is the only one in the field for which there is no guesswork about the trip attached and it looks a contest well within his capabilities on all known evidence.
PEARL RIVER – 1-point win@4-1
4.08 LUDLOW
Sheila Lewis has made quite a name for herself in recent seasons at a relatively low level and with many of her winners coming at today’s picturesque track, VERSACE TWENTYONE (best price 6-1) is taken to keep up the good work.
The last time we saw the six-year-old grey was when she chased home the useful James Owen-trained, Back In The Bay, at Stratford back in July and, as she was the only one to offer any resistance to the winner in the final half a mile, her performance was right up there with some of her previous best.
It is also worth pointing out, she has run to a decent level on the two times she has encountered today’s C&D and her victory in the most recent of the pair came in a fast time figure.
Off for 80 days, her form figures under rules when returning from a break read 132 and with the strong possibility, she will be close to fever pitch with local connections seeing this as an ideal opportunity to strike while many others are sleeping, the daughter of Kingston Hill deserves to be played accordingly.
VERSACE TWENTYONE – 1-point each-way@6-1 (three places)