DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
TUESDAY OCTOBER 28
3.58 FFOS LAS
Without stating the flaming obvious, it is always tricky punting in events of this nature in the early part of the season, not knowing the fitness levels of most of the field but KALISTA LOVE (best price 5-1) might be worth a very small interest based on her profile and two previous efforts at today’s track.
Firstly, she ran quite well in a contest which produced a big speed figure won by the highly regarded Jog’s Forge a year ago and secondly, following several promising performances in races thereafter, she managed to come back to the Welsh venue and capture a competitive event on just her second handicap start.
Staying on strongly in the closing stages 205 days ago, she saw off the attentions of the well-fancied pair, Jasmin D’Ary and River Of Joy and with both of her two rivals going on to boost the form subsequently, her display deserves more praise that it received on the day.
Looking at her stable form, it is worth noting Tom Symonds hasn’t had a winner for 156 days, which naturally tempers enthusiasm rather, but at the same time, the Herefordshire handler did have two runners at Cheltenham Showcase meeting, namely Navajo Indy and Gold For Alec and they both hit the frame in competitive handicaps – offering up a reasonable amount of hope.
The fact she goes back to the scene of her most notable performance and is one of just three C&D winners in the field provides enough positivity to take a chance on her being straight enough to do herself justice on her seasonal bow.
KALISTO LOVE – 1/2-point each-way@5-1 (four places)
4.20 LEICESTER
MARCHING MAC (NAP) (best price 3-1) took advantage of a drop down in class at Bath last time out and while allowed to run in the same grade, Phil McEntee’s inmate is worth keeping on side.
Undone by the draw more than anything else when strongly fancied at Doncaster previously, the four-year-old looked to have a golden opportunity on a more level playing field at the Somerset venue a month later and despite only just scrambling home, he duly managed to get the job done.
Clearly, the stiff, five-and-a-half-furlong trip last week just stretched his stamina to the limit but as we witnessed at this meeting last year, the son of Invincible Spirit is a potent force on a more flatter track over the minimum trip and a return to the scene of that 11-length rout can be the key to component to another possible success.
MARCHING MAC – 1-point win@3-1