DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 17
1.58 NEWBURY
MIGHTY BANDIT had the misfortune to bump into a young horse going places in a rush over today’s C&D last time out and he is afforded another chance to build on that encouraging effort on his return visit.
Having his first start over fences, Warren Greatrex’s inmate took a while to find in his feet in a race where the pace was very strong from the outset, but he gradually warmed to the task at hand to race on the coat tails of the main players turning for home.
Staying on stoutly all the way down the straight, he was eating into the advantage gained by Mambonumberfive on the run-in, but in the end, he couldn’t quite get on terms, and he had to settle for an honourable second.
In terms of speed figures, his performance worked out to be a career high and with today’s deteriorating conditions unlikely to pose too many issues based on his effort on heavy ground at Ffos Las during the Flat season, the five-year-old can provide winner for his in-form handler.
MIGHTY BANDIT – 1-point win@3-1
6.40 KEMPTON
PLANTADREAM hasn’t won for a while, but he showed signs that he might be capable of getting back on the winning trail here last time out and he deserves to be played accordingly on his return to the Sunbury venue.
Dropped out by design from his wide draw 14 days ago, Karen Jewell’s inmate was still in last place turning for home, but it was from that point he really kicked in the turbo and by the time he had hit the line, he found himself in a respectable third.
Unsurprisingly, he posted the fastest final three-furlong splits of the 11-strong field and that info added to his overall speed figure very much suggests he arrives here in top shape.
A horse that likes to take his time during a race, it will be interesting to see how his pilot goes about navigating a passage from stall one, but he should be coming home better than most and in the hope he isn’t too far back early, a chance is taken on the 10-year-old to roll back the years.
PLANTADREAM – ½ point each-way@8-1 (four places)