DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
SUNDAY MARCH 8
2.40 WARWICK
Horses carrying penalties in novice events often get cast aside as ones to avoid by many punters but there is probably more follow up after a win than most imagine and WONDERING WHY can be another who defies the perceived notion that weight stops trains.
Ben Pauling picked up his 7lb penalty for landing a maiden hurdle at Lingfield and there was plenty to like about the way he disposed of his rivals 48 days ago.
The main features about his victory over an unusually large field at the Surrey venue was the way he travelled before quickening smartly to pull clear in the latter stages and the speed figure he ended up posting also backed up the visually impression of his display.
Listening to the post-race interview conducted by jockey Ben Jones, he cited he won despite not being totally in love with the ground, so based on the theory he is likely to be more at home under today’s better conditions, the son of Sea Moon can be another for those who seek to go against the weights and measures crowd.
Of the opposition, King Al is likely to prove the biggest threat as Ionian, up to this point, hasn’t really lived up to the high expectations held by his stable.
WONDERING WHY – 2-point win@7-4
4.02 NAAS
UHAVEMEINSTITHCES would have been one of the main players in the Kim Muir if lining up at Cheltenham but the fact she comes here instead of travelling over the Irish Sea needs to be heeded and she deserves playing accordingly.
James Motherway’s mare is one of those novices who traditionally have a bit in hand when first stepping into handicap company and there is plenty of substance behind that theory having run against the likes of The Big Westerner and Dinoblue in recent times.
On the latest start, she had little chance in the scheme of things trying to match motors with the latter named mare over two miles, but she was by no means disgraced and you couldn’t have blamed anyone for thinking she was being teed up for something at The Festival.
Au contraire Rodders, au Contraire, as Del Boy used to famously say, and we are left with the daughter of Walk In The Park returning to the scene of that spin over a trip that should suit, cue the need to get involved.
UHAVEMEINSTITCHES – 1-point win@11-2