DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
SATURDAY MARCH 14
1.50 UTTOXETER
A trappy handicap hurdle to kick off Midland National day but IT’S TOP could well turn out to be the answer.
Not in the same league as Sober Glory in a warm novices’ hurdle at Newbury two starts ago, we know how the good the winner is based on what he achieved at Cheltenham this week and he duly made light work of lesser opposition at Carlisle next time.
Noticeably, Oliver Signy’s gelding did jump out to the left at the Cumbrian venue, so heading back in an anti-clockwise direction will suit and off 116, he looks to have been given every chance to be competitive on his first start in a handicap.
Of his main opposition, William Hurdle runner-up, Wellington Arch, will be a popular choice in his bid to go one place better than he did in this race last season for his in-form team and A Perfect Day has to go down as a slightly unlucky loser at Chepstow last time out (made a bad mistake when in the lead two out).
IT’S TOP – ½ point each-way@15-2 (four places)
2.08 KEMPTON
SECRET DES DIEUX gained a bloodless victory at Huntingdon last time out and despite being nudged up in the ratings for his troubles, James Owen’s inmate can still shrug aside top weight.
The six-year-old has taken really well to fences and he has yet to put in a bad shift. Prior to his 13-length romp at the Cambridgeshire venue, the son of Zarak just found 2m4f in heavy ground a bridge too far in a hot contest at Cheltenham, but his previous effort when fourth over today’s course puts him right in the mix.
Had he not lugged to his right in the closing stages at the Sunbury venue he may well have fared better than fourth, but it was yet another solid effort on the data and he rates the solid option on many grounds.
SECRET DES DIEUX – 1-points win@4-1
2.25 UTTOXETER
Again, another viciously competitive handicap for punters to solve on the back of many headscratchers in midweek but siding with JOHN BARBOUR might take out all the confusion on account of his track record.
So far to date, Fergal O’Brien’s inmate is 3-3 at the Midland circuit and two of those wins have come this season, latterly in a competitive handicap in December.
Returning off a two-month break at Ascot last time out, the seven-year-old just failed in his bid to follow up when touch off by the useful Fiercely Proud but, with the speed figure of the race suggesting he had run to a career high, the son of Yeats couldn’t arrive here in any better shape.
He rates the obvious each-way alternative to A Pai Du Nom, who still appears a huge upward curve on the evidence of his recent romp at Newbury.
JOHN BARBOUR – 1-point each-way@7-1 (five places)
2.40 KEMPTON
DOUBLE POWERFUL definitely falls into the ‘no prizes for originality’ category but because he has such obvious claims, he is too hard to ignore.
Admittedly, his form figures aren’t too pretty to the casual observer but on closer inspection, his performances read a good deal better.
His effort when runner-up in the Lanzarote Hurdle over today’s C&D two starts ago can be hugely upgraded on account of how poorly positioned he was at halfway and the same course of events occurred at Musselburgh last time out in a more slowly run affair, when once again, those towards the rear were grossly inconvenienced.
Third in this race last year, there is every chance he can go two places better if the cards fall in his favour.
If events turn against Double Powerful, which wouldn’t be for the first time in his career, a small saver on TURNDLIGHTSDOWNLOW is probably the wisest option.
Unlike his main market rival, Martin Keighley’s inmate likes to race prominently and those tactics have served him well in recent times.
2-2 over today’s C&D, the six-year-old really appreciated the sound surface on offer each time and even though he hasn’t managed to follow up on his two subsequent starts, the testing conditions would not have seen him to best effect.
That said, both efforts in defeat have been perfectly respectable and the son of Court Cave arrives here nice and fresh off a break.
DOUBLE POWERFUL – 1-point win@9-2
TURNDLIGHTSDOWNLOW – 1-point win@13-2