DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
THURSDAY MARCH 26
4.20 CHEPSTOW
Jockey bookings suggest Inion Tiogar is the number one representative from the Grace Harris stable but the presence of Ben Jones for NANCEFORDSHORE is hardly viewed as a negative and the supposed second string, as a result, makes quite a bit of appeal at the morning odds.
A tricky one to assess at first glance, a delve deeper into his last two runs under rules offer up a little more hope he could be competitive in a race of this nature, especially off an opening mark of 93.
The combination of heavy ground and two miles did not see him in a favourable light at Hereford two starts ago, but despite those imposts, he showed a reasonable amount of promise and there was even more encouragement back at the same track last time out.
In the rear from an early stage, a bad blunder at the fourth meant he set out on the final circuit stone last, but he came home with a good deal of purpose in the final half a mile to finish a creditable sixth behind several useful novices in a race run at a true gallop.
Indeed, the speed figure of the contest was easily the best on the card and his final lap time in isolation was only 2.5 seconds slower than the winner, Seamoon Story, who is rated 120.
In comparison to the other races over hurdles on the card, he ran way better than a 93 rated horse and providing he can cope with hustle and bustle of a field of handicappers, the son of Gentlewave could easily turn out to be the surprise package.
NANCEFORDSHORE –1-point each-way@9-1 (four places)
7.00 CHELMSFORD
FIDDLERS GREEN has yet to win over a trip this far, but he did stay the 1m6f well enough in a better race than the one he contests here tonight at Wolverhampton last time out and the ease in grade might help him be more competitive at the business end.
Up against the likes of in-form Shrimp Shady, Robusto and Gemmari, all genuine 75+-rated horses at the Dunstall circuit, John O’Shea’s inmate looked totally out of his depth on paper beforehand but despite being sent off the outsider of the party at 66-1, he managed to finish a creditable fifth.
Outpaced coming out of the down straight, he kept on well in the final two furlongs to finish on the coat tails of the main players and his resulting speed figure was easily the best one he has posted for some time.
Let off the hook and dropped to a mark of 60, he is now allowed to tackle Class 6 company for the first time in a while and having run respectably on his two previous visits to tonight’s track over trips short of his best, he is well worth another poke at the extended 1m5f trip in the hope his qualities prevail.
FIDDLERS GREEN – 1-point each-way@6-1