Good ground at Wetherby for today's card and Montaff is interesting for Richard Guest back on a decent surface and should be considered if the market speaks in his favour. Preference, however, is for Ceilidh (2.55) who improved for the step up in trip on better ground at Musselburgh last time and the handicapper could have taken a chance leaving her on the same mark. This stiffer track should suit and this lightly-raced mare looks to have a leading chance given she is entitled to more improvement.
There was a smell of burnt fingers at Musselburgh when Abricot De L'Oasis was an early casualty for Donald McCain last month and it will be fascinating to see if connections go in again. Sue Smith did us a favour at Uttoxeter at the weekend and Mister Jones (3.30) appreciated the better ground at Newcastle last time and can confirm that return to form (well backed) from a 1lb higher mark.
Creepy (4.05) goes very well fresh and bounces off decent ground; he is 5lbs wrong in the weights against Carole's Destrier but the latter is not certain to be as effective on today's ground and has had a number of hard races this term. Creepy is not as strong a stayer as the likely favourite but he returns from a two-month lay-off and was electric at Chepstow on his chase debut back in September.
The Handicap Chase is fascinating with Cape York blinkererd for the first time but the eye is drawn to Irish raider Special Bar (5.15) running on good ground for the first time. As a son of Presenting the selection looks sure to be suited by today's underfoot conditions and the opposition looks quite exposed; the selection was beaten senseless at Navan on his chase debut at the beginning of the month but that was his first run since Xmas and he was hardly knocked about.
At Exeter Rock Des Champs (2.45) can make a winning handicap debut form Jonjo O'Neill having run well over the minimum trip on desperate ground at Sandown last time. The ground is forecast to dry out considerably from the official description of soft (good to soft in places) by post time and that should suit the lightly-raced five year-old.
There is a hot Novices' Chase and Carraig Mor (3.55) can get back to winning ways having been pulled up on heavy ground when last seen at Haydock back in January. Having been given a two month break the selection should be fresher than his main rival Dunraven Storm who cut little ice when trying to keep tabs on Un De Sceaux in the Arkle last week.
Yes Tom (4.45) did us a favour when scoring at Ayr over 2m 4f last month and I like the booking of Barry Geraghty in the three-runner Chase at Down Royal; the selection is likely to go off the outsider of three but was a 14/1 winner of the corresponding race 12 months ago and will not be inconvenienced if the ground continued to dry out.
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