A wonderful weekend of racing with Alan King's Yanworth the horse that most impressed on Trials' Day at Cheltenham. The novice looks sure to go for the Neptune rather than the Supreme at the Festival next month and he is the 9/4 favourite at BetVictor to repel what looks a strong Irish challenge, although Willie Mullins had a moderate weekend by his own extraordinary standards with Up For Review and Shaneshill particularly disappointing for the yard at Doncaster.
Heavy ground is the order of the day at Taunton although no inspection is planned. I like the booking of Ciaran Gethings for Glendermot (2.15) who showed improved form when runner up in a first time hood for Paul Cowley last month.
The 7-year-old finished runner up in a soft ground point-to-point in his native Ireland and is also entered up at Leicester in a Novices' Handicap Chase at Leicester on Wednesday. Connections are thus likely to switch their attention to the larger obstacles sooner rather than later, but he ought to go close over the smaller obstacles in a race that may not take too much winning.
Barry Geraghty comes across the Irish Sea to ride the mare Bloody Mary who makes her British debut for Nicky Henderson, having been off the track since winning at Auteuil back in September when trained by Alain Couetil. She must go close but preference is for the younger Lou Vert (2.45) who has an even longer absence to overcome having been off the track since finishing third, also at Auteuil, back in March.
The selection receives 9lbs from the Lambourn raider and trainer Paul Nicholls has won the corresponding race twice with decent sorts in the last six years. That said stable jockey Sam Twiston-Davies is 0-21 riding for Nicholls in the last three weeks.
Seranwen could easily overcome a 530 day lay-off for Nigel Twiston-Davies in a decent Novices' Limited Handicap over 2m 2f. The yard have always thought a fair bit of the lightly raced 9-y-old and his handler can certainly get them ready following a break; a check in the market is advised.
That said good ground might suit Serawen and I think Gallic Warrior (3.15) will appreciate dropping back in trip having looked a non-stayer over 3m at Exeter last time. He won a Bumper here back in 2013 and a flat right-handed track clearly suits.
Master Red (3.45) has his first start for David Pipe having left the yard of Donald McCain since he last run over 400-days ago. He was still going strongly when coming down four out on that occasion at Wetherby and meets the second horse home (subsequently disqualified) War Singer on 14lbs better terms.
Wychwoods Brook's (4.15) 5lbs rise for winning over C&D last month is negated by the claim of conditional jockey Conor Ring and he can follow up that narrow success in the feature race on the card for Evan Williams. The selection is a decent staying chaser on his day and appeals more than Tour Des Champs who spat the dummy out in the Welsh National last time. This is more his type of race, however, and his four chase wins have all been in single figure fields.
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