No rescheduled Peterborough Chase at Taunton this afternoon but there is a terrific eight-race card including a competitive 2m 2f handicap chase.
This is a better race than the one that Glajou (3.17) took apart at Southwell last week, but he is difficult to oppose under a 7lbs penalty such was the ease of that success. He must prove today's additional couple of furlongs is within his compass, but he is clearly going the right way and he receives a 6lbs weight for age allowance as a four-year-old. He bounced off the good ground at Southwell but this afternoon's forecast good to soft ground should not be an inconvenience.
Passing Shadow (1.42) failed to get home having been too keen when runner up at Huntingdon last month and he is taken to go one better dropped back to the minimum distance in the novices' handicap hurdle. A 2lbs rise for that effort looks fair and Lily Pinchin keeps the ride taking off a valuable 5lbs.
There is a listed Mares' Chase at Warwick and I hope to see Legends Gold (1.27) return to winning ways having jinked right and fell two out at Uttoxeter last time when going best. As is the norm Bryony Frost had got a good tune out of Rebecca Curtis's 6-y-old before their mishap two out, but it did show that the mare has her quirks. The stable have been quiet of late, but they have had one or two run well in defeat and this 2m 4f trip on soft ground looks the optimum conditions for the selection.
I remember Darling Du Large (1.57) winning well first time out at Hereford last season and thinking she would make up into a better chaser than hurdler. The selection only raced once more last season when pulling up on heavy ground and she obviously does not take much racing. She can be a tad keen in her races but has a very good record fresh and certainly has the physique to jump a fence.
Olly Murphy had a welcome double at Uttoxeter earlier in the week and he takes a strong team up to Newcastle including Linelee King who looked ready for a step up in trip when runner up over 2m 4f at Plumpton under a penalty last time.
I am loath to desert him but, including jockey's allowance, he must try to give a stone to Enquarde (12.45) and that might be beyond him given how well the selection ran at Ascot over 3m on his British/handicap debut. Trained by Dr Richard Newland the selection was a winner over fences in his native France but travelled like the best horse in the race last time – albeit from a lowly mark of 115 – and he is entitled to improve for the run. The slight drop back in distance is considered a positive.
There is a terrific novices' handicap chase and I hope to see Black Pirate (1.20) make a winning chase debut in receipt of a stone from his market rivals. Both Whoshotthesherriff and Malystic have shown their aptitude for the larger obstacles in recent weeks but James Ewart's eight-year-old won first time out last season and is a winner between the flags. The selection has won four of his six starts under Rules, has the scope for fences and is fitted with cheekpieces for his seasonal reappearance.
