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Preview
02 April 2008
3.20 Catterick Bridge.co.uk
class 4 Handicap 1M 5F 175yards Good ground
1. Aureate – never likely to trouble the principals in a class 2
handicap recently and is much better judged on his run in a class 4
handicap similar to this last season where he finished 5th to
Toparudi over a middle distance such as today’s race. The ground
that day had some ease in it and with drying conditions today the
conditions of this race should be totally different. There are some
concerns over his ability to stay this trip, but the quickening
conditions should help him along and has a outside chance of top
weight here.
My Rating – 87
2. Wild Fell Hall – Made a average return to the flat after a
campaign over hurdles this winter where he never quite cut the
mustard, the kempton race last time has worked out quite well and he
no doubt will improve for that spin on the all-weather. The runs
prior to hurdles were quite the opposite to the return to the flat
as the win on the all-weather to I Have Dreamed is decent enough
handicapping form and should give him a say in this handicap if in
the same mood today. Stayed 12 furlongs well he should see out this
longer trip today in decent style and given that conditions
underfoot and the sharp nature of the track suiting he should run a
big race today for connections of joint top weight.
My Rating – 94
3. Thewhirlingdevlish – Often campaigned over these sorts of
trips and runs with a degree of consistency in them as well. Today’s
return to the race track after over 200 days of the track could well
be used as a prep race as he skins fitter for the runs and gets
stronger as the season goes on and at the grand old age of 10 has
very little improvement to overcome a mark plenty high enough for
his current well being. A great servant downs the years he will have
better opportunities through out the summer.
My Rating – 84
4. Mister Arjay – starting to look handicapped to go well again
and even though he is very exposed as a handicapper he could still
hold his own today at the age of 8yo. The drying ground will be much
in his favour and the longer it stays dry the more likely he is to
run big races from his current mark, the trip may be his biggest
downfall as he looks like he may need a stiffer test then this
around a sharp track that isn’t ideal for his galloping style and he
may well benefit when given a much stiffer task to run a big race.
My Rating – 80
5. Hernando’s Boy – Pulled up latest over hurdles at Wetherby
where the ground can get rather tacky and shouldn’t be discounted on
his return to the flat. Nicely handicapped down the weights here he
has a decent looking win over 14F here on his last run on the flat
last season and with a consistent campaign over hurdles through out
the winter he should be fit and raring to go around this course and
trip. There are no real major concerns with the horse and it will be
fair to say if he fails to land this then he just isn’t classy
enough on the flat.
My Rating – 92
6. Kames Park – a big drop in class from a listed race behind
November handicap winner Malt or Mash just over a week ago and this
should be much more his level on his return to the turf for this
upcoming season. Ran with much credit prior to that listed race when
beating Salute by a short head in what was a head to head on paper.
Stay these sorts of trips well at his own pace he should run a big
race even though the ground could have done with staying on the soft
side of good as most of his best efforts have come with juice in the
ground. Back down to a mark he can expose the handicapper of he has
quite a bit in his favour today and could well go close.
My Rating – 87
7. Aleron – Another who has been heavily campaigned with fences
as well as hurdles on the menu over Christmas for this now old timer
on the flat, quite possibly better suited to the jumping game then
the flat these days he does handle quick ground just as well as the
soft underfoot conditions that have seen him in much better light.
Now 10yo he is another that is well handicapped on old form and will
be looking to improve his most recent efforts on the level where
last time he showed any sort of form was the run at this track
behind Halla San. Decent over trips such as this he could well claim
a place of current mark today.
My Rating – 83
8. Puy D’Arnac – Very unexposed on British form having plied his
trade in France for most of his life and has only ran here on the
flat 3 times with 2 hurdle races in between them. Finished a close
enough 2nd at Doncaster in a apprentice handicap he looks to have
found his feet for Alan Swimbank who does so well with these types.
Not a lot to go on and will have to improve on the 2nd to Red Wine
last time out but is more then capable of coming on for the run for
a yard that are masters of getting them right more often then wrong.
My Rating – 91
9. Hugs Destiny – enjoys it around here and is very much a
low-grade handicapper overall and may find this tough going from out
of the handicap. Can pop up at a big price now and again he handles
the ground and course very well, the two biggest concerns has to be
his ability to last out a trip as far as this as he runs out of
petrol around the 1.5M mark, the other concern has to be the fact he
is half a stone out of the handicap at the weights today and with no
real encouraging form of late and a exposed profile he looks very
much one to pass over.
My Rating – 60
Tissue Prices – Wind Fell Hall 11/4, Hernando’s Boy 7/2, Puy
D’Arnac 6/1, Auraete, Kames Park 8/1, Thewhirlingdervlish 10/1,
Aleron 14/1, Mister Arjay 20/1, Hugs Destiny 33/1.
Verdict – Wild
Fell Hall looks a monster price with around 20-1 on offer at some of
the high street bookmakers and that has to be solely on the fact
that he flopped last time at Kempton rather then his overall form in
which he has proved to be more then capable at this level and even
though the weight is quite high for this staying trip he has claims
in a run of the mill handicap. Hernando’s Boy around 4-1 is a much
more realistic price and has solid credentials for this handicap and
may be the each-way shot to nothing in this handicap. Alan Swimbank
runner is plenty short enough but could well be on the upgrade and
shouldn’t be totally discounted in this handicap. Kames Park is
another who could go well at 9-1, which looks a fair reflection on
his chance.
Selection –
Wild Fell Hall 1pt e/w @ 20-1 (BF28’s + 6.6)
Well Chief
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