Even though this weekend’s racing doesn’t look the most compelling, there is still quite a bit to get through.
Let’s start at Wincanton, where they host their popular Badger Beers Chase Day.
The red-hot Henry de Bromhead send over Cobra Queen in search of Grade 2 success in the Rising Stars Novices’ Chase. The de Bromhead-trained mare is a winner of two of her four chase starts, and comes here on the back of an easy win at Roscommon. She has more to offer over fences and is entitled to take her chance here. However, now that BLUEKING D’OROUX has got a run under his belt, he will prove a tough nut to crack.
Paul Nicholls will be licking his wounds after Kalif Du Berlais’ no-show in the Haldon Gold Cup on Friday, but he should be returning to the winners’ enclosure here.
Blueking d’Ooroux – 10/11
The Return To The National Fences
We return to Grand National fences for the first time this season with the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase.
King Turgon was a good winner of last year’s renewal, but he comes in here off a 12 lb higher mark and with a few questions to answer. He has had a wind op since we last saw him, and if that has a positive impact, he is entitled to be bang there, especially given his record first time out.
The talented but massively frustrating Johnnywho is having his first start over the national fences, and first time up seems to be the time to cash in on the O’Neill-trained runner. However, he has gotten more chances than I care to think about.
If Not For Dylan is one at a price who can run above his odds now that he gets a first-time tongue-tie. He ran well for a long way on his return at Chepstow before leaving his mark in the third last. He is entitled to come on for that, and if he gets into a rhythm on the front end, If Not For Dylan has a lively place chance.
However, the one I want to side with is WHITE RHINO. He won his first two starts over fences last season, and the unseated his rider in the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton.
He was bitterly disappointed in his next start at Doncaster, but he was found to be bleeding from the nose. That’s not ideal, but given that he comes from a yard that does well with their runners over the national fences, and the fact that he is unexposed over fences, White Rhino looks set to be a big each-way player here.
White Rhino – 13/2 (each way)
The Lady In The Bog
Henry de Bromhead has a stack of fancied runners over the weekend, and he should get off to a flyer with LANTRY LAND.
Yes, she wasn’t seen to her best when tackling fences for the first time last season; however, she returns to chasing at a track where she has winning form and on ground where she excels.
She bolted up at this track (her two wins came at Gowran) in a Grade 3 on her second start over hurdles, which was after a 343-day absence, so there will be no worries for her coming in here. Coming from Knockeen, you can expect her jumping to be much cleaner this time around, and granted a clear round, she should have too much class for her rivals.
Lantry Lady – 7/4
