Neil Morrice walks you through the front runners for Saturday’s racing at Wolverhampton, Uttoxeter, Kempton Park, and Fontwell Park.
Race 1: STREET POET (1)
Trainer: Michael Herrington – Jockey: Tom Eaves
Everything looks right for a big run from STREET POET. The seven-year-old has been in the handicapper’s grip but when chasing home Latent Heat over a trip short of his best last week hinted he is on the cusp of an overdue success. He has a good draw over this extra quarter-mile and his small stable is amongst the winners.
Race 4: THRAVE (1)
Trainer: Paul Nicholls – Jockey: Megan Nicholls
Without question the most interesting runner on the card, THRAVE can score on his first outing for the champion jumps trainer. He was a decent two-year-old for Henry Candy, winning at Newmarket, and wasn’t beaten all that far in the Lingfield Derby Trial. He then endured some training issues and was winless in five starts as a four-year-old. Let’s see what he can muster this year. He’s certainly done everything asked of him at home.
Uttoxeter Best Bets
Race 3: THEO’S CHARM (8)
Trainer: Nick Gifford – Jockey: Ben Jones
With his liking for this track, THEO’S CHARM looks nailed on to be right there at the business end in an admittedly warm handicap hurdle. The selection followed up a first win of the campaign by getting chinned in a memorable finish with Any Drama over course and distance and is weighted to comfortably turn the tables on that foe on revised terms.
Race 4: PETITE POWER (11)
Trainer: Fergal O’Brien – Jockey: Mr Liam Harrison
Success for PETITE POWER in this featured Midlands Grand National would boost the Aintree claims of Kimberlite Candy and I expect the former to relish the conditions while coming into his comfort zone stepping up the distance ladder. He seemed to get going when the birds had flown at Warwick, but that was the fourth good effort in as many starts this season for the veteran, who won twice and was second on his other three outings.
Kempton Park Best Bets
Race 5: GARDE LA VICTOIRE (2) (Each Way)
Trainer: Philip Hobbs – Jockey: Tom O’Brien
Having narrowly missed the cut in the Brown Advisory Plate at Cheltenham, GARDE LA VICTOIRE can gain swift consolation with an earning run in this featured Silver Bowl Handicap Chase. The veteran doesn’t grace the track that often but both outings this season indicate he’s retained much of his old ability. He wasn’t beaten far when fourth to Cepage at Cheltenham in January and has slipped to an attractive mark.
Race 6: ON TO VICTORY (7)
Trainer: Alan King – Jockey: Tom Cannon
II can only be a matter of time before ON TO VICTORY opens his account over jumps. He’s shown ability on all three starts in novice hurdles, latterly when beaten by stablemate Perfect Harmony over this course and distance and should prove hard to beat.
Race 8: SABRINA (4)
Trainer: Paul Nicholls – Jockey: Harry Cobden
The way SABRINA won a similar contest at Ascot last month suggests she’s decent, and will be hard to stop if the camera didn’t lie. That 13 lengths triumph was only her second career start, meaning the likelihood is for better to come. The drying ground will present a different test, but it’s one she’s more than capable of achieving.
Fontwell Park Best Bets
Race 7: MAN OF PLENTY (2)
Trainer: Sophie Leech – Jockey: Harry Reed
This represents another welcome drop in class for MAN OF PLENTY. The 11-y-o spent a couple of seasons contesting major handicaps and often finished just out of the money, and although not as good as he was showed when third in a similar race at Kelso last time that there’s still a tune to be played from him.
