Wednesday 7th March at Catterick, Fontwell and Kempton

We had three winners and a second from only five selections last week in what proved another good week for The Yorkshireman, keeping us in good form as the Cheltenham Festival approaches. Saturday’s nap, Tap Night, won the Kelso Premier Hurdle in impressive fashion and has to be one to watch for the ever impressive Lucinda Russell stable in the north. Lucinda told The Racing Forum afterwards that Punchestown might be the plan for this improving hurdler.

CHESTNUT BEN (Fontwell 2.30) was a non runner when tipped up last Saturday at Chepstow, where it was predicted AP McCoy the booked rider would have a good day and he duly obliged with a 30/1 treble. The champ isn’t on board here but Josh Moore, who takes off a handy 5lb, will be an able deputy. As mentioned before, he was unlucky to unseat at only the third fence last time out and is still relatively unexposed. If he runs to the level of form shown when winning the time before that then he should go close.

COUNTESS COMET looks a very interesting sort for the Chris Bealby team in the mares novices hurdle (Catterick 3.20). She was an impressive winner of a bumper way back in January, and has won over 12 furlongs on the flat. She had a spin round Wolverhampton last month to wind up for a spring campaign and, in all honesty, she could be anything. The stable are in form and the market could be a good guide to her chances.

PRESQUE PEDRE (Catterick 3.50)looked promising when switched to chasing this autumn, running with credit in his three novice chases. He has been given a break by trainer Gary Moore and comes here relatively fresh for his first attempt in handicap company. The stable has been knocking on the door, with 5 seconds and 50% place strike rate in the last week, and this could hopefully help the stable turn the corner just in time for Cheltenham.

TARTAN TRIP (Kempton 6.00) has got better with every run this winter. A solid third last time out, he lost nothing when finishing a three lengths third of seven in what was a better class race than he runs in here. The form has been franked since and with 7lb claimer Joseph Haynes taking the ride, he will effectively be running off 8 stone. He has everything in his favour here and is taken to end his losing streak.


Selections for Wednesday 7th March

2.30 Fontwell – Chestnut Ben
3.20 Catterick – Countess Comet
3.50 Catterick – Presque Pedre
6.00 Kempton – Tartan Trip

The Yorkshireman – Jack Milner