The National Hunt season is gradually coming closer to an end, with The Scottish Grand National the feature for Ayr’s terrific card on Saturday. This could well go down as one of the greatest seasons in the history of the jumps.
On the flat the feature race at Newbury is the Greenham Stakes, a key trial for the 2000 Guineas, with Frankel winning both last season for trainer Sir Henry Cecil.
The best bet of the day comes in the form of 2010 St Leger hero ARCTIC COSMOS who was an impressive winner when returning for the season at Kempton Park, winning a 10 furlongs listed race impressively. The step up in trip should suit, as will the surface, and he looks solid. Harris Tweed is top rated, but will be using this as a stepping stone and I expect similar progression from Modun throughout the season.
The Greenham Stakes is seen as a reliable Guineas trial and given the form of Richard Hannon’s stable it is hard to oppose BRONTERRE who ended last season running a good fourth in the Dewhurst. Trumpet Major, behind in fifth that day, came out and won the Craven Stakes at Newmarket earlier this week. The son of Oasis Dream has won on all types of ground and the form of his two previous wins have worked out well. He is the one to beat in a race where Top Offer and Tales of Grimm have lofty reputations after maiden wins last year.
Turning our attentions to Ayr, Coral Scottish National Day and a card that also carries the Scottish Champion Hurdle and Future Champion Novices Chase, a great day of jumping all round. The Scottish Champion Hurdle was won last year by Sanctuaire and recent Aintree winner EDGARDO SOL looks another good prospect for the Walsh and Nicholls team. He absolutely dotted at Aintree up and will go straight to Ayr, hopefully with little taken out of him. He has been a consistent performer this season, with wins at Aintree over fences and Cheltenham over hurdles and looks to have solid claims against a field of handicappers such as Raya Star, Ted Spread and Local Hero.
DEGAS ART has been running in small field novice chases but looks to love jumping fences and really hits a stride when taking off over the bigger obstacles. He looks to have a leading chance in the Future Champion Novices Chase for the Lucinda Russell stable. Three from three over fences, with subsequent winners in behind, the gelded son of Danehill Dancer has been a revelation since having a break and being sent chasing. Now rated 129, his highest ever rating, the nine year old is in the form of his life and looks a smart type, with connections having a good record here.
The Scottish National is usually a terrific spectacle, with MERIGO giving owners a local winner for the first time in years when winning in 2010, and he has a strong chance once again. He followed that with a second last year and as seen with Always Waining in the Topham Chase, horses that have been laid out for certain races are worth taken note of. An in-form and rejuvenated Timmy Murphy will be in the saddle as he has been for his previous two outings here. Benny Be Good is consistent but has stamina worries, with Harry the Viking having a hard race at Cheltenham and Ikorudo Road plenty high enough in the weights. Merigo is the most consistent and least questions surrounding him.
2.00 Newbury – Arctic Cosmos (Nap)
3.10 Newbury – Bronterre
2.15 Ayr – Degas Art
2.50 Ayr – Edgardo Sol
3.25 Ayr – Merigo (Nb)
The Yorkshireman – Jack Milner
No comments:
Post a Comment