With Aintree just over a week away, we are still fully into the National Hunt Season, irrespective of the flat having started last week at Doncaster. There is decent jump racing on Wednesday at Hereford and Exeter and with certain jockeys and stables being in a rich vein of form, there is still money to be made prior to the Grand National!
Since returning from a mid winter break, DRUMMERS DRUMMING has steadily improved, with his best run to date coming last week over course and distance, finishing a game second to Mrs Peacock. He was narrowly headed close home and ended up going down by a head. That being said, he is now officially 7lb well in, due to go up in the weights next week, and has to be taken on that bare form.
David Pipe has some decent chances at Hereford, but stable jockey Tom Scudamore opts to go to Exeter, which seems pretty telling of the chances of his rides for the boss. He has been inspired, winning four of his last seven rides, all decent prices as well. He has two for the guv’nor Wednesday at Exeter, the first being TROP FORT in the 2.50, a Class 3 handicap hurdle. It is another of the vintage Pipe route, improving when switching to handicaps from novice hurdles, finishing third and second on his two latest runs. The form of his last run at Hereford has worked out well, and given the trainer and jockey form, he sets an impressive standard.
His other ride is on the well in after a good second last time out in DUKES ART , who followed the same path as Trop Fort, improving when going handicapping, and is due to be raised next week, after losing by a neck to Millers Reef at Taunton. He ran on strongly, showing a good turn of foot, but not being able to reach the winner under Conor O’ Farrell. With Tom-Scu on board, I would expect him to be more versatile and tactically aware of be able to lead start to finish and run up a double for the Pipe/Scudamore combination.
Another trainer who does well this team of the year is Jim Best, especially in selling and claiming races, and he has a decent shout in the form of MANGONEL who runs at 2.20 in a novices selling hurdle. He has shown fair form this season, just struggling with inconsistency, but winning at Fakenham, Kempton and Folkestone, improving 31lb from the start of the season. His best form however has come on good ground, and the hard, spring footing may bring more improvement out of the mare. Although yet to win in four runs at the track, and although strong challengers from the Tim Vaughan and Evan Williams yards, I think she will run a good race.
2.20 Exeter – Mangonel
2.50 Exeter – Trip Fort
4.20 Exeter – Dukes Art (Nap)
4.10 Hereford - Drummers Drumming (Nb)
The Yorkshireman – Jack Milner
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