A wet Tuesday in early January, with racing at Leicester, Sedgefield and Southwell -- surely a day when the only excitement for punters is derived from trying to find the least slow of the big old boats running for pitiful prize money, right? Wrong -- Leicester is staging its richest ever chase and there are some really classy types entered.
Jack The Giant (2.20) is the day's good thing. One of the fastest novice chasers in the country last season (when he beat Twist Magic at Kempton), he tackles fences for the first time this term after exploiting a lower handicap mark over hurdles. The way he's been finishing his races suggests today's step up in trip should be no problem. Butler's Cabin would be a threat at his best but this is his reappearance run and his main aim is believed to be the Grand National, for which the weights close in a month's time -- his connections would be understandably dismayed if he were to go up half a stone for finishing a close second here. Iron Man is the one for the forecast.
Making his hurdles debut on the same card is Numide (2.50), for whom there has been solid support this morning. Beaten only a length when finishing strongly in the 2006 French Derby, he began his 2007 campaign by beating Visindar, who had started favourite for the Epsom Derby on his previous outing. Clearly, Numide is pretty quick and he loves soft going. The only question is whether he can cope with the hurdles -- trainer Gary Moore can hopefully be relied on to have sorted this out.
Completing Leicester's trio of big names is Fleet Street (3.20), who was third behind Brave Inca and War Of Attrition in what must rank as the hottest ever renewal of the Supreme Novices' Hurdle four years ago. He's had his problems since but is now believed healthy and defeat to any of his rivals in this beginners' chase is hard to imagine.
But even a successful accumulator on these three will not butter that many parsnips. Those looking for a bet at a fancier price might care to examine the claims of My Skipper (12.50), making his fences debut in a poor handicap for the in-form yard of Henrietta Knight. The early 14s has gone but 9-1 is still perfectly acceptable.
There has also been plenty of money for Gardasee (2.00), also tackling the bigger obstacles for the first time, at Sedgefield. Heavy ground suits him well, though admittedly it won't make the jumping part any easier.
Few horses can ever have been so obviously well handicapped as Tartatartufata (3.10), who runs off a mark 7lb lower than the one from which she won over the course and distance last week. The form of that victory (when she was two stones out of the handicap) is not to be taken literally. Nevertheless, she is in great heart and will surely take all the beating again.
1.44pm Reveley's nerves of steel
A quite amazing performance by James Reveley, who settled Totally Scottish miles off the pace in the selling hurdle at Leicester before driving his mount to the front yards from the line. Still eight lengths down on the run to the second-last, Reveley remained almost motionless, though the favourite's backers in the stands would doubtless have been somewhat more animated. He deserves credit for winning on a horse whose enthusiasm is open to doubt but he surely didn't need to make things so hard for himself.
2.15pm results update
My Skipper faded badly but Gardasee just won at 3-1.
2.30pm Jack The Giant wins at 10-11
Never in doubt.
3pm Numide wins at 7-4
Three wins from four tips so far today, with Fleet Street and Tartatartufata to come.
3.15pm Tartatartufata wins at 7-4
Edges it in a photo after a somewhat overconfident ride from Patrick Donaghy. Four from five today with one tip left.
Amazing scenes
Fleet Street wins at even money, making it five wins from six for the blog today, the others being priced at 3-1, 7-4, 7-4 and 10-11. Doubtless every Guardian reader is now rolling about in a big bath of money but, just in case one or two of you still need to work, I'll be trying to do it all again tomorrow.
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