It has been a good month for the trainer Graeme McPherson, who has had a couple of winners from a handful of runners, and even more so for the promising young jockey Gavin Sheehan, who made all to win the World Hurdle on Cole Harden at the Cheltenham Festival. The pair may combine for a televised Saturday winner with Ikorodu Road (3.10) in Newbury’s Silver Jubilee Handicap Chase.
This horse’s career peaked when he won the same race three years ago and there have been a fair number of disappointments since, but he is back to a fair handicap mark and there are signs that McPherson may have got him back on song, having taken him into the yard last summer. He stayed on dourly to be third last time, with Sheehan aboard for the first time, and now wears a visor, which may help him stay in contention through the first two-thirds of the race.
No Duffer and Financial Climate make more obvious appeal on recent form but neither has anything in hand on their revised ratings.
2.00 Newbury This is a good bit stronger than the race O Maonlai took apart here last month and he is a stone higher this time. Still, he was so impressive and appeared to have so much more to offer, having found his feet over fences, that he is taken to follow up. Wiesentraum and Pepite Rose head the dangers.
2.15 Kelso This may be asking a lot of a 12-year-old who has not been seen since October but Knockara Beau nearly always goes well here and has a fair record when fresh. His current rating is quite attractive on the pick of his form. Harry The Viking could be a bit short of pace on this dry surface.
2.35 Newbury Spartan Angel is likely to build on her handful of runs after a midwinter break but Twentytwo’s Taken is preferred. David Pipe’s mare has looked most progressive while learning her trade and may do even better behind what is likely to be the strongest pace she has so far encountered.
2.50 Kelso Despite another significant rise in the weights for his latest success, Spookydooky looks the pick here, though Samstown is worth respecting, back over hurdles.
3.25 Kelso Wearing first-time blinkers for his second run over fences, Oscar Rock had a lot more in hand than the one-length margin of success implied last time.
3.45 Newbury Golden Doyen’s form with Hargam and Top Notch has worked out well, so connections are possibly a bit frustrated that he managed to fall at halfway in the Fred Winter. He looks on a fair mark if that recent trauma has not left its mark.
