JackpotRod

Interesting big-field event, and I’ll chance Carrhill, who was beaten on handicap debut when sent up in trip in first-time cheekpieces. They are tried in a first-time visor here, and a significant drop in trip could suit. He ran well for a long stretch of that 3-miler, so the drop back half a mile could work. He’s from an interesting family, being related to the likes of Simonsig and Dusart, and his dam has produced one that won off a mark of 102. A mark of 91 in the right circumstances just felt a bit lenient, as he wasn’t beaten all that far by a horse rated 115 who has since dropped to a mark of 106 and won comfortably (yesterday). He’s hardly rock solid, but in an open race he looked a nice price.

3 lbs better off than for a peak chase effort last time, courtesy of a 1 lb drop and a 7 lb claimer on instead of a 5 lb one. This horse won off 2 lbs lower over hurdles here in April over 3 miles, so the sizeable step back up in trip looks sure to suit. Up in class she’ll saddle a feather weight round here, so I’d hope she’s doing some decent work late on, as she has done when saddling less than 10 st over longer trips. She’s 4/5 a place over 3 miles, and 3/3 a place here.

Half-brother to a 3m winner, Albion View takes a step up in class for this new trip, giving him a kind weight carry to see if he can get home. He needs to find more than he has shown in his two handicap starts so far, but his last run has produced a winner and a place, so it could have been a better race than it looked at the time. Four out of five on this surface, so that should be no excuse.

A solid reappearance effort, and with the jockey claim he’s 7 lbs better off here. He won second time out last year, so he’s entitled to improve from that effort. It was also his first run over a longer distance, and he was carrying a fair weight then. He’s off a much lesser weight here thanks to that claim. He’s found no hiding place in the market, but 9/2 or bigger looked fair enough to me here.

7-time point winner (4 at 3m). Intrigued enough for a chance in this fairly tricky Pertemps qualifier. Botox Has has most of these on the stretch, handicap-wise, but this gives some of these nice low weight carries as a result. Whilst slightly out of the handicap, this horse could relish a light weight on his back given he’s used to lugging 12st around on the pointing scene. Brendan Powell is an interesting booking, riding off his joint-lowest riding weight in the last 12 months. Up 1 lb for a franked effort last time could underestimate this horse, and on balance he rates a bet in an open contest.

An intriguing renewal of the King George that doesn’t look devoid of pace, so it should be truly run with Il Est Français and The Jukebox Man involved. The top Irish challengers are hard to ignore, clearly, though perhaps a truly run 3m beat suits Gaelic Warrior given his effort over further at Aintree. I just wonder if he’s likely to warm up later in the season (not forgetting this is Willie Mullins), so I’d rather a play on Jango Baie at 7/2 or bigger. He’s trounced some fairly solid markers at Ascot, and while this is a big step up he has to be fascinating at 3m for the first time given the way he just ploughs on. That last peak effort came on this ground, so it should hold no fears for him to take this step up in his stride.

This race lacks an obvious classy customer, which does mean the top of the market is dominated by horses at the bottom of the weights. Grande Jeste looks an interesting favourite, although is still a maiden after bumping into a couple on his runs this season. He should maintain an upward trajectory but looks risky enough at the odds. One I think could appreciate the rest is Latenightrumble, who receives 3 lbs from Jack Andrews to bring him back from out of the weights. He’s a proven stayer in soft ground, and he actually stayed this trip in a Hunter Chase at Cheltenham when running home behind a now 129-rated horse giving 5 lbs as well. This suggests this mark is workable, even if he needs to improve significantly from his most recent spin. He was in decent form this time last year, so I’d suspect he will come on enough to put up a decent effort, and he looks overpriced with stamina to burn in his pedigree.

Doctor Midas seemingly bumped into one here last time, receiving 12 lbs from Absolutely Doyen, who is now rated 123. He wasn’t beaten far and comes in here off bottom weight, so could be involved if backing up that effort. Soft ground is an unknown, but his sire/dam mix brings some hope, with both having produced a number of soft/heavy performers. He hasn’t won yet, but hopefully being on bottom ground over a tough 3m here can see him running on, beating at the finish.