10:06am Tuesday 2nd March 2010
HOWARD Johnson has coped admirably with some trying circumstances this winter but he has continued to churn out the winners.
His Drever Route has never quite lived up to early expectations but is still pretty useful on his day and should go close in the Book Tickets Online At catterickbridge.co.uk Handicap Chase.
Named after Johnson’s two favourite horses, the incomparable Inglis Drever and smart two-mile chaser Direct Route, this seven-year-old was not far behind Little Josh at Kelso in November and a reproduction of that would surely be good enough.
Blazing Bailey can land a confidence-boosting win in Leicester’s Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide 2010 Novices’ Chase.
The eight-year-old was a top-drawer stayer over hurdles in his pomp but he has yet to make the same kind of impact over the bigger obstacles.
However, he lost little in defeat behind subsequent Grade Two winner Burton Port at Southwell last time and this race looks nowhere near as hot.
Lucky Redback may have been off the track for well over a year but is still worth an interest in Lingfield’s Shovelstrode Handicap.
For starters he is trained by Richard Hannon who picks his runners very carefully at this time of year. Everything Hannon has run in the last fortnight has been knocking on the door so while the all-weather is not top of his priority list, he is obviously stepping up the work of his huge string.
Lucky Redback had some well above average form as a juvenile but having missed his three-year-old campaign we are taking a chance that all the ability remains.
It is doubtful Hannon would persevere if he was showing nothing on the gallops, however.
The peak of his first season was when he was beaten only two lengths by Lahaleeb in a nursery at Newbury, which at the time might not have looked so hot.
Subsequent events showed he faced a near impossible task as Mick Channon’s filly went on to land the Grade One EP Taylor Stakes at Woodbine in October.
The handicapper has dropped him 5lb in his absence and while he may lack sharpness, he has the class to prevail in this company.
Time may show Mark Johnston’s Temple Fair faced a pretty stiff task last time out at Kempton and he can go one better in the Marriott Hotel Hotel Coming Soon Handicap.
He was put in his place by Ralph Beckett’s Keenes Royale who has now won her last three starts and looks pretty smart.
Temple Fair has only gone up 1lb as a result and having only the sixth start of his life is open to more improvement.
The lingfieldpark.co.uk Maiden looks quite competitive for the grade but Jim Boyle’s Pipbrook Ministar sets a good standard.
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