AFTER being persistently bogged down in soft ground, Water Taxi (4.30) seems sure to appreciate the forecast quicker surface at Huntingdon this afternoon, writes Colin Woods (Janus).

Ferdy Murphy's five-year-old got hopelessly stuck in the mud at Sedgefield on his latest outing, while prior to that he failed to stay a trip in excess of three miles on a fruitless visit to Catterick.

The immaculately bred son of 2,000 Guineas hero Zafonic, out of a Sadler's Wells mare, possesses the pedigree of a champion, so the lowly Novices' Handicap Hurdle should theoretically be well within Water Taxi's compass.

Migwell (4.00) returns to the scene of his hard-fought December victory with a great chance of a follow-up win.

Lucy Wadham's six-year-old had been right out of sorts prior to that success, hence his somewhat over-generous starting price of 9-1 in what was a relatively weak affair.

Seeing as it was his initial try over fences, Jimmy McCarthy's mount was entitled to make the odd mistake, but nothing could have been further from the truth as he attacked each obstacle in the manner of a seasoned professional.

Sadly the bookies won't be fooled into chalking up anything like such inviting odds about Migwell in today's Weatherbys Handicap Chase, a three-mile examination of stamina which will play to the selection's strengths.

It's not easy to gauge the precise merit of Before Time's distant Fontwell fourth placing and I suspect the handicapper is in the same boat. By allotting the gelding a rating of 89 he might be a tad wide of the mark.

The proof-of-the-pudding, as ever, will come in the eating and Before Time (5.00) might be capable of running his rivals ragged off what is a feather weight in the closing Racecourse Handicap Hurdle.

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