Monger strongly fancied to follow up
Returning from a six-month absence when beating only daylight home over hurdles in November, she reverted to fences five weeks ago and displayed wonderful determination to overcome a previous winner by just over a length.
With the form of that race having worked out exceptionally well the third, fourth, seventh, eighth, and even 10th winning next time out it seems fair to assume that Monger Lane will run another big race.
Bidding to open his account over fences at the third attempt, The Local seems the most likely winner of the gg.com Beginners' Chase over two miles.
Formerly a useful performer over hurdles, he made his debut over fences at Warwick last month, and although he was sent off the favourite, he faded in the latter stages, eventually crossing the line a well-beaten fourth behind Tanikos.
He produced a slightly better performance last time when a 10-length third behind the in-form Roznic, and further improvement on that effort may well suffice.
Dark Ben can make it fourth time lucky as he steps back up in trip in the Malton Beginners' Chase at Catterick. Having found the concession of 11lb to a useful rival at Sedgefield in December beyond him, Dark Ben then appeared to struggle over the sharper distance of two miles and three furlongs at this venue last month.
He had to settle for the runner-up spot that day but returning to the course and distance over which his chasing career began, he then produced significant further improvement to finish a close third behind 120-rated Vicario and potentially useful Henry's Pride.
This longer trip should be within his stamina range, so Dark Ben is fancied to gain a deserved first success in this sphere.
Trainer Micky Hammond could enhance his already impressive level-stakes profit for the season when he sends Industrial Star for the Harrogate Novices' Hurdle.
A son of top-class middle-distance Flat performer Singspiel, Industrial Star cost 115,000 guineas as a two-year-old, but was sold out of Luca Cumani's yard as an unraced three-year-old for a fraction of the price.
That 6,000 guineas looked money well spent when he won a Market Rasen bumper towards the end of last season and, after recovering from a hind leg injury suffered in a horsebox accident, he opened his account over timber at the first attempt almost seven weeks ago.
Clearly blessed with a fair bit of talent, Industrial Star has the size and scope to go on to better things and must be held in some regard by his trainer as he figures in the entries for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the forthcoming Festival.
