Lord Of The Hill is in top form
The eight-year-old won his fourth race since the beginning of October when he made all the running to beat Veneguera by 12 lengths at Ludlow last time in action.
That race was over two and a half miles and Lord Of The Hill was at the end of his tether at the line.
He drops back to two miles today and Hereford’s tight turns clearly suit his front-running style, as he showed when scoring over course and distance on his penultimate start.
Lord Of The Hill is in the form of his life and he is napped to oblige again.
Eric’s Charm looked a decent prospect when he won on his hurdling debut at Lingfield Park three weeks ago.
Oliver Sherwood’s five-year-old ran right away from his rivals up the straight and was 16 lengths clear of the second, Unlocked, at the line.
Having jumped a bit novicey early on, he warmed to his task and led throughout for an easy success under Tony McCoy.
Eric’s Charm looks a useful recruit and can follow up in the Tripleprint Novices’ Hurdle, when he will once again have the invaluable assistance of the champion jockey. Ulusaba won over course and distance 12 days ago and Ferdy Murphy’s charge can repeat the feat off a mark that is just 3lb higher in the bonusprint.com Handicap Chase.
Phrenologist, a game winner over course and distance last month, can follow up in the Chris Weatherly Retirement Classified Stakes at Lingfield.
Having just his third start, the James Fanshawe-trained three-year-old appreciated the return to six furlongs to beat Salon Prive by a neck.
He had been well beaten over seven furlongs on his previous start and the shorter trip appears his best distance at this stage.
Phrenologist could develop into a useful sprint handicapper next year and he look good to pick up today’s contest on the way.
Freak Occurence has been in good form recently with wins at Redcar and here since the start of November, and the hat-trick now looks very much on the cards in the Bet Direct No Q On 08000 93 66 93 Nursery.
At Newton Abbot the ex-French L’Ange Au Ciel can take the opening Holly And The Ivy 4 Year Olds Novices’ Chase for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup-winning team of trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Ruby Walsh.
L’Ange Au Ciel won a maiden hurdle at Pau in January on his only start over jumps to date and he would not have to be anything special to get off the mark in Britain today.
