With this easier task, watch out for Abbeybraney
The 10-year-old is having his first try in this kind of company after acareer which has seen just 21 starts so far. He looked a possible star when twice placing in Grade One contests as a novice but it has been a bit of a stop-start ride since with some long absences.
Now with Nicky Richards, Abbeybraney was certainly not finished with when he crashed out at Bechers Brook earlier this month on hisseasonal bow and he merits respect here.
All eyes will be on Menorah as he returns to fences in the toteexacta Novices’ Chase at Taunton. Winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle back in 2010, he looked a certain victor on his fencing debut at Exeter only to crash out at the penultimate obstacle.
Philip Hobbs then switched him back to hurdles and he was far from disappointing in finishing fourth in the International at Cheltenham, having had a minor problem during hispreparation for the race. Menorah is probably not quite sharp enough over hurdles these days but chasing looks a natural progression and he can get a first win on the board.
Podgies Boy showed signs of a renaissance last time out and he can build on that promise with victory at Lingfield. The three-year-old was a three-time winner as a juvenile last winter, including verdicts over seven furlongs at this track.
Podgies Boy was then off the track until last month, when Richard Fahey pitched him into a reasonable handicap at the Surrey venue. He looked in need of the run that day and the fact he ran a little wide on the turn for home hardly helped his chances as he finished a decent seventh.
Podgies Boy demonstrated the benefits of that outing when turned out at Southwell last time, stepping back up to a mile to claim fifth at long odds. He was just found out by some sharper rivals that day and the handicapper has eased him 2lb in the ratings to a mark of 75. That concession puts him to within 1lb of his last winning mark last December and there is every hope he can regain the winning thread in the toteexacta Handicap.
Waseem Faris ran into a decent horse in Mezzotint on his latest outing but compensation awaits in the toteplacepot Nursery. Mick Channon obviously thinks a bit of the colt as, after he failed to score in four attempts for the trainer, his owner sent him to the sales, where Channon snapped him up.
There was more than a glimmer of promise at Kempton just before Christmas and Waseem Faris’ time is coming.
Caldercruix ended a lengthy losing run when dropped back to six furlongs last time and he can continue the good work in Wolverhampton’s totepool Mobile Text Tote To 89660 Handicap. The four-year-old cost a fair bit as a yearling but following two wins at the start of the 2010 season, he thoroughly lost his way.
Sold out of Tom Tate’s yard last July, Caldercruix took his time to sparkle for new connections, only really starting to regain his form when switched to the all-weather. Sent over a sprint trip at this track last time, everything finally clicked for the Rahy gelding as he ran out a comfortable length-and-three-quarters winner and he did not look to be finished with yet.
While he shoulders a penalty for that win, it should pay to back him for a course and distance double.
