Liars Poker worth a gamble
He ran respectably in a couple of Irish point-to-points in 2012 before switching to the care of Charlie Longsdon, who pitched him into bumper company at Huntingdon in November.
Hailing from the family of Eider Chase winner Portrait King, he never looked like getting competitive over the two-mile trip.
He shaped with some promise though, and should improve for both the step up in distance and the addition of obstacles in the Plymouth Carvery Maiden Hurdle.
Haaf A Sixpence can defy a minor rise in the weights and complete a quickfire double in the Yeongcheon City Racing Handicap at Kempton.
The four-year-old missed much of 2012 after a nasty incident at Salisbury in May, when he clipped heels and fell in a seven-furlong event.
Ralph Beckett gave him plenty of time to get over that unexpected tumble and the Haafhd gelding did not reappear until lining up at this track last month.
Haaf A Sixpence proved pretty keen that day and paid for his early exuberance when edged out in the finish, claiming a creditable third after such a lengthy lay-off.
That run obviously brought about plenty of improvement though and there was much to like about his all-the-way success at Lingfield at the start of the month.
He was well supported for what was a fair event and duly obliged, possibly a little cosily, by half a length.
A 3lb rise for that victory looks fair enough and as a horse with relatively few miles on the clock, Haaf A Sixpence could have a little something in hand in this company.
