Charm to land first chase success
Eric’s Charm is a more than useful performer on his day and he should be the star turn at tomorrow’s sole jumps meeting at Folkestone, where he bids for his first chasing success.
Oliver Sherwood has always thought the front-running six-year-old would make a good impression over the bigger obstacles, and he brings with him some fine hurdling form from last season, when he won three and was placed in Graded company a few times.
The one blot on his copybook came on his chasing debut at Lingfield, where he ran well for a long time behind the smart Cornish Rebel, but weakened and fell three from home.
However, Sherwood has mentioned in the past that Eric’s Charm would be better running right-handed, and although he faces a couple of horses who will be decent in time, the Aintree Club Micheal Gore Memorial Beginners’ Chase looks a good opportunity for him to open his account.
Jim Old’s yard has run into a rich vein of form lately and Sir Talbot can continue the run in the David Edwards Memorial Handicap Chase.
The Wroughton handler has doubled his seasonal total in the last fortnight with three winners and Sir Talbot, making his reappearance, would be one of the best in the stable.
The 10-year-old, formerly a good staying hurdler, did not go chasing until last season but performed with great credit, getting within two lengths of both Mondial Jack and Keltic Bard on separate occasions.
He makes his handicap debut here and can build on his last run when second to Biliverdin at Exeter in March, and with that horse having scored in both his subsequent runs, Sir Talbot is napped to follow in his wake.
Magic Glade, who was second-best in a valuable and competitive sprint at Southwell last Tuesday, can go one better when he returns to the same Nottinghamshire track tomorrow.
Roy Brotherton’s five-year-old cut out the running in a £20,000-added handicap until he was collared by seasoned campaigner Dancing Mystery.
Magic Glade clung on to take minor honours in the five-furlong dash, just ahead of Quiet Times and Halmahera.
It was a fine effort by the Magic Ring gelding, who was running from 4lb out of the handicap, and he can gain compensation in the £10,000 Littlewoods Bet Direct Handicap, which looks a less competitive affair.
At Wolverhampton, Chief Exec can show he is the boss in the Bet Direct On Channel 4 Page 613 Novice Stakes.
Charles Cyzer’s youngster made it third time lucky when accounting for Humble Opinion by half a length in an above-average contest on Lingfield’s Polytrack surface two weeks ago.
The Zafonic gelding only made his debut in October and can continue to make up for lost time in what looks quite an interesting contest for the time of year.
Modaffaa, whose trainer Paul Webber believes could be a Chester Cup horse, will face nothing like that sort of opposition in the Littlewoods Bet Direct Handicap.
The four-year-old landed a maiden at Lingfield in effortless fashion last month and looks an interesting prospect.
