Gungadu to score for Nichols
Gungadu is a confident selection in the Ian Williams Owners Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham tomorrow.
Paul Nicholls’ gelding fared reasonably well over hurdles last season but was always set to make a name for himself over the bigger obstacles – as this three-mile contest should illustrate.
Nicholls, who has an enviable array of talent in this division, treated Gungadu with kid-gloves last term but still enjoyed some degree of success.
Despite winning at Wincanton and Chepstow, his best performance arguably came in defeat when he chased home Black Jack Ketchum in the Brit Insurance Novices’ Hurdle over course and distance at the Festival meeting.
That he got to within two lengths of Jonjo O’Neill’s star on that occasion speaks volumes of his potential.
Nicholls described Gungadu as possessing the right profile to make a “lovely chaser” and, as long as there is sufficient dig in the ground, he should travel well first time out over fences at Prestbury Park.
Hot Weld returns to the scene of his surprise Festival victory and can carry on the good work in the Piers Bengough Memorial Amateur Riders’ Handicap Chase.
Ferdy Murphy’s admirable stayer sprung a 33-1 shock when showing bags of stamina to land the Letheby & Christopher National Hunt Chase by a neck.
He then confirmed that run to be no fluke when finishing second – despite conceding plenty of weight all round – to Howaya Pet in the valuable four-mile handicap at the Punchestown Festival.
While he has a fair bit on his plate again, Murphy’s charge, who ideally needs good ground, will surely have no trouble reverting back to three miles – a trip that has already yielded three career victories for connections.
Snap Tie won a decent Limerick bumper on his one start and is taken to do the business on his first run for Philip Hobbs in the racinguk.tv Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race, while Glingerbank can register a noteworthy hat-trick in the Jewson Handicap Hurdle Final.
Rowan Lodge benefited from a good Neil Callan ride when winning at Yarmouth last week and can repeat the dose in the Harry Buckle “Lifetime In Racing” Handicap at Nottingham.
Callan held a prominent position aboard the Indian Ridge gelding over a mile last time out and galloped clear of his rivals en-route to a clear-cut success.
The Irish rider clearly gets a tune out of Mark Tompkins’ four-year-old, who should appreciate the testing ground in Nottinghamshire.
A 6lb penalty for his Yarmouth win is likely to prove no bar to success.
Sahara Sphinx will improve on a pleasing debut over 10 furlongs here by dropping down in trip in the Racing UK On Channel 432 Maiden Stakes.
Godolphin’s 400,000 purchase held every chance a furlong out on his first racecourse start but ran out of puff when it mattered and finished fourth behind the well-regarded Galactic Star.
A mile should see him in a far better light on that evidence and he will have improved for that experience.
Desert Storm was another to have been found out at the distance on his last start but can be given another chance in the Will Scarlet Handicap.
A winner at Yarmouth on his penultimate run, Rae Guest’s charge was undone by the two-mile-one-furlong trip next time at Bath.
A return to two miles, paired with a bit of cut in the ground, can see him return to winning ways.
Richard Guest has enjoyed a fine start to the new campaign and is expected to find the winner’s enclosure with College City in the John Wade For Equine Fibre And Rubber Selling Handicap Hurdle at Sedgefield.
