Cape crusader to the rescue

Red Cape seems to be striking form at the right time to make his presence felt in the pontins.com Handicap at Southwell tomorrow.

Jane Chapple-Hyam has her string in good nick and this particular inmate ran a smashing race last time to get within a length and a half of the rapidly-improving Areyoutalkingtome.

Prior to that fine effort, Red Cape had finished an encouraging two-length fourth to Mostashaar over a longer trip at Lingfield.

And while a case can be made for most of his seven rivals, Chapple-Hyam’s charge should gain a deserved win if repeating the level of form shown on his most recent two outings.

Monda should be thereabouts in the Go Pontin’s Handicap over six furlongs.

Julie Camacho’s five-year-old is evidently in good heart and was just touched off over this course and distance last month.

Another creditable effort followed at Wolverhampton and although she is 3lb higher, she is relatively unexposed and can her presence felt once more.

Hobbs Hill has done little wrong in two starts over timber and he can book a ticket to the Cheltenham Festival at Folkestone, where he would be an appropriate winner of the Hobbs Parker Novices’ Hurdle.

The Charlie Egerton-trained gelding has very few miles on the clock for an eight-year-old, with just five appearances on a racecourse to his name, which suggests he is perhaps not the easiest to keep right.

But he has shown plenty to suggest he has a fair bit of talent, getting off the mark at the second time of asking at this track having had to play second fiddle to the very smart Amaretto Rose at Ascot in December, where he was himself some way clear of the third, who boosted the form with a win next time up.

He broke his duck in bloodless fashion at the end of last month, getting a flyer under Paddy Brennan and never being in danger thereafter.

Egerton has seen fit to make entries for both the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Ballymore Properties Hurdle and it will be disappointing if he does not have the necessary improvement in him to at least justify a trip to Prestbury Park.

Moncadou gets the nod to come good at the third time of asking for British punters in the Eastwell Manor Beginners’ Chase for the Thierry Doumen stable.

The JP McManus-owned seven-year-old has had to settle for minor honours on both his visits to these shores, twice being the beaten favourite, although his last effort can be forgiven to a degree as seven fences were omitted in an unsatisfactory affair.

His runs at Newbury and Huntingdon came at three miles and there is a fair chance the drop back to two miles and five could work the oracle as he travels well in his races.

Paul Webber knows the time of day with his bumper horses so Swaythe commands maximum respect in the HBLB Intermediate Open National Hunt Flat Race.

The six-year-old is a half-sister to a smart staying hurdler in Stromness and looked to have a future when quickening up well to take a rare all-weather bumper at Lingfield back in November 2005.

She has been off the track since but, assuming she retains that sort of ability, must be hard to beat.

Ferrando has twice bumped into progressive sorts from the powerful Howard Johnson yard but has shaped on both occasions as if there is a race in him.

So the Saltwell Signs Maiden Hurdle at Newcastle offers a fine opportunity for Alan Swinbank’s charge, not least because he looks as though he will relish every yard of the step up to three miles.

He was no match for former smart Flat stayer Key Time on his latest start over two and a half miles, but was staying on resolutely and did run well enough over two miles on the Flat in soft ground.

He is lightly raced and entitled to improve again.

Course and distance winner Young Smokey can repeat the dose in the Gosforth Decorating And Building Service Handicap Chase.

Peter Beaumont’s six-year-old was making his debut over fences at this track last month, where he stayed on in gallant fashion to collar Barton Sun close home.

The handicapper has seen fit to give him a 10lb rise, but the form has a solid look with the Ferdy Murphy-trained runner-up having scored in good style since.

Soft ground evidently suits and there is no reason why he will not again be involved at the business end.