My way or the highway for Solzen
My Way De Solzen has been bitterly disappointing on his two outings this season but can return to winning ways in the totesport.com National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell.
The eight-year-old has been a fine servant to connections and is seemingly effective over all distances after winning the 2006 World Hurdle over three miles and dropping to the minimum distance to take the Arkle in his first season over fences.
Alan King’s gelding was expected to pose a real threat to Kauto Star on his reappearance in the Betfair Chase at Haydock but he finished a 42 lengths adrift after travelling well.
Connections were quick to blame that effort on a lack of fitness but he showed there could be something amiss when pulling up in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day.
He has been given plenty of time to recover from that and if he is back to the form he showed last season, he will prove very hard to beat on his return to timber.
Sporazene ran an eyecatching race on his return to action at Doncaster at the start of the month and sets a standard that will be tough to match in the totesport 0800 221 221 Handicap Chase.
The nine-year-old is a seriously classy animal and showed some smart form last season, winning twice and finishing fourth behind Well Chief in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury.
He will strip fitter for his recent outing over hurdles where he plugged on well to take sixth and despite having the burden of top weight, he should have too many guns for these rivals.
Nougat De L’Isle fell at an early stage on his latest outing at Newbury but a return to the winner’s enclosure looks on the cards in the exeter-racecourse.co.uk Handicap Chase at the Devon venue.
Prior to his recent mishap, the seven-year-old had got off the mark over fences with an impressive display at Newbury when he came home five lengths clear of a decent yardstick in Mr Ed.
He let his supporters down on his return to the Berkshire track last time but if they keep the faith, compensation awaits.
Sir Loin seems to save his best efforts for Kempton and can notch a third course-and-distance success in the kempton.co.uk Handicap.
The seven-year-old has finished in the money on four of his eight starts here and made every yard of the running when registering a neck success on his latest outing.
A 4lb rise in the weights makes life tougher but in present form, it may not be enough to stop him.
There is some decent action across the Irish Sea and Casey Jones is taken to make a winning start to his career over fences in the Woodlands Park 100 Nas Na Riogh Novice Chase at Naas.
The seven-year-old kept some good company over hurdles last term, finishing just over six lengths behind his stablemate Aitmatov in a Grade Two event at Fairyhouse before winning with something in hand on his next start at Punchestown.
He has not been seen for some time but Noel Meade is well capable of getting them fit and with his string now back in form, Casey Jones should be in the shake-up.
