A field of six go to post for this hugely competitive Class 4 handicap at Catterick on Tuesday, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.
IN SUMMARY: Be Perfect is a course and distance winner who is still feasibly treated and Pumblechook should be competitive off this mark, but a confident selection is Sir Mark Prescott’s TENZING NORGAY. He returned with a good performance here and he blew his chance at the start when last seen at Sandown, plugging on well into third and the new headgear promises to unlock further improvement. Ryan Powell takes the ride and with conditions to suit, he looks very tough to beat for a trainer whose horses tend to improve for their racing.
1 BE PERFECT – Course and distance winner who won well at Hamilton on his penultimate start, keeping on strongly and never looking likely to be caught. He was raised two pounds as a result but that can be easily forgiven in a tough looking race and he returns to a venue where he is three from four. James Sullivan takes the ride for Ruth Carr and with conditions fine, he looks a strong contender off a mark that is still feasible.
2 PUMBLECHOOK – Won two on the spin at Leicester and Newmarket in June and this son of Dalakhani has had excuses the last twice. He never was seemingly comfortable when fourth at Newbury over the 2m 2f trip, with a drop back in trip an obvious move. Better can be expected this time off a mark he is still well treated off of under Joe Fanning. Mark Johnston remains in good form and he’s another to note.
3 TENZING NORGAY – Four year old for Sir Mark Prescott who made a pleasing return here over the two mile trip before blowing the start at Sandown when last seen. He plugged on well into third though and off the same mark he looks very well treated with the new headgear likely to bring about sizeable improvement. Ryan Powell takes the ride and with conditions to suit, he’s a confident selection.
4 ITLAAQ – Inconsistent sort for Mick Easterby whose fifth at Ayr when last seen was no more than fair, with that being a Class 5 event. He goes back up in grade today for a yard who are completely out of sorts, with the same seven pound claimer on board today as he was at Ayr. Hard to recommend him against some progressive opposition and he’s likely best watched.
5 BULAS BELLE – Seven year old mare who has a good record here at Catterick and she likely needed her comeback run when fifth at York last month. The handicapper has relented two pounds which brings her to a mark of 73, which is a pound below her last winning mark. On that basis she has each way claims under Graham Lee, but she would be an unlikely winner in a tough race for the grade.
6 INGLEBY HOLLOW – Another inconsistent sort in the race, this time for David O’Meara who returned to some sort of form at Redcar on his latest start. He plugged on well into third, but he was beaten three lengths and this is a tougher race off only one pound lower. Philip Makin takes the ride who isn’t in the best form at present and others make far more appeal.