A fascinating mares hurdle over two miles with nine runners chasing a first prize of just under £3,800. Read on for our expert tip and runner by runner preview.
IN SUMMARY: SOLSTALLA has shown smart form over this course and distance all season. She was a little laboured behind Ginger Fizz last time out but she has a huge pull in the weights and first time cheekpieces to sharpen her up. Cosmic Tigress did the job nicely last time in a moderate field. She is weighted to her best on her flat form, but if she enjoys hurdling as much again, she should be in the frame. Oscar’s Song is going to be popular for Dan Skelton. She is no more than fairly handicapped here and would have made more appeal in a slightly lesser contest.
1 GINGER FIZZ – A ten year old now, but she is twice a winner already this season. She scored over this course and distance last time by five lengths from Solstalla, who re-opposes on much better terms. She can be a little keen in her races but last time was one of the better performances of her career. If she can build on that, she has a strong frame chance once more.
2 SOLSTALLA – Five lengths behind Ginger Fizz last time out, but taking into consideration her rider’s claim, she is a massive fifteen pounds better off for that beating. Ginger Fizz idled a little close home but the first time cheekpieces fitted on Solstalla now should allow her to travel far more sweetly than she did on that occasion. She has shown smart form over this course and distance this summer and with two wins last September, she may be ready to strike in that month once more.
3 STRANGSMILL – A three mile point to point winner last summer, she has shown some solid novice form this time around, stepping up to finish third on her handicap debut at Aintree. She was keeping on all the way to the line there so the step back down to the minimum two miles here is a cause for concern with her.
4 COSMIC TIGRESS – Despite not having run over hurdles for twenty-one months, she lost little time getting her head back in front last time out. It was by no means a strong field that she beat there but she did it with more in hand than the two length margin suggested. She has only been given a three pound rise for that which is perfectly fair, if enjoying the experience again, she should be in the frame.
5 BOBBLE BORU – The one who will put the pace to the race, she has been a little disappointing since winning from a pound higher at Chepstow in January. That was on heavy ground as four of her six career wins have been, so this surface may still be a little lively for her. This is her first start since April, so she may just need this to get back into the swing of things before targeting races on softer ground in the autumn.
6 MRS BURBIDGE – Picked up three wins last season, once over this trip at Towcester and twice over two and a half miles. She is eleven pounds higher for the last of them so she is going to need to up her game a little in a race that looks unlikely to play to her stamina strengths. She had a pipe opener on the flat at Bath last month but would make more appeal over an extra half a mile.
7 OSCAR’S SONG – Short in the market twice this season for Dan Skelton as so many from that yard are upon joining. She has shown a little bit of ability in novice hurdles with this opening gambit of 98 looking no more than fair on the back of those two efforts. Should be capable of better now that she is handicapping but she may be flying a little high for now in this company given she could run in a 0-100.
8 DISTANT HIGH – All three career wins on the flat have come at Chepstow. She is 0/6 over hurdles with arguably the best of those runs coming on her debut over obstacles at Chepstow. She has shown little in two handicaps so far in this sphere and despite her mark looking workable judged on her best flat form, she would make much more appeal running in south Wales.
9 SCOTSBROOK NIGHT – 0/8 so far in her career, she showed a glimmer of promise on her hurdling debut last time out. The drop back to the minimum trip will suit her, while the six pounds the handicapper has dropped her won’t harm her. She looks capable of making the frame in a small handicap over obstacles but this 0-115 affair may be a little more than she can handle at present.