Another cracking weekend is in store with the Cheltenham International Meeting starting on Friday with four races on ITV Racing. A competitive card including the International Hurdle from Cheltenham features alongside Doncaster on Saturday.
To build towards the weekend, here’s three highly interesting runners from the All-Weather action on Thursday evening from Chelmsford and Wolverhampton. The treble is available at 54/1, best price at time of writing.
Charlie Appleby enjoys success at whichever track he sends runners to, with thirty winners coming from just 117 runners at Chelmsford. Added to that, he’s had seventeen winners from fifty-three debutants this year.
Those factors combine to make Symbol Of Love a very attractive proposition. The daughter of Shamardal is a half-sister to a former stablemate who scored at Wolverhampton last November. She’s since landed a Listed event over in Germany.
She’s bred to be very useful then, and has the perfect man onboard in James Doyle. He’s ridden forty one winners at the track over the past five years and ventures there for just two rides tomorrow.
No jockey riding at Wolverhampton today has enjoyed more success at the venue over the past five years than Shane Kelly. He’s partnered forty four runners to victory at the Tapeta course and has a great chance of success with Yasir.
The veteran has held his form this autumn, in the first four in his last four starts. He was denied by just half-a-length at Lingfield under an amateur eight days ago.
He’s two pounds ahead of the assessor today and returns to Wolverhampton at which he’s scored seven times. He was beaten little over a length under Kelly at Kempton in October so the pair get on just fine. A combination of their love for this venue should see the elven-year-old return to winning ways.
An £190,000 purchase as a yearling, it’s fair to say Muraaqeb hasn’t fulfilled expectations. That being said, he has developed into a useful performer at Chelmsford with four wins from six starts.
He landed a Classified race in April before defying a mark of 49 the following month. He was a slightly disappointing fourth when favourite subsequently, but has made amends for that with two wins from three starts here in August, the sole defeat coming when second to a rival now rated twelve pounds higher.
David Probert was onboard when the gelding returned from a 113 day break at Wolverhampton five days ago. Sent off 11/1, he finished a close third despite hanging to the left late on. Returned to Chelmsford, he stands a great chance of getting back to winning ways.