It’s been an uncharacteristically dry jumps season so far, much to the dismay of the trainers trying to find some winter ground to run their horses on. There have no doubt been plenty of rain dances performed since October! One track that you can almost guarantee to find soft or heavy ground is Ffos Las where the going is soft, heavy in places. Ffos Las is notoriously testing so it pays to pick horses with form on heavy going. We’ve picked out four horses that will relish the testing underfoot conditions which have evaded them for most of the season.
Rebecca Curtis’ gelding Lubeat Foras is a bumper winner on soft ground for his previous connections. Despite winning a point-to-point on good ground, he is yet to place better than third on his two hurdles starts on good to soft. The soft conditions should provide this gelding with the opportunity to break his maiden tag over hurdles.
There should be enough heavy in the description for Pride of Lecale. He can be a bit in and out but there is one clear denominator: all his best form is on heavy ground. Pride of Lecale has won three and finished second twice in eight starts on heavy ground. This horse has had its injury problems with plenty of long lay offs, but he won last time on his second start after a wind op. With clearer wind, he should fly through the mud with more ease and can find some consistency.
Alkopop is yet to be out of the first two in three starts on heavy ground, winning twice. He is yet to win at three miles but this could be the day. He finished second to Fairlawn Flyer last time out when beaten by five lengths who opposes today. Fairlawn Flyer was put up 7lb for that victory whilst Alkopop was unchanged which should be enough to help the latter turn the tables.
Richard Newland’s lightly-raced gelding Feivel has a 100 per cent strike-rate on heavy ground, winning a maiden hurdle at Hexham on his only attempt. He finished third at Haydock last time over a shorter trip off of this mark of 113. The softer going coupled with a return to two and a half miles should provide Feivel with the necessary conditions to win again.
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