GRAND NATIONAL winning jockey Richard Guest concentrates mainly on training these days and his skill at placing horses such as Sedgefield-bound Nosam (3.05) ably demonstrates just what a shrewd cookie he is.
Although Richard occasionally hops into the saddle, he's much more likely to be found with his feet firmly on the ground plotting canny entries for versatile characters like Nosam in the Gill And Punter Handicap Hurdle.
Guest's veteran 13-year-old has been running with admirable consistency during recent weeks, however, as a result his handicap rating has crept up over the bigger obstacles hence the decision to revert to hurdles, a sphere in which he races off a 14lb lower mark (110-96).
Given this significant discrepancy, Nosam theoretically at least only needs to perform at the level of his chase rating in order to bring off Guest's well thought out ploy.
Despite the near-marathon distance of the three-mile-three-furlong Saltwell Signs Handicap Chase, I still expect a very exciting finish involving several closely-matched rivals.
In an almost identical event at the last meeting a large Halloween cape would have covered the first three in the frame, Silent Snipe, Primitive Way, and Danteco.
That was not the greatest of contests and I look elsewhere in the hope Atomic Breeze (3.40) can make his superior pace count.
Atomic Breeze looked home and hosed over a similar trip at Market Rasen recently when storming clear of his three opponents five fences from home.
Sadly though for his supporters, either due to a lack of concentration or not quite enough puff, the nine-year-old faltered near the finish and was collared by the locally-trained track specialist, Cromwell. The eye-catching part of that effort was the mid-race injection of speed from the selection and provided the same tactics are utilised, Atomic Breeze could set up an unassailable lead over his leaden-footed opposition.
The best handicap hurdle of the season so far takes place at Cheltenham where Albuhera (2.45) is fancied to take the £18,000 Jewson-sponsored two-mile race.
Albuhera, a cracking ten furlong campaigner when in the hands of Mark Johnston on the flat, has adapted to the winter code in scintillating style by winning his last couple of races over timber for new handler Paul Nicholls.
The reappearance of some smart two-and-a-half-mile chasers in the Racing Post Ten To Follow Chase is a welcome sight for all National Hunt fans, so long starved of any top-class action over fences due to the summer drought.
According to my speed ratings Redemption, Mr Baxter Basics, and Saragan, all deserve serious consideration, however, the tip is Wave Rock (3.55), who loves this course and will not want for peak fitness despite his 160-day absence.
l Web Perceptions stamped himself the best three-year-old to have run over jumps this season when thwarting German raider After Eight by a neck in the Scarvagh House Stud PTA Juvenile Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham yesterday.
The American-bred colt, a four-time winner over middle distances on the Flat this year, completed a hat-trick for trainer Milton Harris as he got the better of a rare tussle with After Eight up the hill.
The field contained five recent winners as well as the highly-rated runner-up, and Harris now has his sights set on the Paddy Power meeting here next mont
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