violets

Emma Lavelle wanted to go chasing with this runner, but things didn’t go to plan at Cheltenham. He was put back over hurdles in a tough contest at Windsor. They went a hard pace on soft ground. I’d expect today’s race to be similar. He seemed to have run his race three out but made up a lot of ground at the end. It looked like he hit the front and just stopped, which made him finish a close second. That is a little concerning. Looking at this horse’s record, he seems quite tough to win with. I’d think he can still improve, rated 132, and these kinds of races are perfect for this runner.

I was on Myretown at Haydock on his last start, and everything seemed to be going perfectly until he got everything wrong three out. He still had every chance, but it almost seemed like the horse was embarrassed that he made that mistake. He started hanging and was only able to regain his focus when it was too late. I thought they were going to bring this runner to the race they won at Kelso last season before going to the Ultima. It could have been a nice confidence boost, but they decided to run another one of their runners, which won comfortably. I’m not sure what path they want to take with this horse, but he should be at his best at this time of the season.

The Betfair Exchange Handicap Hurdle is competitive, but I have a feeling Captain Teague will give you a good run for your money. He made his comeback after a long layoff at Windsor over 3 miles on ground that was close to heavy. For a horse that has never really enjoyed 3 miles, those had to be the worst possible conditions to make your return. Back in distance here on nicer ground should show a completely different horse. He won the Challow in 2023 and has only had four runs since then. There’s probably still a lot to come from the runner, and this could be a good starting point.

Trojan Tale made a nice debut for a small stable. He was well supported before the race and seemed to really love the ground. He kicked away at the end, hinting he’d ideally like a little further in time. Harry Cobden said he was booked quite early on for this horse, confirming connections think a lot about this runner. He faces some tough opponents, but this could be a nice story for a small yard.

Let It Rain had a nice reappearance run in a tough race at Ascot, which was confirmed with the first and second, All In You and Dance And Glance, who are in here once again and went on to finish first and second once again. Skelton's mare gets 5 lb from All In You here and will be much better. She looked the winner at Ascot but probably just got a little tired late on, as it was her seasonal reappearance. The trainer holds the mare in high regard and thinks the ground won’t be a problem, which would be my only concern. It’s a tough race, with Tutti Quanti being a likely improver, together with Un Sens A La Vie, a similar type who stepped up after finishing a good second to old Park Star. Lanesborough is one I can see bouncing back here as well. I just think Let It Rain has a lot in hand on the handicapper, running off a mark of 124 here.

I had big hope for Leave Of Absence in the Silver Cup at Ascot, and unfortunately he got beaten in brutal fashion. He had a poor jump two out which cost him in the end. He’s up in class here, but I think he’ll benefit from the tactics. He’ll likely dictate the tempo, and on testing ground like this it will be tough to make up a lot of ground. On ratings he has a lot to find, but this horse seems to be an improver this season. Haiti Couleurs would have his eyes on Cheltenham, so I’m not expecting him to be 100%, and surely he’d like a little more of a stamina test. L’Homme Presse will likely be the biggest danger, with his run on reappearance being eye-catching. Despite the margin, he was beaten quite easily by Spillane’s Tower, and I’ve always thought of this horse as being at his best at the beginning of the season. So this will likely be his last chance at winning a nice price.