Thunder’ will be on a roll at Newbury
THE CARD at Newbury today is an intriguing one, although the ground will be close to heavy with further rain falling this morning.
The opening conditional jockeys’ handicap is interesting, with Douglas DC the type to win a handicap soon with the handicapper easing his burden, but the trip is a big concern for a horse who has been campaigned at 2m, and I think his stamina will be stretched.
THUNDERCLAP (1.50) seemed to relish the step up to 2m5f on soft ground when winning at Kempton and he looked set to triumph by a wider margin before being eased in the last 100 yards.
The handicapper has put him up 6lb for that romp but that doesn’t look enough, and he is taken to follow up with Hughie Morrison booking the excellent Nial Houlihan to do the steering.
Houlihan also has claims in the juvenile hurdle with last-timeout winner Yellow Star, but preference is for ITHACA’S ARROW (2.25) whose latest close second at Ludlow behind Yellow Star’s stablemate Royal Way may have been underestimated.
Reflected
Ithaca’s Arrow certainly jumped better at Ludlow than he had on his first two starts, and that is reflected in the fact that he had been beaten over 18 lengths by Royal Way when that gelding was second to Sir Gino at Kempton.
He had finished in front of Royal Way when the pair were making their hurdling debuts at Sandown, and they split a pair of subsequent winners on that occasion, which adds substance to the collateral formlines.
The Kempton race has worked out tremendously well already with Sir Gino following up impressively at Cheltenham and the next three home have all won at least once since.
I suspect that Royal Way will be a player in the Fred Winter, and Ithaca’s Arrow is also engaged there, but almost certainly needs to pick up a penalty here if he’s to make the cut.
Taking the view that his Kempton performance came too soon after a gruelling effort first time, it’s easy to take a positive view of Ithaca’s Arrow based on the Sandown and Ludlow runs, and I think the handicapper has let him in lightly.
Figures
The Howden Supporting West Berkshire Mencap Handicap Chase can go to bottom-weight I’D LIKE TO KNOW (4.10), who is unexposed over jumps and figures on a lenient mark.
He was only just touched off by Issar D’airy on his chase debut here and his price will contract if that gelding makes it three from three over fences earlier on the card.
Gary Moore’s six-yearold is an exciting prospect, so I’d Like To Know did really well to lead him until the winning line here on his debut over fences, the pair pulling more than 20 lengths clear of their rivals.
Second on his only start in points, I’d Like To Know looks every inch a chaser and jumped very well on the whole here last time.
He’s sure to build on that promising start and comes here with the Chris Gordon team hitting form again.