It’s a busy Easter Monday of action live on Sky Sports Racing, and Elliot David has five horses to keep onside across the meetings at Plumpton, Wolverhampton and Saint-Cloud.
I’d Like To Know
2.25 Plumpton – Sussex Champion Handicap Chase
Following a treble on the Sussex Champion Hurdle card on Sunday, it seems trainer Chris Gordon has targeted this Bank Holiday meeting and his progressive chaser I’d Like To Know can give him further success in the Sussex Champion Handicap Chase.
The seven-year-old looked to have a good bit up his sleeve when winning at Newbury, having idled when the best part of 10 lengths clear of runner-up Real Stone. He was value for more than a five-length winning margin in my view and makes appeal despite an 8lb rise for that victory.
You’d be wise to keep an eye on Gary Moore’s pair of last year’s winner Black Gerry and stablemate Kotmask here, with market signals likely to provide a good indicator. The former won the 2023 renewal off a 5lb higher mark of 139 but returns out of nick with form of P-5-P-F and couldn’t be backed with any real trust. Niall Houlihan’s mount Kotmask is closely matched with the re-opposing Scarface on their course and distance clash of February 12, but both look high enough in the weights now off re-assessed marks.
Big Dream
3.28 Wolverhampton
The application of blinkers in tandem with a regularly-worn tongue-tie has seemingly turned this Irish raider inside out and, following an easy win over seven furlongs at Wolverhampton on February 17, he was unsurprisingly a warm even-money favourite back at the track on March 4.
A luckless run followed, where the six-year-old travelled all over his nine rivals but failed to get a clear run up the rail under apprentice rider Tommie Jakes. Trapped in and with nowhere to go, Big Dream stumbled badly, effectively ending his race one-and-a-half furlongs from home and that run can be forgotten. Providing all is well with Anthony McCann’s charge I’d expect him to take all the beating here despite top weight.
I’ll certainly give an each-way shout to Marco Botti’s Inspired Knowhow providing he returns at full fitness following a gelding op. A return to his early form in four all-weather starts between January-March 2023 would give him every chance from a mark of 65.
Tribalist
4.00 Saint-Cloud – Prix Edmond Blanc (Group Three)
The last two weeks have bore witness to the return of the Andre Fabre stable from their winter hibernation, with three winners and no less than nine runner-up finishes from 22 runners in France. 2023 winner Tribalist defends his crown here with conditions likely to suit far more than when last seen trailing home in the Hong Kong Mile.
Godolphin’s talented five-year-old saw off useful rivals in The Revenant and recent Dubai Turf winner Facteur Cheval when comfortably making all last season and despite conceding race fitness to his rivals here, I’d be hopeful he can replicate that effort.
His key threat here looks to be a fellow prominent racer in French Guineas hero Marhaba Ya Sanafi, who surged back to something like his best when seeing off Topgear comfortably over the same course and distance on March 7.
Je Zous
4.35 Saint-Cloud – Prix Penelope (Group Three)
I’m sure plenty of eyes will be on the Wertheimer filly Zuna here following her winning debut at Chantilly on March 1, but at this stage I think you must side with substance over possible talent.
Joseph O’Brien sends Je Zous to France in search of further black type following her Newmarket Listed second back in November. That defeat came on heavy ground at the hands of Guineas-entered Frankel filly Regal Jubilee who looks a hugely-promising talent for the Gosden stable but did confirm this daughter of Zoustar will handle testing ground and has ample ability.
At this stage, none of her five opponents have shown the level of form that would be required to topple her should she show up in the same heart.
Sanitiser
4.45 Plumpton – Novices’ Limited Handicap Hurdle
A pair of five-year-olds at the top of the market look on potentially inviting handicap marks here and although there’s a case to be made for both, I’ll side with Gary Moore’s still unexposed Sanitiser over Soir De Gala who has a little to prove with the tongue-tie reapplied.
Nick Scholfield’s mount returns from a break to be reunited with the spring ground he requires having been withdrawn on “unsuitable” soft ground on three occasions through February and March. A replication of his eye-catching fourth at Kempton on November 13 would certainly be enough to put him in the picture here. That effort came in a higher grade 0-110 contest with the son of The Gurkha now dropped to a 0-95.
Having reached a peak rating of 92 on the Flat he ought to, at least in theory, be able to take advantage of his current rating of 94 over hurdles. The demands of Plumpton, a sharp track particularly over the smaller obstacles, should suit and hopefully Scholfield can smuggle him into this to allay any possible stamina queries.
Watch Plumpton, Wolverhampton and Saint-Cloud live on Sky Sports Racing…
Source : Sky Sports
