Can 2022 Cheltenham Festival winner bounce back to form over fences? Punting pointers for Wednesday's meetings

Punting pointers from each of Wednesday's meetings . . .

Bellewstown: course specialist out to follow up

The Bog Bank has provided Alyse Clarke with both of her career winners and the pair are back for more in the mile apprentice handicap (3.15). Clarke was successful aboard the Tom McCourt-trained seven-year-old at this track and trip in July before she recorded another course-and-distance victory when justifying 4-1 favouritism here in August.

A 7lb rise takes the The Bog Bank to a rating of 67, a mark she has never previously won off, but her record of four wins, two seconds and a third-placed finish at the track offers some encouragement she can potentially follow up.

McCourt is also represented by fellow last-time-out winner Inishmot Prince in the 5f handicap (4.25). The six-year-old has been beaten on all three of his previous trips to Bellewstown but, having got off the mark on turf at the 18th attempt last time, this nine-time all-weather winner could be better equipped to back up that effort on grass off only 2lb higher.

The Bog Bank15:15 Bellewstown

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Jky: Alyse Clarke (4lb)Tnr: T G McCourt

Inishmot Prince16:25 Bellewstown

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Jky: James Ryan (3lb)Tnr: T G McCourt

Catterick: Brotherton brilliance again?

Serena Brotherton rode Royal Brave to victory in the 5f handicap (1.38) for amateur riders in 2020 and has an excellent chance of taking the race again on King Of The Jungle.

The Mick and David Easterby-trained four-year-old won an 11-runner seller at Thirsk last time and struck over course and distance on heavy ground in April, so the testing conditions will not be an issue.

Brotherton has ridden seven of her 140 domestic winners for the Easterbys since they combined on the licence in 2021, and her experience could count over the likes of Lauren Frost, Katie Martin and Jessica Llewellyn, who are all having their first rides at the North Yorkshire venue. 

Fortunate Star, rated 10lb lower than when successful at this track and trip in April, looks the main danger. The Declan Carroll-trained four-year-old could provide Harry Smith with a first winner from his fourth ride if bouncing back to form.

Fortunate Star13:38 Catterick

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Jky: Mr Harry Smith (7lb)Tnr: Declan Carroll

Catterick: stunning Swift

Dale Swift has ridden four winners from just six rides at Catterick this season and has a chance of improving that 67 per cent strike-rate when his sole mount Wreck It Ryley contests the 7f handicap (3.55).

Wreck It Ryley15:55 Catterick

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Jky: Dale Swift Tnr: Alan Brown

Kempton: can Chalk complete hat-trick?

Chalk Mountain has thrived since reverting to the all-weather, defying a 5lb penalty at Wolverhampton last time, only six days on from recording his first success of the season at Southwell. 

The four-year-old, who was beaten on his first three turf runs of 2024, has the chance of making it three from three on the all-weather this term in the 7f handicap (5.10), in which he competes off a career-high mark of 77.

The son of Outstrip has made the frame on all five of his starts at Kempton, finishing second on three occasions. On the chances of his gelding going one better at the track to complete a hat-trick, trainer Stuart Kittow said: "He seems to bounce off the all-weather better than the turf for some reason and we've got a good draw [stall two], which helps. Hopefully, he's still improving."

Chalk Mountain17:10 Kempton (A.W)

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Jky: Rob Hornby Tnr: Stuart Kittow

Musselburgh: Waggott winners

Durham-based trainer Tracey Waggott is in superb form, having saddled two winners, a second and a third from her last five turf runners.

One of those winners was Robert Johnson in the Cesarewitch Trial, Waggott’s first success at Newmarket from just her second runner at the track.

Waggott is in more familiar territory here when she sends three runners to her winningmost venue this season. Without Delay has provided two of Waggott's three 2024 course wins at Musselburgh, having added to May’s strike here when successful again last month. Both of those victories came over a mile, but she drops back in trip for the 7f handicap (2.55).

Waggott is also represented by dual course winner Mrs Bagerran in the 5f handicap (3.30), and last-time-out Redcar scorer Bamboo Bay in the 1m6f handicap (5.15).

Musselburgh: blistering Burke

Eight of the 15 runners Karl Burke has sent to Musselburgh this season have won, yielding a level-stakes profit of £26.02. Timescape could enhance the trainer's 53 per cent strike-rate in the 5f fillies' novice (1.45).

Timescape13:45 Musselburgh

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Jky: Clifford Lee Tnr: K R Burke

Sligo: two Fred Winter winners out to shine over fences

Brazil has not won over jumps since landing a Grade 3 hurdle at Naas in 2022, the same year he won the Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival. The six-year-old has his second start over fences in the 2m1½f beginners' chase (1.50).

The JP McManus-owned Brazil beat only one of his 17 rivals on the Flat at the Galway festival last time, having finished ninth of 14 on his chasing debut at Wexford in July. 

Trainer Padraig Roche said: "We were a bit disappointed with his first run over fences, he was just a bit careful and made a few mistakes. Hopefully he will have learned from that experience." 

Jazzy Matty (4.10), the 2023 Fred Winter winner, is also in action on the all-chase eight-race students' day card.

Brazil13:50 Sligo

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Jky: Mark Walsh Tnr: Padraig Roche

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