Can Itseemslikeit build on promising novice form and make successful handicap debut in Newton Abbot feature?

This looks like a strong race for the time of the season but, as is often the case in October, it is probably going to be won by the horse who is best prepared on the day, not the most talented.

There is a degree of guesswork involved in who will have their horse in the best condition here, too, because none of the nine runners has a recent run to their name and all of them reappear following absences of at least 100 days. 

Fitness is something to be taken on trust. Many people look to the trainer-in-form tables when it comes to assessing which yards are most forward for the time of year, but those are based on totals over the last fortnight and I prefer to find the stables that might be about to peak, rather than those that already have done. 

Step forward David Pipe, who struck with Remastered at Wincanton on Sunday and saddles Itseemslikeit in a tongue-strap and after wind surgery. The Pipe stable’s strike-rate jumps from 12 per cent to 15 per cent with runners after a procedure, so Itseemslikeit may improve again. 

It’s 315 days since we last saw him trail in seventh of nine behind the top-class Gidleigh Park at Newbury in December, but there won’t be anything of that winner’s quality in this line-up and Remastered defied a similar absence at the weekend. Itseemslikeit won’t lack for fitness.

However, the one to beat might be Canty Bay, who is at least proven on ground this testing having won on soft at Ludlow last February and finished second on similar going at Taunton in April. Trainer Emma Lavelle is steadily hitting form and Canty Bay has lots more to offer.
Analysis by Graeme Rodway

Going update 

The going is heavy and clerk of the course Jason Loosemore said "We’re fine to race and the ground is going to be testing. It’s heavy and we’ll have to omit the ditch and the water jump, and we’ve done quite a bit of rail movement to get the meeting on."

What they say

Deborah Cole, trainer of Flight Deck
He's really well. It's heavy ground so it'll be a bit slower for him but he's in a really good place. He's always had the blinkers but we're trying a visor for the first time as we thought it might just help him along a bit more if he can see something coming.

Olly Murphy, trainer of Shallow River
He's new to the yard and he's handicapped up to his best, so a career best would be needed for him to be competitive. But he's in good form and he's training well.

Sue Gardner, trainer of Astronomic View
It's his first run back and he's going chasing, so we wanted to give him a run somewhere over hurdles first. We're very happy with him.

David Pipe, trainer of Itseemslikeit
We were going to go over fences with him but he's only had the two runs over hurdles so we're giving him another run over hurdles. He'll like the ground and he seems to have strengthened up during the summer.
Reporting by Charlie Huggins

Read these next:

$1.5 million foal makes debut and unbeaten chaser goes for five-timer - punting pointers for Wednesday's action 

Looking for free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.