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Three smart bumper horses make hurdling debuts at Chepstow and Limato relation has first start - Wednesday's punting pointers
Punting pointers from each of today's race meetings . . .
Chepstow: talented youngsters make hurdling debuts
Three talented bumper horses make their debuts over hurdles on what promises to be an informative card.
The Fergal O’Brien-trained Tripoli Flyer only found stablemate Horaces Pearl too good in the Aintree bumper in April and returns in division two of the 2m maiden hurdle (1.20).
Tripoli Flyer won a valuable bumper at Lingfield’s Winter Million meeting in January, with the second and third scoring on their next start.
The first division (12.50) features the hurdles debut of Royal Infantry, who fared best of the British horses in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival when finishing eighth.
Royal Infantry was successful on his first two starts for Dan Skelton, including in a Listed event at Newbury on Betfair Hurdle day.
Skelton also unleashes Let It Rain in the 2m3f maiden hurdle (1.50). The five-year-old mare boasts a 2-2 record including a Listed bumper success at Ascot in December.
Dundalk: Dalton seeks first winner on Poppadom
Apprentice Jimmy Dalton bids for a breakthrough first winner aboard Poppadom in division two of the 1m2½f handicap (5.15).
Dalton had his first ride aboard sixth-placed Dark Note at Naas in late August and went closest when beaten just a head aboard third-placed Poppadom at Gowran last month. That was Poppadom’s best effort on Racing Post Ratings since finishing second at Limerick in May.
The Andrew Slattery-trained three-year-old is a 19-race maiden, but his most recent effort suggested he is capable of winning, with Dalton again claiming a valuable 10lb.
Dancing Steve, a recent running-on third over course and distance, looks a likely threat.
Kempton: intriguing newcomers including a half-sister to Limato
A half-sister to July Cup winner Limato is among the newcomers to note on the all-weather afternoon card.
Carlyle Square makes her debut for William Haggas in division one of the mile fillies’ maiden (2.50) and cost 100,000gns at last year’s Book 1 sale.
The daughter of Wootton Bassett is ridden by Cieren Fallon, who enjoyed Golden Eagle success for the stable aboard Lake Forest in Australia on Saturday.
Charlie Appleby runs Romantic Opera, a 500,000gns Book 1 buy for Godolphin last year, in the second division (3.25). Dougie Costello’s mount is a daughter of Ghiayyath and a half-sister to last year’s Craven winner Indestructible.
Appleby has a 29 per cent strike-rate with juveniles at Kempton since he started training in 2013.
Kempton stat: Jim and Suzi Best
Jim and Suzi Best have trained three winners from their last six runners. They saddle Don’t Fight It in the 6f handicap (6.00) and last-start Chelmsford winner Silver Nightfall in the 1m3f handicap (6.30).
Musselburgh: Reel Her In bids for hat-trick
Ben Haslam is in bright form having saddled two winners from just seven runners in the last fortnight for a 29 per cent strike-rate.
He is hoping to continue that run when the JP McManus-owned Reel Her In bids for a hat-trick in the 2m handicap (3.42).
The mare, who joined Haslam from Gavin Cromwell in August, has thrived in recent weeks, notching two wins by a neck at this track. She has been raised just 2lb for her latest success.
"She's been great and has enjoyed going to Musselburgh," the trainer said. "She's probably enjoyed the step up in trip as much as anything.
"I don't think she's been winning the strongest races and the handicapper has been reasonably fair to us, so hopefully she can take advantage of that again."
Reel Her In's dam Jer's Girl won a Grade 1 over hurdles and having another crack over jumps could be a possibility.
Haslam added: "If she could just brush up on her jumping we could hopefully have a crack at a little mares' race over hurdles as well.
"She doesn't do everything quickly, but she is only four so is entitled to strengthen up, so hopefully she can keep progressing."
Musselburgh stat: William Haggas
William Haggas has a 40 per cent strike-rate (6-15) at Musselburgh in the last five seasons. Molten Sea makes the long trip north from Newmarket to contest the 2m handicap (3.42).
Nottingham: Mac aims to continue red-hot run
Phil McEntee’s sprinter Marching Mac bids for a fourth win in three weeks in the 5f handicap (1.43).
The Trevor Johnson-owned three-year-old won an amateur riders’ handicap over course and distance by almost five lengths in the middle of October and followed up with a 11-length victory at Leicester.
Those wins came on heavy going and he completed a hat-trick on good ground at Newmarket on Friday when scoring by half a length.
Marching Mac has won five of his ten starts since joining McEntee in August and the trainer’s daughter Grace claims 3lb off the topweight, who has a 12lb penalty for two wins since October 26.
McEntee said: “It's been incredible. The handicapper has given him 13lb for his win at Leicester, so even with a double penalty I'm 1lb well in. He won't run all winter on the all-weather and, looking forward to next year, he's going to be a really nice horse.
"We've getting to learn more about him. He's very strong and now we just let him bowl along. He's got so much speed and stays five furlongs strongly. He loves soft and heavy ground.
"He's very nervy and in the last six weeks he's had a set of tack on once or twice. He goes out in the field and we don't train him and as a result he's put on about 70 kilos since we got him."
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