Paul Ferguson has two selections for us on Saturday; Not That Fuisse in the 1:40 at Market Rasen and Brelan d’As in the 3:20 at Ffos Las.
It’s Welsh Champion Hurdle day at Ffos Las, where the extended 2m4f beginners’ chase looks a really competitive contest and one that should be monitored closely with the future in mind.
Tom Lacey’s Kimberlite Candy is a young horse that could reach a decent level as a chaser, while West Approach was the highest rated of the sextet (157) over timber, thanks to his third behind Unowhatimeanharry in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham. His form tailed off in the spring and preference is for Paul Nicholls’ Brelan d’As (3:20) who has been absent for 11 months.
The six-year-old arrived in Britain with a tall reputation and, after disappointing in an Exeter novice hurdle in February of last year, he bolted up on his sole start last term. He was winning off just 130 that day, but the race worked out well thanks to the placed horses, who subsequently won three times between them, and he has the look of a chaser.
Two-and-a-half miles or thereabouts on soft ground looks right up his street and he might well be up to making a winning debut, in what could be an informative event.
Over at Market Rasen, Dan and Harry Skelton could enjoy a fruitful afternoon, with the lightly-raced Red Rising interesting in the staying handicap hurdle. The pick of their runners, however, would appear to be Warwick bumper winner Not That Fuisse (1:40) who rates an exciting prospect for hurdles.
The four-year-old showed bags of speed to score by 4 lengths on his racecourse debut in late-April and that form reads a fair bit better now, with the third Equus Amadeus having won an Exeter bumper and a maiden hurdle at Uttoxeter.
Hopefully the ground won’t be too soft and he settles a little better than stable-mate Cause Toujours did at Uttoxeter on Thursday. This looks a much weaker race in fairness and, if translating that bumper form, it will be disappointing if Not That Fuisse can’t land the opening division of this maiden hurdle.
Saturday’s selections:
1:40 Market Rasen: Not That Fuisse 4/5 BetVictor
3:20 Ffos Las: Brelan d’As 2/1 PaddyPower
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