Paul Ferguson has three selections for us on Saturday; Kalashnikov in the Wetherby 12:55; Copain De Classe in the Ascot 1:50 and Mount Mews in the Ayr 3:20.
With Cyrus Darius and Waiting Patiently also in action over the next two days, it looks a huge weekend for the stable of Malcolm Jefferson and the Malton based handler is represented by the exciting Mount Mews (3:20) in a 0-150 handicap hurdle at Ayr.
A smart novice hurdler last term, the six-year-old shoulders top weight for this reappearance, but an opening mark of 145 looks more than fair and the forecast testing ground won’t pose any problems – it was heavy when he won by 49 lengths at Kelso back in February, one of three wins recorded last season.
Conceding weight isn’t always ideal first time out – and Don Bersy is another who ought to relish the ground and begins the season on a decent looking mark – but Mount Mews looks potentially a class above his seven opponents. He can take this before going back up in class.
Staying up north, it’s Charlie Hall day at Wetherby, where Amy Murphy saddles Kalashnikov (12:55) in the Bet365 Novices’ Hurdle. The four-year-old looked a horse with a really bright future when winning a bumper at this track back in March.
A full brother to the same connections’ Kalane, the son of Kalanisi will probably need a little further as the season unfolds, but he ought to relish the relatively decent conditions this afternoon and might well be up to maintaining his 100% record.
Down at Ascot, Nicky Henderson’s mare Verdana Blue is of interest in the valuable Listed handicap hurdle, but any overnight rain – reportedly a fair bit expected – would be a concern.
With that in mind, the day’s third and final selection comes in a competitive looking novices’ handicap chase. Copain De Classe (1:50) was a useful novice hurdler last season and looks the type who could step forward considerably now going chasing.
Paul Nicholls’ imposing five-year-old shaped with an abundance of promise on his hurdling debut last October and soon got off the same mark, when he beat Shantou Rock who has won four times since, including an impressive display on his chase debut at Newton Abbot recently.
A mark of 132 looks more than fair and, though there are some nice horses in opposition this afternoon including Benatar, he is taken to make the perfect start to his career over fences. He wouldn’t want too much rain either.
Saturday’s selections:
12:55 Wetherby: Kalashnikov; 4/1 Ladbrokes
1:50 Ascot: Copain De Classe; 4/1 William Hill
3:20 Ayr: Mount Mews; 5/4 William Hill
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