3 minute read
The National Hunt season may be drawing to a close but there is no let up from Champion Trainer Paul Nicholls, whose Complete Unknown could take all the beating in Perth’s British EBF William Hill Gold Castle “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle.
Having won his bumper at odds of 50-1 at Thurles he transferred to Ditcheat for £115,000 and caught the eye in some of his early performances this season, running with credit behind some smart operators.
The progressive six-year-old then proved a blot on the handicap when taking the EBF Final at Sandown last month and the way he gobbled up every inch of the two-and-a-half-mile trip in soft ground on that occasion suggests he could relish the move up to three miles here.
He looks a smart prospect for staying chases next season, but for now he can add a Listed prize to the Grade Three pot he picked up last time.
The Champion Trainer could also be on the scoresheet in the opener with the consistent Amenon, who attempts to turn a string of placed efforts into a deserved victory, while Rebecca Menzies' Sao was brought down at the first fence at Ayr recently and can make amends in the Bob Nelson's Capercaillie Handicap Chase.
Elsewhere north of the border, Pink Legend could gain some compensation for her brave second behind Elimay at the Cheltenham Festival when she goes in the William Hill Fair Maid Of Perth Mares' Chase.
Venetia Williams' eight-year-old was staying on with every stride in that Grade Two event at Prestbury Park and the move up in trip to almost three miles can help her confirm superiority over Zambella, who is unproven at this distance and was back in fourth at Cheltenham.
Clive Cox won Salisbury's Focus Rigging & Scaffolding British EBF Novice Stake in 2019 and looks to repeat the dose with Kaasib, who was only beaten a neck on debut at Windsor.
The U S Navy Flag colt will have learned plenty on his first day at school having ducked left at the start and then clipped heels two furlongs from home when denied a clear run and could take plenty of beating this time around.
John O'Shea fires two bullets at the Kattenhorn Surfacing Handicap, but it is the Hollie Doyle-ridden Majeski Man who makes most appeal having seen the form of his Wolverhampton third franked by the winner at Kempton recently.
However, the star attraction at the Wiltshire venue could well be Samburu, who attempts to make it two from as many starts in the George Smith Horseboxes Novice Stakes.
John and Thady Gosden's Kingman colt was a ready winner at Yarmouth on his sole appearance as a two-year-old and is an exciting prospect for this coming season.
Red Happy brought up a hat-trick at Exeter last week and with David Pipe's five-year-old enjoying a profitable few weeks for connections, can extend his winning run under a 7lb penalty in Ludlow's Suzuki ATV Handicap Chase
Also at Ludlow, Mamoon Star could be the one to take the concluding Sunday Racing Here On 8th May Open National Hunt Flat Race.
Fergal O'Brien's four-year-old placed in his first two starts, most notably in a Listed event behind stablemate and Champion Bumper sixth Poetic Music at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.
Despite disappointing at Newbury last time, a line can be drawn through that underwhelming effort as he was given far too much to do and was never in the ideal position to get significantly involved. A bounce back is on the cards here.
SELECTIONS
BELLEWSTOWN: 3.30 Fox Leicester, 4.05 Zoffman, 4.35 Jaafel, 5.10 Saliteh, 5.45 Teddy Boy, 6.20 Movie King, 6.50 Ballymist 7.20 Earl Of Tyrone
CATTERICK: 1.40 Val De Travers, 2.15 Vadamiah, 2.50 Molinari, 3.25 Beluga Gold, 4.00 Clodovea, 4.30 Wizard D'amour, 5.05 Round The Island
LINGFIELD: 4.15 Haunted Dream, 4.50 Smart Connection, 5.25 Crown Power, 6.00 The Defiant, 6.30 Distant Light, 7.05 Maahi Ve, 7.30 Winnetka
LUDLOW: 1.00 Sayadam, 1.30 Red Happy, 2.05 Get The Appeal, 2.40 Trixster, 3.15 If I Say, 3.50 Dieu Vivant, 4.20 Mamoon Star
PERTH: 1.50 Amenon, 2.25 Lakota Warrior, 3.00 Sao, 3.35 Complete Unknown, 4.10 Pink Legend, 4.41 Corey's Courage, 5.16 Beep Beep
SALISBURY: 4.25 KAASIB (NAP), 5.00 Whistledown, 5.35 Majeski Man, 6.10 Samburu, 6.40 Girl Inthe Picture, 7.10 Koeman, 7.40 Lunar Shadow
DOUBLE: Kaasib and Samburu