Horses to follow this week away from the spotlight

Ah, Plumpton Mondays. There used to be a time when the now Mrs Massey and I wouldn’t miss a Monday meeting, that being when she lived in Redhill and had Mondays off, and I used to go down there at weekends. We used to love going, it’s one of the friendliest little tracks and like Fakenham, the regulars have their favourite horses that always get a cheer when they are successful. If it got called off late due to bad weather you’d call in at The Plough for a spot of lunch (or dinner, if you’re from the Midlands. And yes, it is dinner. If it isn’t, why do we call them dinnerladies, eh? Explain that one, boffins) and chat with the locals about all the winners you would have backed, if only the meeting had been on.

Anyway, I digress. Mrs M is in the Midlands now and I could take her to Leicester today instead (she still has every Monday off) but the chances of that being on are remote and anyway, since Reg’s Beef Rolls left the track a few years back now, it’s never been the same. So that probably means going shopping.

Sarah Humphrey did this column a good turn with her Tigga Time at Huntingdon last week, winning at a nice price, and her Synchronist is of some interest in the 1.50. It was almost too bad to be true first time over fences at Newton Abbot, he seemed to stop to nothing rather quickly and to that end the addition of a tongue-strap today could remedy the situation, but Sean Bowen persevered anyway and got him round for a last-of-three in an effort to teach him something. He’s got to be better than that, and returning to the scene of his easy 10-length win last year over hurdles might be a clue better is expected today. I wouldn’t give up on him yet, it’s too early.

I’m all over Gold For Alec in the 2:20. He missed Cheltenham on Saturday to take his chance here but everything that was a positive towards his chance there applies here too, particularly the step back up in trip he so badly needs. Maybe connections saw that Plumpton isn’t going to get the deluge that Cheltenham is and have come here for the better ground, which I get. Either way, I’m pretty strong on his chance here.

Gold For Alec²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Callum Pritchard⁽⁵⁾| T: T Symonds| OR: 116| BF| D

18/5

That’s followed by a lovely 0-95 handicap hurdle where we need look no further than Dance In The Park, having his first start for Mickey Bowen after leaving Karen Jewell. She could laugh at a mark of 84 if her new yard has worked her out.

There’s not a lot to get excited about on Tuesday but keep an eye on ex-Gosden trained Roland Garros in the novice hurdle at 2.15, now with Hayley Burton. I don’t think he can win this, but we might get a stupid each-way price and that was not a bad first effort in what looked a good race at Uttoxeter last month. Heavy ground was against him back on the Flat at Newbury last time but I reckon there’s a race in him. It might be we have to wait until he’s handicapped, but just keep one eye out on him here.

We finish with a 0-105 chase at 3.50 and it’ll be interesting to see if Irish Chorus pays fences more attention than she did hurdles, crashing out with the race at her mercy at Doncaster last March, causing a scream of anguish from my wallet at the time, and her jumping was poor again at Ayr on her final start. But she's got the size for fences and I’d like to think the fact she’s giving them a go here rather than hurdles suggests she’s schooling well.

Wednesday will be my first day out of the week with a visit to Warwick. There’s a cracking novice handicap chase at 2:00 where Bluey seeks to make is 2-2 over fences and, having looked something of a natural over the bigger obstacles first time up at Kempton, I expect her to do so. Warwick’s five-down-the-back jumping test will suit her well, and although the Kempton win was on better ground, she has soldi hurdles form with cut, and the weekend’s rain won’t be a bother.

The danger might be Gentleman Bill, who impressed me in the paddock and ran well to finish third at Aintree, getting involved in a bit of a duel with favourite Spadestep from some way out and one that ultimately allowed their pockets to be picked by Jordans Cross late on. That was his first start since March and he should just sharpen up for it. He’ll have appreciated the rain, having beaten the classy Battle Born Lad in a bumper on heavy ground at Newcastle on his debut.

Not many of the competitors in the 3:10 will have been happy to see Saturday’s precipitation but Sporting Ace will have been delighted. He revels in bad ground and reverts to hurdles on a fair mark after a couple of disappointing chase efforts. You’re taking a bit of a chance on his wellbeing, but he’ll stay every yard of this and more, and if a switch back to smaller obstacles is what he needs to regain his confidence, he could run well here at a price.

Thursday is the first of two days at Southwell for me. As we race on consecutive days, the early favourite for the soup is Tomato & Basil, which - you know the rules if you read the column last week - will be Tuscan Bean on Friday. Either way, I’ll be taking my own home-made veg soup in, with a fresh bread straight out the breadmaker as accompaniment. Beat THAT, Royal Ascot.

Southwell is the only place I work for one of the books - S&D Racing, let’s get the plug in - but in the winter we only bet the ten minutes before the off for each race, which allows the market time to form and also allows us workers to have a tea/visit the loo/sweet shop/moan about the number of winning favourites on the night.

However, this is a jumps column (at least until it’s all frozen off in January) so back at Warwick, for the second day of their two-day fixture, keep an eye on Rapper in the Veterans' Handicap at 1:45 and in the 12:35 I’ve an eye on Hans Lippershey, one of the better ones in the paddock at Cheltenham for the bumper last month and I have a suspicion he might be half-decent with a hurdle in front of him.

Have a good week, see you at Haydock on Saturday.

Horses to follow this week away from the spotlight

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