Andrew Asquith had a 13/2 winner last weekend and has two more selections in his latest ante-post column.
Weekend View: Saturday February 28
1pt e.w. Some Scope in the Grimthorpe Handicap Chase at 12/1 (Betfred, Ladbrokes, Coral 1/4 1,2,3,4)
1pt e.w. Jet To Vegas in the Morebattle Hurdle at 16/1 (Betvictor, 14/1 General 1/4 1,2,3,4)
Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook Betfair Sportsbook
The ground at Doncaster on Saturday shouldn’t be too much different than the current description of good to soft, with mild temperatures forecast for the remainder of the week and the odd shower.
The Virgin Bet Grimthorpe Handicap Chase is the main race on the card and one horse who will relish conditions – and won’t mind if it does get any faster – is the Richard Hobson-trained SOME SCOPE.
He started out over fences from a low perch as a five-year-old, but quickly developed into a much better chaser than he was a hurdler, having plenty in hand when winning handicaps from BHA marks of 110 and 115, respectively, at Catterick and this course over three miles.
Some Scope then finished runner-up to very smart Does He Know in this race two years ago, starting favourite and the only other horse to finish in what was an attritional renewal, only beaten three and a quarter lengths by a much more experienced rival.
He endured a hard race that day, so it took him a bit of time to get over it, but he bounced back to form when winning the Rowland Meyrick from a mark of 124 at Wetherby. It may not have been the strongest edition of that long-standing handicap, but he impressed with his jumping and won with more in hand than the official margin states.
Some Scope lost his way somewhat afterwards, but had fallen in the weights as a result, and he duly took advantage of a reduced mark when resuming winning ways back at this course two starts back.
He appeared to be invigorated by the fitting of a first-time visor paired with the return to front-running tactics, going with plenty of enthusiasm on the front end, still on the bridle when bounding down to the second-last, winging the last and just ridden out of the run-in.
I don’t think it’s wise to judge him too harshly on his latest start on the cross-country course at Cheltenham, clearly not handling the track too well, but the fact he attracted support beforehand suggests he was still in top form at home.
He went without the visor that day, too, but given how effective the headgear was on his previous start at this course, it would be no surprise to see it back on. Some Scope’s form figures at Doncaster read 12PU1 (he was pulled up in this race 12 months ago after being let down by his jumping) so it is clearly a track which suits him well.
Still only an eight-year-old, he remains feasibly treated from a mark of 122, given he has won from a higher mark previously, and he also represents a yard in form. Richard Hobson doesn’t have many runners, but he is operating at a 26% strike rate this season, while his last two runners have both won.
The layers are seemingly running scared of Irish-raider I Started A Joke in the bet365 Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso, but he doesn’t look particularly well handicapped from his BHA mark, so I’m happy to take him on, even if he does represent the shrewd Charles Byrnes.
Cracking Rhapsody is going for his third straight win in the race and has to be respected, racing from the same mark as when winning the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr last season, but at a bigger price, it is JET TO VEGAS who interests me most.
He was progressive over hurdles last season, opening his account over two miles at Ayr, having too many gears for the short-priced favourite (who won next time), and he took a big step forward when following up in the Grade 2 bet365 Premier Novices’ Hurdle on this card next time.
Jet To Vegas once again brushed aside the favourite (who was trained by Willie Mullins) and there was plenty to like about that display, travelling with bundles of zest and, even though he went out to his right slightly at his hurdles, he was extremely fast and fluent.
He can be marked up further for that performance as he was up with the strong pace throughout and his performance was supported by a very good timefigure. Connections were entitled to have a crack at the Grade 1 Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree’s Grand National meeting following that display and, though he wasn’t up to the task, he was far from disgraced, and that form has a good look to it now.
From a physical standpoint – he’s a sturdy gelding, the type to make a chaser – you would have thought he’d have taken his form to new levels over fences this season, but it just hasn’t quite happened for him, for all he ran to a similar level as his peak hurdles form on his first two starts in that sphere.
It could be the yard want to keep his novice status intact for next season – he’s only a seven-year-old – but given how brilliantly he hurdled on this card last year I think it’s a good move to revert back to timber.
It is also worth noting that the Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore yard weren’t firing on all cylinders at the time he’s seen the track in the last few months, but they are in much better heart now, and he looks potentially well treated on the pick of his hurdles form from a mark of 135.
Jet To Vegas has the natural speed for two miles and the likely ground won’t be a hindrance to him either (should be similar to 12 months ago) and he looks quite a big price now making his handicap debut in this sphere.
Posted at 13:51 GMT on 24/02/26
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