After highlighting 9/2 and 11/4 winners last week to go to the recent collection of successes, David Massey is back with his own take on this week's racing.
This week’s Away From The Spotlight is brought to you via Media City, in Salford. I stayed up after Haydock with the view of seeing my two grown-up kids in Manchester (one appears to be running in something outside) and as luck would have it, the little hotel I was in last night was so good (and so reasonably priced, more to the point) I’ve decided to book it for Aintree too. Feels like a win-win situation, although once the kids have emptied my pockets after Sunday lunch I might think about things slightly differently.
All we need to do now is find a winner or two this week to pay for it. I was pleased the column found Ferret Jeeter and Subtle Fortune last week, for all the latter rolled up at Hereford rather than Ludlow, and I’m still hunting mainly around the Midlands in an effort to follow them up. We do have Constitution Hill at Southwell on Friday and of course Trackside Live will be covering it - assuming he doesn’t get balloted out…
However, we have to look further afield on Monday, with just Carlisle to keep us jumps fans happy.
She won’t be winning this I wouldn't have thought, but in the opener at 13:05, make sure you’ve got Blondina in your My Stable tracker. I saw her in the flesh at Musselburgh a couple of weeks ago and really liked her, she’s got the size for the game and filled the eye, but she wasn’t fancied and it’s clear she’s being allowed to find her own feet over hurdles, with handicaps in the spring in mind.
Hardy Du Seuil has a decent enough record at Carlisle (a win and a second) to be given a chance in the handicap chase at 13:35. It was better at Haydock last time, a race that looked more competitive than this, and neither ground nor trip looks an issue.
Trying to find some soft/heavy ground form that’s worthwhile is tricky when it comes to the handicap hurdle at 15:05, but Wind Your Neck In will love it, with most of his best Flat form coming when conditions were testing. It’s been very hit and miss over hurdles for Sam England so far, still a maiden after 11 starts over timber, and he was a very disappointing favourite at Market Rasen last time, so that needs forgiving too. Getting him to settle is going to be the key. If he does that, then it’s game on.
The veteran Fostered Phil might be worth a look in the next at 15:35. He didn't get involved over three miles at Ayr last time (but wasn’t disgraced) and had been an easy C&D winner on his previous start. He’ll like the ground, and it would hardly be the biggest shock to see him bounce straight back.
Tuesday sees my first outing of the week, and it’s to Market Rasen we travel. The good-looking Senator ought to be up to winning the first at 13:30 before a potential crack at the juvenile handicap at Cheltenham in a month’s time, and the mares' novices' hurdle at 14:00 looks a potential cracker, with Charisma Cat and Khrisma (go on, have a go at tying the Betfred cashier up in knots) Getawhisky, Watamu and Edith Pelham all lining up!
If that was a Saturday TV race you’d not complain too vociferously. What wins? Well, with my Trackside Live hat on, we’re keen on Getawhisky as a horse to follow, so I’ll be rowing in with her after her Warwick success last time out.
And finally Scottish King, after what seems numerous mentions but no shows, looks like turning up in the weak-looking handicap chase at 14:30. He’s surely capable of taking a hand.
Wednesday is as local as it gets with Southwell, and the ground promises to be testing, with the possibility of some snow Tuesday night to add into the mix. Kerry Lee is getting it together with a couple of winners in the past fortnight (and another going close) so her Atlanta Brave (14:20) simply has to pop up at some point, he is so well handicapped these days. Back over fences after a couple of tries over hurdles, some faith in him is still required but he’s capable of picking this lot up and dropping them on old form, and if the price is right, I could chance him.
Arctic Stream, who had a mention at Lingfield last time, where she plugged on for sixth, has three entries this week, including here, but I suspect the mares' chase on Friday at Warwick might be where she goes. Whichever race it is, she’ll be going up in trip, which she badly needs, and is one to keep an eye on.
Some totally unexposed sorts in the novice handicap hurdle at 15:25; Kastellion would be my first choice if he came here, placed in a point-to-point he’s shown enough in three starts so far to think he’s got races in him. That looked a really hot little contest he was in at Doncaster last time and I liked him in the paddock, he’s got scope, and he was with them until two out. He’s going to improve plenty and Mel Rowley, a trainer I have a lot of time for, remains in good form.
The last at 16:55 is a very weak affair, a Mares handicap over three miles; I suspect there’s better to come from Natus Vincere, who was sent off favourite at Leicester for a hands and heels handicap, one in which she never got involved under a lady rider having her first start under Rules, but she was spotted making late headway when it was all over, and a step up to three miles, along with stronger handling, might yet see her in a better light.
The other to catch the eye here is Innisfree Lass, who, for all there’s the odd respectable effort, just hasn’t fired over fences and reverts to hurdles on a mark 2lb lower than when she won a C&D handicap by thirty lengths here in 2024. Stuart Edmunds found some form last week, with a couple of winners and the deeper the ground, the better Innisfree Lass’s chances here.
Huntingdon Thursday needs some luck by the sounds of things, currently under water on the home straight and stable bend, but two dry days Tuesday and Wednesday gives them a chance.
I might give Wannabe (13:41) another chance after his blowout at Market Rasen, as he does have an excuse (bled from the nose) and that fifth behind Sober Glory is still fairly fresh in my mind. There’s some potential plots in the 0-95 handicap hurdle at 14:51, with For Old Times Sake heading up the list, but watch for a market move for Night Burlesque too.
Huntingdon spoil us with a second 0-95 on the card at 16:01, where Kellebelle might be the one to beat; she showed next to nothing whilst getting a mark but performed much better on her handicap debut at Southwell, finding only the improving Parish Star too good. She’s been left on the same mark and given it was plenty soft enough at Southwell (on Timeform goings) she’ll not mind the ground here.
Natus Vincere, mentioned earlier in the piece, is in here too, and also Connies Hill, making her handicap debut for Nick Scholfield. Watch the market very carefully is the advice with her.
And then I’ll see you all for Friday Night Under The Lights at Southwell! Then onwards to Kempton, Fontwell, Plumpton... it’s a tough life on the road.
Have a good and hopefully winning week.
Published at 08:55 GMT on 16/02/26
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