Wednesday Talking Points: Matt Brocklebank previews today's key action
Matt Brocklebank highlights three things to consider on Wednesday, including Thomas Crapper's return to the veteran scene.
1. Capital gains for Moore?
Ryan Moore was out of luck on his first couple of rides back in Britain last Wednesday and will be hopeful of setting the record straight this midweek. Providing the M25 behaves itself, Moore is in action with a couple of rides at Lingfield in the afternoon and onto Kempton for their twilight fixture, where he has three more chances of opening his 2019 account on these shores. Moore has never sat on any of the five in public before but that's of little concern for a world-class rider and it'll be interesting to see if the money comes for Sun Hat again. She was bitterly disappointing when bidding for a four-timer over the same course and distance in early-December but there appeared to be no shortage of excuses, with Robert Havlin saying the filly stumbled early on, Simon Crisford's on-course rep suggesting she just ran flat and the local vet reporting that there was evidence of lameness post-race. She gets another chance off the same handicap mark in the 100% Profit Boost At 32RedSport.com Handicap and stall one and a smaller field are both potential positives in relation to the last failed assignment.
2. Too soon to be doubting Thomas
The veterans are back in action at Plumpton and while none of them were rated high enough to get into Sandown's valuable series final won by Houblon Des Obeaux the other weekend, there's a not-so-shabby £7,343 to the winner of today's Download The Free Timeform App Veterans' Handicap Chase. Venetia Williams looks to have another sound chance of more success in this sphere with Uhlan Bute, but the doughty Thomas Crapper is a worthy rival. He's been jumping and galloping since time immemorial but remarkably only made his veterans' race debut at Southwell on November 20. That yielded a four-length victory, albeit in a five-runner field, and he backed it up with a creditable second to Mendip Express. A step up in class back-fired at Cheltenham last time - the horse's SIXTEENTH career appearance at jumps racing's headquarters - but we won't hold that against old Thomas, who clearly remains perfectly capable of winning at the right level. And, in all fairness to him, this would appear to be it.
3. Rising through the ranks
With eight weeks to go until the Cheltenham Festival, there's still plenty of work to be done for a lot of novice chasers with pretensions of lining up in the Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase on the opening day of the big meeting in March. Now with a ceiling rating of 145, last season's edition was contested by horses rated 137-145 and it wouldn't be the biggest surprise if that range was slightly reduced again this time around. Striking a balance between securing a spot and being rated too highly can't be easy for trainers (last year's winner, Mister Whitaker was the lowest rated on 137) but it's a good challenge to watch develop from the outside looking in. Races such as the Freixenet Novices' Limited Handicap Chase at Newbury today will be key to deciding who might end up making the field and a horse like Le Precieux looks fascinating. He's got some way to go if the Festival is even going to come onto his radar but recent wins at Leicester and Ludlow have seen his mark shoot up from 108 to 119 and he scooted home from main market rival Clondaw Castle in good style last time. His Flat speed and liking for good ground look like key assets in this small field.
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