Andrew Asquith provides an overview of the key things to note on Tuesday.
Three points of interest
‘Horse In Focus’ Delgany Deadline can open his account
Delgany Deadline remains a maiden, but there have been better signs since he’s been sent chasing recently, and has excellent claims of opening his account in the David Johnson ‘DJ’ ‘Johnno’ Memorial Handicap Chase (14:50) at Leicester.
He offered something to work on when finishing third on his debut over fences at Market Rasen on Boxing Day, and he clearly was all the better for that experience as he went like the best horse at the weights when runner-up over an extended three miles and two furlongs at Sedgefield last month.
The combination of a more positive ride and fitting of first-time cheekpieces had a positive effect, but the longer trip was seemingly too much of a stretch, clear after jumping the second-last before he began to toil and he produced a tired leap at the last.
This drop back in trip should be in his favour now and he may prove hard to catch if similar tactics are deployed given there isn’t an abundance of pace on, while Tristan Durrell has a 30% strike rate when riding for Dan Skelton at Leicester.
Chasingouttheblues figures on a handy mark
Most of the six runners in the Visit racingtv.com Handicap Chase (16:00) at Catterick arrive in form, but Chasingouttheblues looks the one to beat from a handicapping perspective.
He was a three-time winner over hurdles, but has shown improved form since sent chasing, opening his account in this sphere at Wetherby over the Christmas period, and doing extremely well to do so given he came from a seemingly impossible position.
Chasingouttheblues shaped well in defeat from 3lb higher when runner-up at Doncaster last time, too, just unlucky to come up against one as well treated as the winner, but comfortably finishing clear of the remainder – he was given the Horse In Focus Flag as a result.
That race didn’t test his stamina properly, doing all of his best work at the finish, and this longer trip should suit him well. The handicapper has left him on the same mark, and this doesn’t look as deep of a race, so he makes a fair bit of appeal.
Loughnane a notable booking on Age of Time
Age of Time has largely been campaigned over further in his career so far, but he showed plenty of dash in first-time blinkers over an extended mile at Wolverhampton last time, so he looks of interest returned to seven furlongs in the Always Gamble Responsibly At BetMGM Handicap (16:12) at Newcastle.
His last win came under Billy Loughnane over an extended nine furlongs at Wolverhampton in October and he’s now back down to that winning mark, while Loughnane is back in the saddle for the first time since, too – he has the Jockey Uplift Flag as a result.
Age of Time has largely held his form well in the time since, beaten only by a next-time-out winner over a mile at Kempton two starts back, and as mentioned, just too lit up in more severe headgear 11 days ago.
The straight seven furlongs at Newcastle does take some getting with its uphill finish, so his proven stamina will be an asset, and the form of the Wolverhampton race is already starting to work out, with the runner-up winning next time.
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