John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Wednesday.
Different one to note on reappearance
Sam Thomas has an excellent record this autumn with his runners making their seasonal reappearance. Since the beginning of October, 8 of the stable’s 19 runners making a return from six months or more off the track have been successful, equating to a strike rate of 42%. They include leading lights Steel Ally, Lump Sum and Celtic Dino, the last-named successful in the Welsh Champion Hurdle. Thomas is in fine form in general too, having the ‘Hot Trainer’ flag.
All this points to the stable’s C’Est Different being an interesting runner in the Pertemps Qualifier (13:55) at Market Rasen. The five-year-old is another having his first run of the season, having last been seen in February when ending his first campaign over hurdles in top form. He didn’t need to come off the bridle to get off the mark in a novice handicap when stepped up in trip at Carlisle and wasn’t hard pressed to follow up at Chepstow just five days later.
C’Est Different will need to improve again in this better race where he’s getting plenty of weight from his rivals, but he has the scope to do so given his lightly-raced profile and steps up again in trip here.
Big weight no handicap for Dundalk specialist
Dundalk’s card features a good-quality six-furlong handicap (15:48) where Amo Racing’s smart performer Valiant Force heads the weights with the big burden of 10-6. But he’s used to carrying big weights and has been shown some leniency by the handicapper as he’s been dropped 3 lb since his last run in a handicap which brings him right into the reckoning here.
Besides, Valiant Force has an excellent record at Dundalk. From five appearances there this year, he has won three minor events and twice finished runner-up in handicaps, conceding lumps of weight to the winner on both occasions. His latest win came last month over five furlongs when readily accounting for useful rivals, though he has also won over as far as a mile earlier in the year.
Also entered in a listed race at Southwell on Friday, Valiant Force first made a name for himself as a two-year-old, winning the Norfolk Stakes at 150/1 and going close in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. He therefore brings a touch of quality to this handicap and can become a first winner for Robson de Aguiar who is the new name on the licence at the yard formerly run by Adrian Murray.
Unlucky Tyger Bay can go one better in Timeform qualifier
Chelmsford stage another of the qualifiers in the Timeform Sprint Series (19:15) where Conrad Allen’s Tyger Bay will be hoping for better luck than he got on his last run over course and distance earlier in the month.
He still ran well to finish a length second to Valley Ofthe Kings but was unlucky not to win as he was keeping on when badly hampered a furlong out and then finished well after being forced to switch. He has the beating of two of today’s rivals, Diamond Dreamer and Giant, who finished behind him there.
Racing mostly on the all-weather, Tyger Bay is holding his form well having recorded back-to-back wins at Kempton and Chelmsford in the summer. There’s clearly still mileage in his current mark, however, as he heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings and has the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag from his latest start.
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