John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Wednesday.
Former Grade 1 winner Fakir d’Oudairies interesting over Punchestown banks
Punchestown’s card is mainly devoted to hurdles, but it opens with a race over the banks, the P. P. Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase (12:28), featuring some well-known chasers who have proven at least smart in the past. They include former Grand National runner-up Vanillier who won this race last year before finishing third at the Cheltenham Festival. The Goffer is on a long losing run but had Vanillier behind him when runner-up over this course in November, while Gordon Elliott’s other runner is former top-class chaser Conflated who was fourth on his cross-country debut at the Punchestown Festival and has been running in points more recently.
They all have chances on these terms but might have to settle for place money behind Fakir d’Oudairies, himself a one-time top-class chaser with Joseph O’Brien whose wins included an Ascot Chase and two Melling Chases. He didn’t seem to take to Cheltenham’s cross-country course on his last start under Rules in December 2024, but it could be a different story now that he’s joined ‘King of the Banks’ Enda Bolger.
Bolger has won the P. P. Hogan six times since 2017, most recently with Stealthy Tom in 2023, and Fakir d’Oudairies could well add to that tally, having been placed in a couple of ladies’ points in November which will have blown away the cobwebs.
Rodney can complete hat-trick at Ludlow
Rodney is a young chaser firmly on the up for Kerry Lee and he looks capable of completing a hat-trick of wins off top weight in the most valuable event (14:58) on the card at Ludlow.
He didn’t trouble the judge from quite a few tries in bumpers and over hurdles when formerly trained in Ireland but he has a much more positive profile in a tongue tie for his current yard, winning four of his five completed starts. They include a couple of handicaps over hurdles at Taunton and Ffos Las at the end of last season, though he has left those efforts behind switched to fences this term.
Rodney got off the mark over fences at Leicester just after Christmas when easily winning a handicap with Charlie Deutsch in the saddle for the first time. The partnership was maintained at Hereford last month where they followed up with plenty in hand from a 7 lb higher mark, being value for at least double the winning margin when eased down to beat Soldierofthestorm by just over four lengths and earning the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag. Another rise in the weights looks manageable – Rodney heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings – and he can complete a hat-trick under Deutsch.
Form of Kempton win Workin out well
Kempton’s Wednesday card is an afternoon one for a change and features a competitive handicap over seven furlongs (15:10) where three of the runners were successful last time out.
They include I’m Workin On It for Rod Millman who has had more winners at Kempton than at any other track in the last five years. Still quite lightly raced for a four-year-old, I’m Workin On It has done most of his racing at Kempton and, having been knocking on the door at the end of 2025, gained his second course-and-distance win last month.
On that occasion he came out best in a three-way finish at the end of a soundly-run race when challenging inside the final furlong and edging ahead in determined fashion to get the better of Party Bear by a nose. The runner-up has franked that form by winning with a little in hand at Lingfield last Saturday. I’m Workin On It is 3 lb higher now but heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings and can continue to go the right way, and while getting his nose in front last time, connections evidently feel a pair of cheekpieces might help him a bit more.
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