Top chance of Jackpot prize for McConnell on latest raid

Jackpot De Choisel 12.45 Ayr, 2m juvenile hurdle

John McConnell has a decent record with his British raiders and Jackpot De Choisel can add to his tally.

The four-year-old was purchased for €200,000 shortly after winning his sole Flat start in France comfortably and made a pleasing start to his hurdling career when third in a Fairyhouse maiden in December, with the fancied runners filling the places and pulling well clear of the rest.

That form sets the standard here and it should also be noted that his French Flat win has worked out nicely, with the placed horses scoring over hurdles. One of them, thirdplaced Jipekaa Machin, runs here for Donald McCain and will surely struggle to concede 7lb to the selection.

Jackpot De Choisel was keen enough on his hurdling debut and can only improve on that if settling better this time.

Start In Front is next best. Rebecca Menzies’ four-yearold bombed when upped in grade at Huntingdon last time but had been impressive when making all at Wetherby (Jipekaa Machin well held in fifth) and would be a danger if allowed an easy time in front.

Gold Cup Bailly 1.50 Ayr, 3m novice handicap chase

Gold Cup Bailly has barely put a foot wrong since going chasing this season, winning all three starts, and can extend his sequence here.

Stuart Crawford’s sevenyear-old showed ability in three hurdle runs without success, but as a point-to-point winner he was likely to be seen to best effect when sent chasing.

Bar an early mistake when scoring on his chasing debut at Wexford in October, he has been exemplary in his jumping and it’s his best asset. He hasn’t been hard pushed to win a couple of races at this venue since, including when upped to this trip on heavy ground last time.

His efficient jumping means he doesn’t take much out of himself and he seems to have reserves, even at the end of a testing three miles. This will be his toughest test yet off a mark of 140 but he looks up to the task.

Thomas Darby is the main danger. Olly Murphy’s tenyear-old was a high-class hurdler and, although he is a late-comer to the chasing game, must have a chance off a mark of 145 in this code.

Georges Saint 2.35 Leicester, 2m4½f novice hurdle

Georges Saint has gone close in his last two starts over hurdles and it can pay to give him another chance here.

Venetia Williams’ sevenyear-old was arguably a tad disappointing when just denied at this track last time as he was sent off an odds-on favourite, but it’s likely he found the ground a touch faster than he prefers.

Judged on his reappearance second in a Class 2 handicap hurdle at Bangor, he is best suited by a testing surface and that view is backed up by his French form.

Leicester’s hurdle course, which is always more testing than the chase course, started the week as heavy. Providing that doesn’t dry out too much, Georges Saint should have his ideal ground and secure his first win in Britain.

American Sniper is feared most. David Pipe’s five-yearold has a double penalty and has to concede 10lb to the selection, but with an official mark of 128 he’s the highestrated runner here. His limitations have seemingly been exposed in his most recent starts, but he’s an admirably consistent sort who doesn’t know how to run a bad race.

Thursday Spartan Army 2.00 Wincanton, 1m7½f novice hurdle

Spartan Army may still be a juvenile hurdler but Alan King is happy to take on the older horses here and can make most of his 12lb weight-for-age allowance.

The four-year-old displayed plenty of ability in three maidens on the Flat in Ireland and was purchased for 170,000gns shortly after winning over 1m2f Down Royal in the summer of 2021.

He impressed when scoring on his hurdling debut at Wetherby in November when comfortably justifying favouritism and, although he was outclassed when upped into Grade 2 company at Chepstow next time, he was far from disgraced in fifth.

That form has been upheld with the winner, Comfort Zone, landing Cheltenham’s Triumph Trial last weekend and the second, Dixon Cove, also running well in that race in third. A drop in grade can see Spartan Army return to winning ways.

Penalised pair Matata and Celtic Art will be hard pushed to concede 12lb to the selection, but they still look the biggest dangers with the former feared most.

Nigel Twiston-Davies’s free-running five-year-old has one win and two seconds in three hurdle runs and can improve if learning to settle.

Sergeant Wilson 3.15 Fakenham, 2m maiden hurdle

Sergeant Wilson bombed when a well-backed favourite on his handicap debut at Market Rasen last time, but he is back in maiden company and can secure a first hurdle success at the fourth attempt.

Nigel Twiston-Davies’s fiveyear-old is clearly far from a straightforward character, as shown with a slow and deliberate jump at the first on his hurdling debut at Bangor in October, causing his rider to unseat.

He is also headstrong and has done well to finish prominently in a couple of maiden hurdles since, and it was this trait that cost him dear at Market Rasen last time.

He also ran loose prior to winning easily on his bumper debut at Taunton last time, where he posted an impressive Racing Post Rating of 116, so the ability is there if connections can harness it.

A first-time hood might do the trick and he is good enough to win a race like this if it does.

Treyarnon Bay is next best. Nicky Henderson’s mare was a bit disappointing on her hurdling debut at Huntingdon in December, but she may well have needed the run following 209 days off.

Her bumper form is reasonable and the 7lb mares’ allowance should ensure she is at least competitive.

Annie Magic 3.35 Wincanton, 2m5½f novice hurdle

Annie Magic really should have won on her handicap debut at Exeter on New Year’s Day, but can put matters right back in novice company.

Off an opening mark of 119, Jeremy Scott’s mare finished second of four last time, but would almost certainly have won but for badly hanging left up the home straight and markedly so in the dying strides. Connections reach for a first-time tongue-tie and it is hoped that aids her cause, as she is clearly the one to beat judged on her course-anddistance novice win in December. She displayed no such tendencies on that occasion where she readily made all, coming home nine lengths clear of Lime Avenue (also declared here). A repeat of that should be good enough and she remains a lightly raced sort open to improvement.

Despite being comfortably beaten by Annie Magic here in December, Lime Avenue still looks the main danger on 7lb better terms. The pull in weights isn’t enough on the face of it, but she also has scope to progress and she will appreciate the likely better ground here than the heavy she ran on at Exeter last time.

Friday Pretending

2.40 Catterick, 1m7½f fillies’ juvenile hurdle

Pretending shaped well enough on her hurdling debut at Doncaster in December to suggest she can land a contest of this nature.

She was a promising sort on the Flat for Sir Mark Prescott, winning one of her four starts. Her last outing in that code came when second over 1m6f at Wolverhampton off a mark of 78 on her handicap debut and that effort suggests she’ll have the measure of most of her rivals judged on their Flat endeavours.

The two who finished in front of her at Doncaster (Arclight and Greyval) franked the form by finishing first and second in a Doncaster Listed Hurdle last week.

Pretending was returning from a 78-day absence on that occasion and is entitled to step up on that here.

Jikala, runner-up on her British debut for Venetia Williams last time, is respected but none of her efforts has been outstanding in terms of ratings.

The dark horse here is Sniper Point. Although she’s saddled with a 7lb penalty, her French form reads well in the context of this race and it’ll be interesting to see what the market makes of her on her first run for Alex Dunn.

Best alternative: Sniper Point

Super Survivor

3.00 Chepstow, 2m7½f novice handicap chase

Super Survivor has yet to finish outside the first two in his five starts and can follow up his latest course-and-distance success.

Purchased for £115,000 shortly after finishing runnerup in his sole Irish point start, he has impressed under rules for Jamie Snowden, who rates him highly.

Considering he was acquired with chasing in mind, the seven-year-old did remarkably well to win two of his three hurdle runs last term, and he has started his chasing campaign this season in a similar vein.

After finishing second in a novice handicap chase off 123 at Uttoxeter on his reappearance in November, he had little trouble going one better here the following month off 125 and had his rivals well strung out behind.

The handicapper could arguably have raised him more than 5lb, so a mark of 130 looks well within his scope, while the ability to handle this undulating track is a big plus.

Our Jet is next best. Dan Skelton originally thought his seven-year-old might be a twomiler but his latest Leicester success suggests 2m4f is a minimum for him.

This trip and track are unknowns, but he promises to stay and there may be further improvement to come from him.

Best alternative: Our Jet

Flash Bardot 6.15 Newcastle, 1m novice

Flash Bardot caught the eye when staying on for second at Wolverhampton on her debut and looks set to go one better.

On that occasion, the daughter of Sixties Icon was never asked too serious a

question but, after hitting a flat spot before turning into the home straight, she made up plenty of ground in the closing stages

The bare form of that effort reads well in the context of this race and she should be sharper this time with Connor Beasley taking over from 7lb claimer Rose Dawes.

With just one run under her belt, she looks open to greater improvement than her rivals and can give Jack Channon his first winner since taking over the licence from father Mick.

Latest Edition is feared most. Karl Burke’s daughter of Ribchester came within half a length of upsetting odds-on favourite Man Of Eden over course and distance last time and will surely be thereabouts if she can build on that.