12:30 – Wasdell Dundalk 6/1 EW
Last season was a learning experience for this son of Spirit One. He was very weak in the market when making his seasonal reappearance and the same was true when he made his debut over hurdles a month later.
Eventually sent off a 40/1 chance, he travelled and jumped nicely on the wide outside throughout. He certainly didn’t look like a big priced outsider as they swung for home; he swept up on the outside to dispute the lead and traded at a low of 4/1 in running. As they straightened up, he was gently nudged along but his rivals were being ridden far more vigorously. Even as his rivals pulled a few lengths clear, Nick Scholfield was still only nursing him along. Only after the last did he ride him with intent and the response was immediate. He passed 3 rivals with one tap of the whip to finish an eyecatching 4th.
His next two starts came on unsuitably heavy ground. Still, he was not disgraced in either race but it’s his Leicester run that is of more significance. Held up in rear throughout, he was never put into the race and the jockeys urgings were minimal even as the leading group pulled away. Despite being out of shot for most of the home straight, he did make late headway to finish 5th.
He’s completely unexposed at 2m4f having run exclusive over 2m, with the step up in trip looking sure to suit. Connections of Wasdell Dundalk used a similar route with Tedham; who won on his handicap debut over an intermediate trip after three starts at 2 miles.
Jonjo O’Neill has made a decent start to this “new” season. He’s had 1 win and 1 place from 6 runners but a couple of others have run well. Interestingly, his winner was also a handicap hurdle debutant.
A mark of 111 looks workable and with conditions in his favour, he can make his presence felt here. He’s a nice looking type and his dam is very closely related to the grade 1 winner, Hinterland. It would be disappointing were he not to surpass this rating in time.
Sebeastian Beach has to be respected after his bloodless win last time but he drops back in trip and he’s never won off a mark this high. Fresh New Dawn rates the main danger; he goes well fresh and the inform Olly Murphy performs well at Market Rasen. Gavrocheka hit the crossbar in three starts last term and there should still be improvement left in her, but Philip Hobbs’ runners have a record of: 99P86 since returning from a break – all of those were single figure prices.
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