Andy had two near misses yesterday but is back with four more picks for today.
15.35 Taunton
PULL THE CHORD (NAP) (best price 9-4) has shown a fair aptitude for fences and following an excellent effort in a useful novices’ handicap at Ludlow last time out, Philip Hobbs’ inmate has a fair chance of striking on his fifth start over the larger obstacles. Although struggling to get his head in front of late, you couldn’t question his commitment to the cause and with nothing in the same class of Pougne Bobbi in his way this afternoon, a return to one of his happy hunting grounds (won here as a novice hurdler) on better ground should see the son of St Jovite by very close.
19.25 Chelmsford
Strictly on the book, CALVINIST (best price 12-1) has a mountain to climb against some of these useful all-weather regulars in this sort of grade, but there’s a decent chance he can prove a good bit better than his current rating and he gets the opportunity to back up that theory in this fast-track qualifier. Winner of the Melrose Handicap at York’s Ebor meeting for Brian Meehan, he now finds himself in the care of shrewd rookie Lambourn handler Archie Watson and given the strength of the market behind him at Wolverhampton 15 days ago, big things were expected from this son of Holy Roman Emperor for new connections. Unfortunately, the four-year-old never got a chance to show what he could do at the Dunstall Park venue as he hit a wall of horses blocking his path rounding the home turn, but he did finish off his race well enough once out in the clear to suggest he would have very nearly won with a smoother passage. Sure to be sharper for that initial run, one can expect a good deal better here, and being one of the true stayers in the field who’s won beyond 1m 4f, odds of 18-1 should easily be outrun.
19.55 Chelmsford
KENSTON (best price 5-1) has been a model of consistency since switching to current connections and that positive run of form looks set to continue over a track where he has a fair record. A back-to-back winner over 7f before the turn of the year, Adrian Wintle’s inmate proved that he stays tonight’s trip well with an excellent effort behind the in-form Captain Courageous over the C&D last time out and given that he achieved that runner-up berth from gate 11, the performance deserves to be upgraded.
