Jake Price's Wednesday Horse Racing Tip at Worcester

DRACO MALFOY 1pt Win @ 10/3

I absolutely love a Novice Handicap Chase at this time of year, as so often you can find Horses who will clearly improve for going over the larger obstacles, but are still on an attractive mark from their hurdling career. One such Horse who fits that bill is DRACO MALFOY, who even in his Bumper days looked like a big Chaser in the making.

Last season he began his Novice Hurdle campaign at Huntingdon in early December, contesting a 2m4½f Maiden Hurdle. Connections had wanted to start him off earlier but his bloods never came right, so they had to be patient and wait it out. His beautiful jumping on debut took him up into the lead at the third last flight, and he wasn't caught once hitting the front. It was a lovely start to life over Hurdles when beating Lisnamurrican by an easy 3.25 lengths, and in winning over this intermediate trip he proved straight away that Bumper trips simply were not far enough for him.

Kim Bailey and Mat Nicholls sent him to Doncaster under a penalty on his next start, and once again he kicked for home from a fairly early stage. Jumping the last however his closest pursuer began to close, and on the flat he was caught by the ill-fated Get On George (132). He looked a smart rival so it was no bad thing to only be beaten 2 lengths, but most importantly he also had Tiddesley Wood (128) 7 lengths behind in third place to give the form a strong look.

DRACO MALFOY went to Hereford in January where he did win a Novice Hurdle under a penalty at very short odds of 2/11f, but I do think he learnt a fair amount as he had to find plenty off the bridle for Tom Bellamy. Ultimately victory was never in doubt, but giving a stone in the weights to the second who has won since probably took more out of him than perhaps connections expected.

This 6yo’s next port of call came in the EBF Final at Sandown in March where seemed to get outpaced in what was quite a deep race, but by the time he went to the Ayr Festival at the end of the season I think he was just over the top. Being asked to try and race prominently on rain softened ground on his first try over three miles was a recipe for disaster, and therefore I can certainly put a line through it now that he goes Chasing following a Summer break.

If this P2P winner jumps fences as well as his Hurdling technique suggests then he should make up into a cracking Chaser this season, and his mark of 121 means he can sneak into this Class 4 0-120 contest rather than having to tackle more competitive races straight away. I believe he comes into this race as the Horse with the most potential over fences, and I am not afraid of taking on Kelijoe who can be a bit of a headcase to say the least. If that rival is allowed to go off and race keenly in the lead then he should set it up for a stayer, and hopefully our selection will be the one to peg him back.