Jumps Racing From Limerick, Warwick and Hexham for Wednesday

There are some very enticing national hunt cards set to unfold on Wednesday, November 17 and we’ll be examining some of the better-looking races in detail.

We’re still feeling a bit jovial from our 11/1 score on Joan D’Arc in the 2:00 at Fakenham and we’ll be looking to build on some solid momentum from the past few days of action.

1:30 at Warwick

This is an appealing handicap chase going 2m4f over ground listed as good to soft. Pistolet Dove looks a decent selection at the outset but you’ve got to wonder whether he has the ability to step it up to 2m4f against a tougher-looking group of handicappers than he’s tackled in the past.

Quipe Me Posted has AP McCoy up for this one, and you can expect him to take a bit of money based on that alone. But, these two have never really clicked so the play appears to be the proven distance-winner GLENGARRA coming off a victory at Plumpton, going 2m4f when sent off as the lukewarm 4/1 favourite against a similar type of field. This veteran 13 year-old chaser still looks an appealing sort and should do well on the switch over to Warwick.

1:40 at Hexham

We’ve got a quality novice chase kicking off at 1:40 with six contenders going 2m110y over what’s likely to be heavy ground. There is some formidable talent on display here and we’d be tempted to jump aboard Ferdy Murphy’s Lord Villez but the six year-old’s recent victories came over hurdles and we reckon he might struggle with this sharp a step up in grade.

The play appears to be top-weight SAVEIRO who only gives the field six pounds. We’ll disregard the falling effort he had last time out as bad luck catches up with everybody from time to time. He should handle the heavy stuff as he’s won on virtually every type of going and, with Brian Hughes up, we can expect him to stay on gamely if he runs a nearly error-free race. Ratings indicate he still has much more to show and his chasing career is coming together nicely.

2:30 at Warwick

Only five lining up for this one as we’ve got some very promising 4 year-old novices set to slog it out over 2m. A veritable who’s-who of trainers contest this one, it looks an excellent shot at a forecast payout.

Sergeant Pink ran one of the oddest races I’ve seen the last time he was out at Huntington last weekend. He won, but was ultimately disqualified for interference as Tom Scuadmore dropped the reigns after a sharp blunder and he hung right- all the while finding more and winning the race on his own.

He has shown he’s got the ability to find the winners circle in the past but the one to watch here just might be Paul Nicholls’ new charge SIR DU BEARN, who has only one career outing- a winning run at Pau racecourse in France. This one is pretty even with some solid performers lining up next to talented up-and-comers. We’ll side with the Nicholls yard here and Sergeant Pink makes a nice bottom-end to the forecast selection. 

2:40 at Hexham

Another smaller field to tackle here at Hexham in the 2:40 and we’re going a full 4m in a real test of staying ability. From a ratings perspective, you’d be tempted to side with Camden George but his overall track record simply leaves too much to be desired.

You have to go back to February of 2009 before you find his last victory- when he scored over 2m1f as a 7/4 favourite. Watch for top-weight BELON GALE to get the victory he very much deserves here with a stretch out in distance looking a smart move from connections.

He’s come in second in his past two and in the first one he blundered towards the end and just couldn’t step it up a gear after that. The next race he was headed in the run-in but then came back to almost mug Money Trix on the line.

2:55 at Limerick

The only one we’ll be examining at Limerick is actually an INH Flat Race going 2m3f for a few decidedly up-and-down contenders. There are a few debutantes here, but we’ll be staying away from them and opting for the slight bottom-weight LADY OLWYN to take the score here as she looked very good in her last outing, finishing second in an INH Flat Race on the undercard at Down Royal two weeks back when sent off at 20/1.

She beat out well-fancied favourite Soul of Aran, who finished third, and you can expect her to make a big statement with a clean run against this field.

3:30 at Warwick

Bottom-weight OVERTON LAD gets the nod here against a field of five going 3m2f. The Pritchard-trained nine year-old is the only one with a vital course and distance reference, and he kept on well last time out to take second to Chico Time when sent off at 15/2.

Miss Fleur tends to win when she can actually finish a race and she did win last time out at Lingfield but this one could be a much trickier run-in than some of her last races. If Overton Lad stays on his feet then he’s likely going to take this one at a very appealing price.