Alverton
David Marshall's Blog, April 8
Looking ahead to Aintree and Taunton
Racing on ground as nature intended, get set for a real treat over the next three days. Hardly the fault of Big Bucks, he is simply too good for the opposition, so thats the first race sorted. I was impressed with the attitude of Me Voici at Haydock where he powered away late on. I often think the hurdles course, contrary to the majority, is a fair stamina test, the guaranteed good gallop, the long straight, all the attributes to suit Me Voici, hope to see him gallop home for connections who missed Cheltenham.
As a betting medium the main event is a no play, just want to see Imperial Commander strut his stuff. Not quite the massive priced treble of the final day of the Cheltenham Festival, but the next two races could see Nigel Twiston Davies and company rewriting the record books. Baby Run will never have an easy race, but has every chance of doing the Fox hunters double, and Pigeon Island is no forlorn hope to complete the treble, though my big price fancy for this sure to be fast run two miler is Stan, victorious two years ago. There will also be plenty of pace on in the Novice Chase, lets hope Somersby can transport Hen Knight back to the top, having backed Ainama at Cheltenham, he didn’t stay, conclusive, this ought to be his ideal distance but he is beginning to prove costly. He will probably be thereabouts, but is hardly attractively priced due to connections.
As usual Taunton puts on an attractive meeting. Dougie Costello travels south to ride two for Lucy Wadham, renewing his association with Chaim, easy winner at Towcester ten days ago. Though a maiden over hurdles, Darn Hot has respectable form, winner over fences last time she has every chance of supplementing that success over the smaller obstacles in a competitive handicap hurdle.
