Alverton
Stratford & Ffos Las 08 March
The big question of the day is how and when do you water a frozen racecourse,geographically speaking Stratford,as near as any course to Prestbury park got down to minus 8 last night,therefore Cheltenham must have suffered similar temperatures so who would want to be in the shoes of Simon Claisse. Hopefully temperatures will rise enough to permit racing at Stratford,where there is the biggest jackpot rollover for a while,the card opens with what looks like a match between Souter Point and Tanto Faz,whoever takes the initiative and commits and quickens best should land the spoils.Division two looks the weaker,a couple of Juddmonte home breds make their hurdling debut Slam and Mid Wicket,perhaps ex New Zealand horse Clouseau looks the one though Kim Baileys purchase Golden Button,a mare trained by Sir Mark Prescott on the flat could run well at a price.Another ex Khaled Abdullah horse runs in the novice handicap hurdle,a 70,000 guineas buy out of the Gosden yard last year performed for Heather Dalton,in fact ran third in the opener on this card last year,Raincoat is looking an expensive purchase for connections.Saulty Max looks to have the best form on show in a mediocre mares handicap hurdle later,and if you are still in the jackpot,my two against the field in the last leg are Mylord Collonges and the headstrong Sir Ian. Ffos Las has been a wonderful addition to the winter calendar,A.P. certainly likes the place and his good record should continue with Black Jack Blues in the opener,it must be a fair journey from Gary Moore’s base as his sole raider Bergo faces three rivals in the novice chase,let us hope he is rewarded,again with A.P. aboard,the champion should have a decent afternoon.
