attheraces.com’s Tom Chilman picks out a selection of noteworthy runners at Uttoxeter on Wednesday including a 6/1 shot; watch the action live on Sky Sports Racing.
3.59 Uttoxeter – It’s Maisy
This doesn’t look the strongest of handicap hurdles and following the withdrawal of Ballynaheer on account of the ground (currently heavy), the door looks wide open for Sue Smith’s consistent mare to improve her record to four wins from her last seven outings.
It’s Maisy improved markedly for her first run of the campaign and a step up to 2m7f to score at the first time of asking in handicap company at Market Rasen, with the daughter of Sageburg going on to make it back-to-back victories courtesy of a somewhat fortunate success in a mares’ only handicap at Catterick (3m1½f). The six-year-old then bumped into the well-handicapped Innisfree Lass (then rated 86 but now up to 108) at Southwell (3m½f) before only just failing to reel in the 2lb-well-in Kinder Kid at Wetherby (3m) last time out. Seemingly facing nothing of that quality in here, she should prove tough to beat under 3lb-claimer William Maggs.
5.35 Uttoxeter – Anti Bridgie
The presence of stablemate Good Work is a little concerning in regard to the chances of Anti Bridgie, with the grey son of Network difficult to rule out based on his best chasing form, but 3lb-claimer Toby Wynne opts for the latter of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero’s lowly-weighted pair, which should hopefully prove a tip in itself.
The seven-year-old mare looked a much easier ride in first-time cheekpieces in a 2m4f mares’ novices’ chase at Warwick last month, making all to win a shade cosily in the hands of Henry Brooke, and she remains unchanged on a mark of 112 for her return to handicap company. Prior to her switch to fences, she was sharp enough to register back-to-back novice hurdle wins at Sedgefield (2m4f) and Kelso (2m5f), beating Apple Away and the now 121-rated Aubis Walk under a penalty on the latter occasion, and may just possess a little more toe in the closing stages than some of her more-exposed rivals.
6.10 Uttoxeter – Damarta
Connections of Damarta will be hoping the step up to 2m4f and bigger field size will suit their improving six-year-old following a tame third over 2m at Huntingdon last month. Olly Murphy’s charge (his only one on the card) had previously looked a handicap hurdler going places after an impressive 7½-length victory at Southwell (2m) on good to soft ground, especially after an eye-catching third here in December when failing to close late on the rain-softened (heavy) surface.
Although reportedly heavy at the time of writing, the forecast suggests a dry 36 hours or so in the build up to Wednesday’s card, with anything soft or better likely to see a much better performance under Fergus Gregory, who was also on board for that Southwell success. A sizeable son of Martaline, Damarta should be well suited by this substantial rise in distance, while the application of a first-time tonguestrap could well eek out even more improvement.
Walkinthecotswolds is one of today’s selections
6.45 Uttoxeter – Walkinthecotswolds
Despite the small field size, this looks a tricky enough contest, with little to split the top five in the handicap. The unexposed, ex-Joseph O’Brien filly Ma Belle Artiste is likely to prove popular on handicap debut for Robert Bevis, but she may need to have a few pounds in hand if she is to get the better of Harriet Dickin’s consistent runner.
Walkinthecotswolds ran two likeable efforts at Chepstow earlier in the year before bumping into one in a 2m4½f mares’ novices’ hurdle at Plumpton last month, staying on to finish best of the rest. The five-year-old then travelled like the best horse in the race, despite her double-figure odds, on her first start in handicap company at Southwell (2m4½f) before eventually fading in the closing stages to finish runner-up, with the result being a drop back to the minimum trip here. Stable-switcher Lady Malarkey usually likes to get on with things and will hopefully set a decent pace up front but, failing that, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Benjamin Poste take this up early given his mount’s proven stamina over further.
7.20 Uttoxeter – Dream Shadows / 7.50 Austins Hill Lass
The Fergal O’Brien yard was undoubtedly pleased to see the concluding bumper split, allowing them the opportunity to saddle both newcomers Dream Shadow (7.20) and Austins Hill Lass (7.50) in either division of the 2m mares’ only contest. The former was an impressive winner of her sole Irish point-to-point this time last year – where she easily beat subsequent winner Youhadmeathello before fetching £100,000 at the Goffs UK Spring HIT/P2P Sale – and looks the type to enjoy this trip on the expected soft ground.
Austins Hill Lass, on the other hand, came through the British pointing ranks after winning a 2m Flat Race at Alnwick in January by the best part of 12 lengths. Connections clearly thought enough of the daughter of Telescope to run her in the Nickel Coin Mares’ Bumper at Aintree first time up, but the five-year-old was declared a non-runner on the day after a temperature ruled her out. Presumably over that small setback, both she and her stablemate are interesting debutantes for a yard that usually do well in this type of contest.
Watch the action from Uttoxeter live on Sky Sports Racing.
