General / Andrew Hughes / 01 March 2009 / Leave a Comment

We're well into the pre-Cheltenham lull but there's still plenty of good racing and punting action to be found this week, says Andrew Hughes.

Sunday March 1

Huntingdon

4:10 Class Two Handicap Hurdle
This handicap hurdle over two and a half miles has a lop-sided feel to the weights and is a fascinating puzzle to solve, with top-rated Hills of Aran taking on a bunch of younger, unexposed types.

Lingfield

3:50 Foil Handicap

The flat season is approaching rapidly and many trainers will be looking to give their charges a spin on the Polytrack before the turf action gets underway. This Class Two mile handicap features a couple of horses entered in the Lincoln with David Barron's Flipando the pick of them.

Thursday March 5

Wolverhampton

7:50 Miss Black Country Final 4th April Stakes

Even if you remain unaffected by the promise of the Miss Black Country competition next month, this isn't a bad little conditions race. Amongst the early entries are a handful of decent three-year-olds tuning up ahead of a flat campaign. Mick Channon's duo Akhenaten and Canwinn look the best of these.

8:50 Great Offers At Wolverhampton Racecourse Handicap

This Class Two contest run over nine-and-a-half furlongs doesn't look as classy as the earlier race on the card but should be a decent heat for the grade, with a number of horses who have been running well on the all weather. Jonjo O'Neill's Spectait should have no problem in stepping up a furlong to add to his two wins here this winter.

Friday March 6

Sandown

3:20 Grand Military Gold Cup Chase

Always a popular meeting, this annual pre-Cheltenham gathering is an integral part of the rich tradition of National Hunt racing. This particular race dates back to 1841 and besides the brass bands and preponderance of uniforms, there is a keenly fought handicap chase over three miles and half a furlong, confined to amateur riders.

Saturday March 7

Sandown

2:05 EBF 'National Hunt' Novices Handicap Hurdle Final

This is a very competitive Grade Three, the culmination of a series of such events and run over two miles. Novice Handicaps can be tricky to weigh up but this is one of the best such events you are like to see and there should be enough form to examine.

3:10 Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle

Before the launch of the Champion Hurdle in 1927, this was the most prestigious two mile hurdle race of the season and it remains a highlight, with a bonus prize on offer to the connections of any horse winning here and going on to win at the Festival. An enormous field of hurdlers will go to post and the betting will be frenetic.

3:45 EBF/DBS Mares' Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race

A Listed event run over two miles and half a furlong and confined to mares. As with the earlier novices' final, horses have qualified for this event by winning similar races throughout the season, so there should be more to go on for punters than is often the case with these bumper races.

Wolverhampton

2:20 Lady Wulfruna Stakes

Probably the best meeting you are likely to see at this West Midlands venue kicks off with a seven furlong Listed contest that should be strongly fought and feature another clash between all-weather favourites and horses warming up for the flat season.

3:30 Lincoln Trial Stakes

The only Heritage Handicap to be run at Wolverhampton and always a hard-fought contest. As well as being a decent betting event in its own right, this mile and half a furlong race will give some useful clues to the big season curtain raiser though you should always keep in mind how different this sharp Polytrack course is from the long galloping Doncaster straight.

4:40 Class Two Handicap

A closely-matched field of handicappers will assemble for this six furlong contest, one of the best sprints you will see at this venue. As ever, being able to hold a prominent position and to handle the tight turns here will be essential to success and course winners are worth keeping on side.

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