Latest News / Harry Bowles / 22 March 2011 / 2

With the breathless excitement of last week behind us, the National Hunt action on the cards from now until the Grand National meeting at Aintree will feel like decidedly small beer; but there are always horses to be run and races to be won.

The sole Nicholls-trained runner at Exeter on Tuesday afternoon is Our Bomber Harris in the novices' chase at 15:35. A useful hurdler, he's bred to make the grade over fences yet was let down by his jumping at Doncaster on his first try earlier in the month, a mistake at the second setting the tone. With Hidden Keel, Pascha Bere and Belcantista more than a match for Our Bomber Harris judging by their respective hurdling exploits, this looks tough, and what is clear is that he'll need to eliminate the mistakes if he's going to play a role at the business end.

The unraced Black Thunder looks all set to make his racecourse debut in the coming days as he holds entries in bumpers at Warwick on Wednesday (17:40), Chepstow on Thursday (17:30) and Newbury on Saturday (17:05). A four-year-old black gelding, he cost £30,000 last year as a French-bred half-brother to winning hurdler/chaser Black World (who stays twenty-one furlongs).

Also engaged in the meeting at Chepstow is River d'Or in the three-mile handicap chase at 15:15. It's fair to say he's been something of a flop since joining the yard, a breathing operation in the year since last seen seemingly having done nothing for him based on an underwhelming chasing debut at Newbury earlier in the month. As a result, River d'Or has plenty to prove as things stand, including his stamina trying this trip for the first time. He also holds an entry in a novice handicap over the same trip at Newbury (15:50) on Friday.

The Friday card at the Berkshire track is sure to see the biggest assortment of Nicholls-trained runners until Saturday, with Jump City, Rangitoto and No Loose Change all entered in the opening twenty-one furlong maiden hurdle. Jump City made a highly encouraging start to his British career when giving Smad Place a race at Wincanton last month and, with the winner having gone on to run creditably in the Triumph Hurdle, it's surely only a matter of time before Rock City gets off the mark himself. That said, the same was felt of Rangitoto after his most encouraging Chepstow run. However, he was somewhat disappointing when a warm favourite at Newbury next time, the three-mile trip perhaps just stretching him at this stage, but remains one to be positive about in general. No Loose Change is more of an unknown quantity, getting off the mark at the fourth attempt in Irish points and now set to make his debut under Rules.

There are four engaged in the novice handicap hurdle for conditional riders (16:25), and all four remain with residual potential to one degree or another. That'lldoboy, in particular, looks a handicapper with a future after an encouraging fourth to Calico Rose at Taunton last month. He's certainly capable of going closer still granted stronger handling, still on the bridle early in the straight on that occasion only for his inexperienced rider to rather allow things to develop ahead of him.

After making limited impact on his first three tries over hurdles, Robin Will has suddenly started improving in chunks the last twice, including when runner-up to The Cayterers on his handicap debut at Wincanton last time. He lacked the speed of the winner in face of that sharpest of sharp tests, but this longer trip could well draw more from him and it's unlikely to be too long until Robin Will is placed to advantage.

Merehead was placed in a pair of bumpers and has been in the frame on all three starts over hurdles, most recently when runner-up to Henry King at Taunton. The handicapper doesn't look to have taken many chance by allotting him an opening mark of 115, especially as he doesn't look to have quite the scope for improvement as That'lldoboy, Robin Will or, for that matter, Teshali. Admittedly the last-named has doubts hanging over him after being fitted with a tongue strap for his handicap debut in February where he failed to cut any ice, but he'd shaped as if capable of a good bit better than he'd shown in three starts prior to that and certainly isn't one to dismiss out of hand just yet.

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1. Paul Sewell | 22 March 2011

   Good to hear you like the look of Jump City later this week. Saw its debut and will back it this time

2. darran | 24 March 2011

   Any chance of big bucks running on the flat, would be awesome to see him win the gold cup at royal Ascot.

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