Our resident tipster Rhys Williams has analysed Monday's racing and has a sole selection at Plumpton...
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Gradually slipping mark
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Yard in good form
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Martator is overpriced at Plumpton
Martator finished well beaten on his first start over British fences last time but I thought he shaped better than the result suggested and with Venetia Williams' horses in flying form, he could get off the mark in Britain this afternoon.
He was held up and raced keenly that day and generally jumped well on the first circuit but he made a mistake at four out. He recovered and was still going strongly right in behind the leaders approaching three out but he made another mistake. A worse one followed at two out and he couldn't get back into contention after that.
Martator was dropped 5lb for that run which means he's now racing off a 23lb lower mark than when making his debut for this yard over hurdles last season. Given how many of the trainer's French recruits show little in their first season with her before suddenly springing back into life, it wouldn't be a surprise if the gelding showed far more at some point this season and I'm hoping that will happen today.
There is an obvious concern that his jumping could let him down again and it might be that the headgear he wore in France is needed for him to show his best but I'm hoping that he can continue his trainer's good run of form and any 7/24.50 or bigger appeals.