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Grand Geste and Montregard were big winners for Alan last Saturday
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Newcastle and Kempton under the microscope for this weekend
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Nineteen entered for the Eider
This Saturday's gruelling Eider Chase at Newcastle and Kempton's novice and juvenile final will both offer pointers towards the Cheltenham Festival. For Flat brethren, meanwhile, we have the Winter Derby.
The latter looks a race out of date, sadly. Horses like the brilliant Tryster of 2015 with that monstrous turn of foot, if racing today, would have options in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and further afield rather than racing in freezing conditions here. A pity, as it was a card I attended many years ago.
Newcastle's weather forecast is dry save for Friday, so it might not be the heavy ground some are wanting.
Away from the Dovecote, The Pendil and the Steve Beaton race (the Adonis), the handicaps are far more interesting at Kempton - where the going was soft in places at the time of writing on Tuesday morning.
Newcastle 14:43 - Eider Chase: Back Dom Of Mary EW @ 12/113.00
Jubilee Express and Aworkinprogress were the top two on the Betfair Sportsbook on Tuesday - priced at 7/24.50 and 4/15.00 respectively.
Mr Vango, a big price at 12/113.00 ran no sort of race when I fancied him at Sandown last time, but he has more of a stamina test at a stiffer track, while former winner of the Eider Chase, Anglers Crag, can be backed at 6/17.00.
His win in 2024 was from 126, and he is now 4lb higher, and at his age, despite bolting up at Carlisle last time on his first start since leaving Brian Ellison and joining Nicky Richards, and as much as I like a Richards chaser, I would prefer to look elsewhere.
Dom Of Mary interests me at 12/113.00 for trainer James Owen.
Firstly, some of his best form is on good to soft. With a reasonably dry forecast bar that Friday as outlined previously, we can hope conditions will swing that way. I wouldn't be too bothered about soft as Dom Of Mary also has a victory in heavy, but good to soft will be perfect, and there might be mileage yet from his 128 rating over fences.
When campaigned for previous trainer David Bridgwater, he was a regular in many a staying affair and ran a decent race when eighth in the Kim Muir last season.
I do feel a bit sorry for Bridgwater, as Dom Of Mary was his stable star and didn't do an awful lot wrong there, but since he has moved to Owen, a win has already been added to his card with a Newcastle 3m5f victory back in November.
That was some performance, as going into the straight and a messy jump at the first fence into the run for home compromised his chance a little. But the long run for home galvanised him, and while Richie McLernon had to be busy and work in the saddle, the horse responded and then some with a big finish. Helped by a poor jump at the last by Zertakt, he surged with a final furlong recorded at 15.39 seconds, miles quicker than the runner-up at 17.01, and the fifth recorded a final furlong at 18.50 seconds.
There was no shame in finishing sixth in the Welsh Grand National last time, but the ground was ever so misleading for that race and meeting. Officially the track commissars called it "good to soft", while times suggested more "good to firm". You get more accuracy using an abacus.
He's back down 1lb here, and will get a fair bit of weight. Plus with a break since Chepstow, conditions could be right.
Back Dom Of Mary in the 14:43 at Newcastle on Saturday EW
Kempton 15:35: Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase: Back Lookaway EW @ 16/117.00
I've had too much pain with The Doyen Chief here to consider him for what essentially looks his toughest assignment of the season, although I would say the assessor has been lenient/kind by raising him just 1lb to 139 following a win.
Talking of wins, and big wins with digits, Lookaway has only gone up 4lb for a 24-length success at Kempton last time - smashing Leader In The Park - although it was a rather misleading 24 lengths.
Some of Lookaway's jumping was bold. He winged the fourth, and the leap at the ninth and the ditch was rather spectacular. The first half masked the end of the race, where he clouted a few when under pressure looking a beaten horse. Old Cowboy came there cruising but unseated two out. Lookaway did rally before that and jumped the last well.
He has the tools needed for Kempton - speed and jumping well - and I liked the way he was involved in the pace burn up early at Kempton and still managed to fight back at the end.
Going right-handed clearly helps and Neil King's stable favourite can still go a little higher. As a novice he had talent but breathing issues, with the surgery going wrong at one point. King rides out himself and said he's sharp and gorgeous. King also commented after that success that he won't mind going up to 3m, and this race was mentioned as a target then.
Perhaps he was kidding the trainer with the amount of speed he showed, but 3m can unlock some more improvement.
Ground-wise, Saturday might be ideal and, with track form and unexposed over fences with two wins from four, he looks worth an each-way play.
Back Lookaway in the 15:35 at Kempton on Saturday EW