Stratford meeting in the balance due to wet weather

WITH the track described as heavy, it’s fingers crossed that the weather stays fine for racing at Stratford on Sunday, when the course stages a seven-race card featuring the Class 3 totetrifecta Pick The 1,2,3 “Confined” Handicap Chase, writes David Hucker.

Having lost the last two meetings after the River Avon burst its banks, swamping the track and buildings, the course deserves a change of luck and, with 131 entries, Sunday’s card looks like providing a competitive afternoon’s jumping action.

Top weight in the feature race is the consistent Domtaline, at one time trained by champion Paul Nicholls, but now with Barnsley-based Peter Winks.

He was runner-up to Instant Karma over hurdles at Fakenham on his last run, but the winner badly let the form down when pulling up at Warwick two weeks ago.

Drumshambo, who is also entered at Bangor-on-Dee on Saturday, is another who hasn’t won for a while.

Although he disappointed when looking well-in at the weights in a similar race at Warwick on his most recent run, he should appreciate the heavy going.

The selection is Ballinvarrig, beaten just a nose by Native Robin at Wincanton on his latest start, after finishing close up at Ayr the time before that.

Trainer Tom George has saddled six winners in the last fortnight, so his horses are running well.

The meeting opens at 1.45pm with the longest race of the afternoon, the Play toteplacepot Daily Handicap Chase over three miles and three furlongs and amongst the 18 entries is Handsome Buddy, one of two horses trained at Clifford Chambers by Michael Gates.

He has been pulled up on his last two runs at Warwick and may find the going too heavy on Sunday, so preference is for Try It Sometime from the small Brecon stable of Sheila Lewis.

He has been contesting races in soft ground at Ffos Las and Towcester of late, having won in testing conditions at Uttoxeter in January.

His win came off a rating of 95 and he has dropped to a mark of 88 which should put him in with a chance here.

There are 25 entries for the Play totejackpot Daily Novices’ Hurdle over two and three-quarter miles, including the 138-rated Bun Doran, an impressive winner at Haydock Park, before flopping over this trip when favourite at Newcastle.

He holds alternative engagements at Ayr tomorrow and at Wincanton on Sunday, so it is a case of wait and see where he runs.

Another with multiple entries is the progressive Belami Des Pictons who, having won in France, made an impressive winning debut in this country at Warwick and followed up at Bangor-on-Dee.

Paul Nicholls has made three entries as he tries to close the gap at the top of the trainers’ championship table, currently led by Irishman Willie Mullins, but the other one to catch the eye is Pougne Bobbi from the Nicky Henderson stable who, with just three runs under his belt, including a win at Chepstow, would come here a fresh horse and open to improvement.

Brave Helios tops the weights in the Join The @totepool Party On Twitter Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase, just a pound above Discay, who won well at Market Rasen despite blundering at the last fence.

This race is the only entry of the week for Modeligo, who bounced back to form at Warwick last time when dropped in the weights and running over the minimum trip.

He can score again Warwickshire owner/trainer Robert Waley-Cohen has two entries in the totepool Racing’s Biggest Supporter Hunters’ Chase (for the John And Nigel Thorne Memorial Cup), of which Warne, who has some good form in the book, including mixing it with On The Fringe, the best horse by far at this level, looks to have a good chance. Vincitore, a winner of six races in all, is trained and ridden by the experienced Claire Hart, and would pose a danger on his best form.

A number of trainers have multiple entries in the totepoolliveinfo.com Novices’ Handicap Hurdle, including Dan Skelton with Adrakhan and Herons Heir, who has the earlier novices’ chase as another option.

Another of interest is Heartbreak City, trained in County Meath by Tony Martin, who was a winner in heavy ground on the Flat at Cork last month, but also has entries at Ballinrobe and Wetherby over the weekend.

Twice a winner this season, Bella could go well in the concluding Play toteexacta On All UK Racing Mares’ Handicap Hurdle, although she is also entered at Cheltenham today.

Mother Meldrum is in good form, having won twice at Exeter, but has gone up 13lbs in the weights as a result, and it may pay to take a chance with Ludlow winner Midtech Valentine, trained at Alvechurch by Ian Williams, who has had ten winners at a 16 per cent strike rate at the course over the last five years.