The marvellously titled Dick Hunt Trophy takes centre stage on Thursday. All six runners have been analysed below alongside an excellent offer from William Hill, who are offering Bet £10 – Get 30 In Free Bets to new customers.
RAPPER 4/1
Henry Daly’s charge got off the mark over fences at Catterick on New Year’s Day when racing over the furthest distance he’s faced so far.
RAPPER had initially been sent chasing last season and was a close fourth on his debut in that sphere, but issues kept him off the track for the remainder of that season. His return over hurdles did not go to plan, but after unsuitable good ground could be blamed on defeat at Ascot, he secured a belated first victory last time out.
That has ensured he is back up 3lb and continues at 3m1f. However, unless rain is forthcoming in the south west, the ground looks set to be a bit quick for him. He clearly stays well and confidence will be improved over his fences, but more is probably needed to demonstrate he is as effective when conditions aren’t testing.
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DIDERO VALLIS 8/1
Another whose last win came at Catterick over 3m1f on heavy ground, DIDERO VALLIS has since performed much better when the ground was quicker.
His form on a soft surface since that victory in February reads 668, whereas on good-to-soft it is P22. While a win has eluded him, he has gone closer without the mud flying and the race in which he was pulled up was the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival. That would have been easily his toughest assignment.
He is down to his lowest mark of the season, and the lowest he has run off since that aforementioned last triumph. Nothing went to plan at Ascot last time, but he is far from ruled out from reviving his form.
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Colin Tizzard applies blinkers to CHRISTMAS IN APRIL for the first time in the hope of the ten-year-old bouncing back to form.
He has disappointed the last twice in the London and Sussex Nationals and the story of his career of him ducking in and out of form. He has won as many times as he has been pulled up and has only ever won off marks in the 120s.
The last two successes have come off a rating of 129, as if he had been waiting to fall below 130. He is stuck on 132 now, but true to his unpredictable nature, he ran well off 134 earlier this season. At this point, he is a difficult horse to recommend.
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JEREMY PASS 9/4
In eight races over obstacles, JEREMY PASS has only once raced in a double-figure field.
Particularly over fences, Paul Nicholls has been careful to place him, with his son of Jeremy only facing a total of nine rivals in three chases. He has beaten seven of those, but has just the one victory to his name over Rapper at Ascot in November.
That also came on his only start at three miles, as well as on a decent surface. He is on a career-high mark of 131 and it is a little alarming that he finds it difficult to win: he has lost races by under two lengths on four occasions.
He could well be fairly-treated if improving for the extra distance, but his price is offputting.
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EL PASO WOOD 3/1
David Pipe’s French import took four goes to get off the mark, but he certainly did it in style once victory came.
EL PASO WOOD won Wincanton’s Somerset National by 34 lengths two weeks ago in an outstanding performance. Philip Armson took off 7lb, but the eight-year-old could likely have carried anyone to success such was his dominance.
There has been a 10lb rise for that win, but it is notable that it was the first time he’d gone right-handed for Pipe. It was also on a sounder surface for the first time, on which his form was much better in France.
That suggests he might well be good for the rise and the slight drop in trip is unlikely to cause him any issues.
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FAUSTINOVICK 6/1
A second in the race for Colin Tizzard, there aren’t many horses as unlucky as FAUSTINOVICK.
He has now raced 13 times under rules and finished second on seven of those. Yet, remarkably he is still without a win, racking up five successive runner-up finished last season, three of which were by under a length.
His two starts this season are of more concern, but it is more difficult to tell whether a horse who has gone so close so often is now well-treated or simply destined to find one too good.
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Verdict
After his success at the track last time, EL PASO WOOD looks well-placed to succeed again. A 10lb rise surely does not cover the dominance of his victory last time out and the good ground should be in his favour too. Next best are Didero Vallis and Jeremy Pass, with conditions likely to suit them both too.
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