Exeter plays host to a competitive seven-race card on Sunday which includes two feature Listed contests. Our Expert editor has delved through the entries and highlighted some of the names you should watch out for. Check those selections out below, alongside an excellent Virgin Bet offer that provides new customers with £20 in free bets.
GUSTAVIAN – (2:00 Exeter – Virgin Bet Novices’ Chase)
Trainer Anthony Honeyball is in red-hot form with his runners at the moment, operating at a 42% strike rate in the last couple of weeks.
The Dorset handler will be confident of adding to that tally in Sunday’s opening contest at Exeter with GUSTAVIAN who has finished an agonising runner-up in the last couple of chase starts.
The seven-year-old has not done a lot wrong in either of those recent outings at Ffos Las and Exeter and can count himself a tad unlucky that he isn’t chasing a hat trick of wins this weekend.
Although Sunday’s novices’ contest is competitive on first viewing, Anthony Honeyball’s hold up performer should get a good pace to aim at as he reverts back to 2m4f and with the yard continuing to send out winner after winner, Gustavian has leading claims of gaining a first chase victory.
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STAGE STAR – (3:00 Exeter – Virgin Bet Novices’ Hurdle)
Exeter’s seven-race card on Sunday features two Listed contests, the first of those is a novices’ hurdle event and it can go the way of STAGE STAR who is arguably the star attraction in Britain this Sunday.
One of many talented novices for trainer Paul Nicholls this season, Stage Star has been foot perfect in his opening hurdle outings for connections. After landing a maiden hurdle event at Chepstow on seasonal reappearance, the six-year-old readily justified prohibited odds in novice company at Newbury before returning to that venue to impressively land the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle back in December.
That decisive success in Graded company highlighted Stage Star as one of the leading novice hurdlers seen this campaign. Paul Nicholls’ charge has shown that he is not devoid of pace in his races but being out of sire Fame And Glory, Stage Star has the ability to stay significantly further in time.
The six-year-old should be able to concede a penalty back in Listed company on Sunday and with Cheltenham on the horizon, Stage Star looks to hold a leading chance in this year’s Ballymore where he heads the British charge at 8/1.
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SNOW LEOPARDESS – (4:00 Exeter – Virgin Bet Mares’ Chase)
Charlie Longsdon’s superb grey SNOW LEOPARDESS has been a real flagship horse for the yard in recent seasons, with notable stand out performances coming against Graded opponents, including in the National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Chase at last year’s Festival behind impressive winner Galvin.
The ten-year-old has won both outings since returning this season and after winning a competitive handicap at Bangor in November, the talented mare landed Grade 3 honours in the Becher at Aintree, staying on gamely to prevail by a nose from the fast-finishing Hill Sixteen.
A tilt at the Grand National is likely to be in order as the season progresses but the mare certainly has what it takes to land a first Listed win over fences on Sunday. The grey’s jumping has always been impeccable in her races and it would come as no surprise to see her bring up the hat-trick in taking style.
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ELEGANT ESCAPE – (4:30 Exeter – Virgin Bet Veterans’ Handicap Chase)
This could prove to be a big weekend for Colin Tizzard as his talented novice Jpr One is set to tackle the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury this Saturday. The same Owner, trainer and jockey combination are all represented on Sunday too, with ELEGANT ESCAPE looking to make his first start in Veterans company a winning one.
The ten-year-old may not be the force he once was but he has some useful form in the book, including winning the Welsh Grand National in 2018 before running respectably in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Ladbrokes Trophy.
A leg injury saw Elegant Escape miss the entirety of last year and with question marks surrounding his well being, Colin Tizzard’s charge returned over hurdles at Sandown back in December. Despite failing to spark on his penultimate start in the Welsh Grand National, the ten-year-old put in a brighter display in first-time cheekpieces at Taunton last time out when finishing third behind easy winner Yala Enki over an extended 3m4f.
Elegant Escape should strip fitter for that third outing after a mammoth absence and considering ten-year-olds have a healthy strike rate in these sort of events, Elegant Escape is worth supporting in his quest to finally return to the winner’s enclosure.
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