There’s three jumps fixtures this afternoon with Ludlow, Taunton and Clonmel hosting competitive action, accompanied by Wolverhampton’s all-weather card for flat fans.
Ludlow hosts some decent action but it looks as though Taunton’s competitive card could be a decent prize to capture, with a nice mix of seemingly straight-forward and tricky contests. So, it is to Taunton we head for our placepot picks, and hopefully we can head into Easter weekend with a piece of a decent dividend, as Lingfield hosts a fantastic card tomorrow afternoon.
Leg One: Port Melon
It is almost impossible to escape the claims of the favourite in the opener, and Port Melon, looks the safest proposition to kick our afternoon in the best way possible way. He has been going well in good company since his reappearing third behind the classy Parlous Games at Cheltenham, and after a third behind Blaklion and a decent second behind Our Kaempfer, he should be able to get back to winning backs dropped markedly in class.
He still looks to have a big future, having lost little in defeat against some useful rivals, and today’s field should see him restore confidence with a morale boosting round. Sam Twiston-Davies gets back on-board the talented seven-year-old and he looks sure to make the frame.
Leg Two: Classical Art
Another who is sure to enjoy a drop in grade is the intriguing Classical Art, from the David Pipe yard. He had a decent spell on the level for Roger Varian and he looked one to follow after running well for a long way on his hurdling debut, in a hot race at Sandown. He followed it up with a fair effort behind Seamour before disappointing on soft ground, fading rapidly late on behind Arabian Revolution and Rathealy.
It was more of the same, as he weakened sharply on bottomless ground at Newbury, before finding an extended trip a bit too stamina sapping in an extremely competitive Juvenile Hurdle back at the same track. He is dropped in class and has his first run in the colours of Martin Pipe this afternoon, and his breeding suggests the better ground will suit. It doesn’t look an overly competitive race and his rather large current price is surprising. He should be able to go close and get his career back in track this afternoon with the help of Michael Heard’s seven-pound claim.
Leg Three: Green Du Ciel
Isthereadifference looks to warrant plenty of respect after piecing together a fantastic run over summer, but he often needs his first run back after an absence so it may pay to side with the consistent Green Du Ciel in leg three. He outrun his odds to finish fourth of seventeen here in December, before three more convincing efforts at this afternoon’s track.
A decent third behind Diamond Tammy was followed up with a decent enough fourth behind Ballyegan. He clearly improved on this on his next effort, finishing second behind the same opponent, but getting almost fifteen-lengths closer in the process. The ten-year-old looks to be hitting a decent run of form and he is sure to go close with the assistance of Daryl Jacob in the plate.
Leg Four: Earthmoves
It was no surprise to see Earthmoves improve for a return to a sounder surface, and his impressive success at Newbury suggests he is sure to go well this afternoon. The good ground is sure to suit and he is four-pound well-in for his recent success. He is already a course-and-distance winner and everything points towards a big run this afternoon.
With six-runners currently taking to post, he has to make it into the first two but Sam Twiston-Davies will be confident of getting the job done on the improving five-year-old.
Leg Five: Ballyegan
If Green Du Ciel goes close in the third race on the card, he will give a credible form boost to the improving Ballyegan, who appears to be in the form of his life. He lives it at Taunton, having two course-and-distance successes to his name, enhancing his record of four wins in nine attempts at the track.
He ran out a ready winner at Taunton twice in March, before he blundered badly at Newcastle, surrendering all hope before he weakened tamely. Connections will be hoping a return to his favoured track will bring the best out of the ten-year-old and he looks sure to go close to finishing in the frame.
Leg Six: Ordensritter
Ordenrsritter arrived well-in at the weights following a decent second over course-and-distance last month, and a repeat of that effort should see him go close this afternoon. He has been placed on his last two visits to the track and his runner-up effort behind the classy River Dancing, with the pair pulling well clear of the remainder.
Thomas Cheeseman takes off five-pound, and he looks nicely poised off the same mark of his last effort, so a bold bid is almost assured.