GOING CLARE IN THE NATIONAL: Last year’s Grand National third, Grangeclare West won yesterday’s Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse (Daqman tipped) in the hoofprints of the last two National winners, I Am Maximus and Nick Rockett. But those two run in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham next month and it’s still a long way to Aintree on April 11.
POTTERS WHEEL OF FORTUNE
⭕ 2.50 Fontwell (National Spirit Hurdle) National Spirit won the Champion Hurdle back to back in 1947-8, trained by Victor Smyth in the days when Epsom was a powerful training centre not just home of a once-a-year horserace.
Olly Murphy (2) and Gary Moore (2) are leading trainers in the last 10 years, three of those wins with horses running today.
Brewin’upastorm (Murphy) scored in 2021 and 23 and Botox Has (Moore) in 2022, when Brewin’upastorm was second.
Both are now of double-figure age and both have been out of the frame for some time now.
Phantomofthepoints won a stamina test on soft ground the last day but this is a shorter trip and I expect him to lead at an early stage.
Nurse Susan has landed a January-February double for two years running, but that’s just now put her up a stone, and I’ll take the two years younger Potters Charm.
He won five hurdles in a row up to January last year, a Grade 1 and two Grade 2, all on the top tracks of Aintree and Cheltenham.
Potters Charm found the Long Walk too far for him in December but returned to form, dropped into a handicap at Windsor last month.
A SURE THING ON THE STATS
⭕ 3.10 Hereford This veterans chase has gone to 10-year-olds four times out of five. The only 11-year-old winner was top of the handicap.
Top-rated today is Immortal Flame, a regular scorer at this time of year but success over 3m didn’t come until last time out at Market Rasen.
He has to give 13lb to Not Sure, who won here at Hereford three years ago and has won (twice) or been placed 11 times since. Trainer Kerry Lee has had two winners from four starters in four days’ racing.
COTE CUT IN FIRST HANDICAP
⭕ 4.10 Hereford I expect Cote d’Ange to step forward, first time in a handicap, first time up to a trip needed on his pedigree. Best backed overnight (Betdaq Betting Exchange 5.5) while morning favourite, Garavogue, eased.
Garavogue is also bred to be a stayer and he, too, is raised in trip for his handicap debut though, at aged eight, his future (like that of bottomweight Lily Grace) may be behind him.
On The Go has performed well only on good ground. Walk Tall has stamina in his blood and drops back to novice company on an easier track but gives weight all round.
His running here today reads like an afterthought, as does Devon Dude’s abandoning a career over fences that hardly got off the ground (pun intended).
DAQMAN’S BETS
on Betdaq Betting Exchange
★ 2.50 Fontwell (win 10, nap)
BET 12pts win POTTERS CHARM
3.10 Hereford (win 15)
BET 5pts win NOT SURE
4.10 Hereford (win 18)
BET 4pts win COTE D’ANGE
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