Daily write-up - Dec 13th

With the meetings at Huntingdon and Ludlow lost to the cold snap, it is left to Taunton to provide the only domestic NH today – supported by Gowran Park, who chip in with an all hurdle card in Ireland…

There are a couple of interesting looking handicap chases at Taunton – plus 3 big field handicap hurdles.

Observant followers won’t be too surprised to note that it is one of the handicap chases that I’ve looked to for the only tip of the day…

1:50

This looks like a really interesting contest – and quite an open one too.

However, I think there is potentially a bit of value in Rajdhani Express – and provided his jumping holds up, I would expect him to go very close today.

Rajdhani Express spent his first racing year in France, where his two vectors over Houblon Des Obeaux, now look like very useful pieces of form, indeed…

He was then bought by Robert Waley-Cohen and put into training with Nicky Henderson.

He only ran 3 times for Henderson last season and ultimately disappointed each occasion.

However all of his runs were in hot handicap hurdles – and each time, he travelled noticeably well for a large part of the race.

It is often the case with these young horses that come over from France, that they take a summer to acclimatise properly –and I’m hoping that is the case with Rajdhani Express.

It is difficult to know for sure based on his sole outing this season at Huntingdon.

He finished second to Paul Nicholls trained Elenika that day – but it is hard to judge to merit of that form.

It is slightly concerning that the quality of his jumping was mixed that day - to say the least. It is therefore to his credit, that he was ultimately only beaten a length by the potentially useful winner…

Rajdhani Express gets to run today off a mark of 129 – which is 10lb lower than the mark he was originally given when he came to this country. That makes him look a well handicapped horse to me – and the additional 5lb that Sam Waley-Cohen will take off his back, won’t harm either…

In terms of the opposition, then it is difficult to categorically eliminate any of them from calculations.

That said, I struggle to see why Bally Legend should beat Changing Times; and, in this better class of race, I think the ground may prove to be the undoing of Carrigmorna King…

I actually think that Jump City could turn to be the biggest danger to Rajdhani - so it is a little surprising to see him installed as a weak 10/1 shot…

That said, I do believe that Rajdhani could potentially just have too much class for this field. Provided Sam can get him jumping OK, then I fully expect him to go very close…

0.5pt win Rajdhani express 11/2

Elsewhere on the Taunton card, there is a fascinating chase at 3:20…

A case can be made for Marshal Zhukov, Ciceron and Elenika – but at 5/2 the 3 of them, there is clearly not much in the way of an edge…

I suspect the market will foretell who is going to win.

At this point in time, I would probably side with Marshal Zhukov - but if the money were to come for Ciceron, I’d be tempted to switch my allegiance…

The opening race on the card, is another where I think the market is like to provide invaluable clues…

The top weight, Guess Again, makes his debut for the David Pipe stable, having transferred form Ferdy Murphy.

If he remains strong in the market, I would be looking nowhere else for the winner…

There is not really a lot to get your teeth into on the all hurdle card at Gowran…

It will be interesting to see whether Kashline can make up for his narrow defeat last time out in the Maiden hurdle at 3:10.

I would expect him to be a little sharper today; and the extra furlong in distance should help.

That said, there is not a lot of margin in an early price of 9/4…

It’s not often I will say this, but the high-light of the Gowran card is probably the opening 3 year old hurdle race…

It contains a number of potentially interesting runners – and I suspect that whichever runner comes out victorious today, is likely to be a fairly decent juvenile…

Hartside showed a reasonable level of ability on the flat for Tommy Carmody - and his transfer to Gigginstown and Noel Meade looks very interesting.

I suspect he might take the beating…

Finally, keep an eye out for Hair Oil Jimmy in the novice handicap hurdle at 1:35.

He may not be good enough to win – but if he doesn’t trade in–running, at less than his current price of 16/1, then I will be very surprised…

Here’s to a great day ahead !

TVB.