THE McCoy Contractors Civil Engineering Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick today may not turn out to be the dour stamina test that it usually turns out to be. We’re used to middle-of-January ground (soft, heavy in places) in the middle of January, so goodish ground for the Classic Chase is unusual. That said, you’re going to have to stay every yard of three miles and five furlongs, so the deficient of stamina need not apply.

UNUSUAL TRACK

You’re also going to have to be able to handle Warwick. It’s an unusual chase track, with no fences down the far side and then five down the side of the track, all of which come at you quickly, before you turn for home. A proven ability to handle the track is a significant asset to take into today’s race. It is not a coincidence that Shotgun Paddy’s record in the race, for example, read 133.

Cogry is proven at the track. Nigel Twiston-Davies’ horse’s record there reads 113P23. Admittedly, one of his wins was recorded over hurdles, but he obviously likes the place, and he likes this race, as evidenced by a big run in last year’s renewal to finish second to Milansbar.

He is 4lb higher in the handicap today than he was last year, and he has to race without Jamie Bargary’s 3lb claim, but he is in the form of his life this season as a nine rising 10-year-old, and he comes into the race in much better form than he did last year.

On his last run before last year’s race, he was pulled up in the Ladbrokes Trophy. On his last run before this year’s race, he won a Grade 3 handicap chase at Cheltenham’s December meeting.

WORTHY

There was a sense that he got the better of two horses on the run-in that day who appear to run well in defeat more often than they win, but the three of them pulled well clear of good handicap chasers in Theatre Territory and Doing Fine and Rock The Kasbah. It was a strong staying handicap chase, and Cogry was a worthy winner.

A 3lb hike for that performance was not harsh, even though it brings him up to a career-high mark of 142. He could be well up to that mark. He is in the form of his life.

And the fact that Sam Twiston-Davies rides him is a positive, despite the fact that he can’t claim 3lb. Twiston-Davies is a top rider, and his record on his dad’s horse over fences reads 12121261.

Goodish ground is not a negative either. Cogry handles soft ground well, but the balance of his form suggests that he is better on goodish ground, especially over a distance in excess of three and a quarter miles. It’s a fascinating race, you can make a case for many, but the 7/1 that is generally available about Cogry looks fair.

LANZAROTE

The 15/2 that is generally available about Doux Pretender for the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton also looks fair.

Winner of a novices’ hurdle at Towcester last May, Nicky Henderson’s horse did well to land a decent novices’ hurdle at Ascot in November on his debut this season.

Weak in the market before that race, it looked like the front three were getting away from him a little at the second last flight. However, switched to the near side by Noel Fehily, and despite getting in tight to the final flight, he stayed on strongly up the run-in to get up and beat Stoney Mountain by a head.

The front two came a little way clear of Senior Citizen. The third horse has disappointed at Doncaster since, but the runner-up ran out an easy winner of a lower grade race at Southwell before Christmas.

Doux Pretender has been beaten himself since, in a three-mile novices’ hurdle at Cheltenham’s December meeting, but he didn’t jump well that day on the soft ground, and he was well back in the field off a sedate pace. He couldn’t quicken with them when they picked up on the home turn before he started to stay on, and he jumped to his left over the final flight, onto the worst of the ground. Even after all that, he wasn’t beaten far.

He goes well right-handed, he is lightly-raced and progressive, he will have Noel Fehily for company, and he is trained by Nicky Henderson, who has won two of the last six renewals of the Lanzarote. It is probable that the trainer has had the race in mind for a while for Doux Pretender, his sole representative.

RECOMMENDED

COGRY, 1 point win, 7/1 (generally)

DOUX PRETENDER, 1 point win, 15/2

(generally)