WE haven’t seen Castle Cove since he won the Virgin Bet November Handicap at Doncaster on this day last year, but he was seriously impressive then, and it may be that he will be able to cope with a handicap rating today that is 8lb higher than the mark off which he won the race last year.

Winner of a novices’ stakes on good to soft ground at Leicester on his racecourse debut as a three-year-old, William Haggas’ horse confirmed his ability to operate on soft ground when he won a handicap at Chester on his debut last season.

He was very good in winning that day. He had to overcome a wide draw, 12 of 12, and he had to come widest and latest of all to get the better of Grey Cuban, who raced prominently from early, with the two of them coming clear of their rivals.

He ran well in defeat in better races after that last season, he finished fourth in a good handicap at Sandown at the end of August on soft ground, just six lengths behind Saddadd, winner of the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes and the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden this season.

Best performance

The Camelot gelding reserved his best performance of the season though for his final run, in this race.

Settled out the back of the field that day, he made good ground in the home straight and, taken towards the outside by Jason Hart, he stayed on strongly, he came away from his rivals close home, winning by more than four lengths in the end, and leaving the impression that he had more in hand than that. It is easy enough to argue that he would have won with 8lb more on his back.

Of course, it is unlikely that the plan was to leave him off for 12 months after that, he has obviously had his issues, but it is significant that his astute trainer has persevered with him this season, and it is probable that this race has been the plan again for a little while. It is unlikely that he will be too far short of concert pitch today.

Crucially too, he goes well fresh. He has won on his racecourse debut in each of his two seasons racing and, before he put up his career-best performance in this race last year, he had been off for seven weeks.

He is five now, but he has raced just eight times in his life. It is probable that we haven’t got to the bottom of him yet. He goes well at Doncaster and he goes well on soft ground, he will have Cieren Fallon for company, and his trainer’s horses continue in good form. There should be plenty of pace on in the race too, and that should suit him well.

Pertemps qualifier

At Aintree, Walden could be the answer to the Pertemps Qualifier. This represents another step up in grade for Tom Lacey’s horse, but he remains progressive and, on every occasion on which he has stepped up in grade, he has proven that he was able for the step up.

Winner of a 0-110 handicap hurdle at Huntingdon on his debut last season off a mark of 110, he stepped up in grade and he stepped up in trip at Ascot in February and, racing off a mark of 115, he won nicely.

He stepped up in grade again on his final run last season at Haydock and, again, he stayed on well to win well. He was gutsy too that day, he had to engineer racing room for himself in traffic towards the inside but, once into the clear, he stayed on well to get the better of Blue Carpet, who had travelled nicely into his race.

He was raised by 7lb for that win to a mark of 130, but he is on a nice upward trajectory. It is probable that he has not reached his ceiling yet. He stays this extended three-mile trip well, and his best run to date was that run at Haydock, a flat, left-handed track.

He hasn’t run since April, but he goes well fresh, his record after a break of 50 days or more reads 83111, and his best form is on good or good to soft ground.

Recommended:

Walden 3.00 Aintree – 1pt win @ 15/2 (generally)

Castle Cove 3.25 Doncaster – 1 pt e/w 9/1 (generally)