THE weather is busy wreaking havoc. Today’s meeting at Fairyhouse was called off yesterday – re-routed to Tuesday – and tomorrow’s meeting at Naas was in the lap of the gods, with a contingency plan set for Wednesday.

Today’s already rescheduled Welsh National meeting at Chepstow was in danger, and it still is, but yesterday’s inspection went better than expected. There is another one this morning. Also, today’s meeting at Wincanton, complete, as it is, with the Dipper Chase from Cheltenham’s lost New Year’s Day fixture, is subject to an inspection this morning. Today’s meeting at Kempton, which looked safe enough during the week, is now subject to an inspection too.

Hopefully they all get the go-ahead, because there will be some very interesting and informative racing if they do. It is Ladbrokes Lanzarote Hurdle day at Kempton, the addition of the Relkeel Hurdle notwithstanding, and The White Mouse looks over-priced in the feature race at 12/1.

Lucy Wadham’s mare stayed on well to win a mares’ handicap hurdle over today’s trip at Wincanton on her debut this season. That was her first run in over a year and a half, since she clipped heels and came down on the home turn in a mares’ hurdle at Newbury in March 2019.

As well as that, she was weak in the market, she was wide for most of the journey, and she jumped a little to her left, which was not ideal on a right-handed track, but she stayed on well to win nicely.

Good winner

The handicapper raised her by 8lb for that win, but it was legitimate to expect that she would progress from that run, given how weak she was in the market on her first run back after so long, and she duly did. She took her chance in another mares’ handicap hurdle at Cheltenham’s December meeting last time and, again, she ran out a good winner.

It looked as if she was in trouble on the run down the hill that day, she came under pressure and it appeared as though she was struggling on the soft ground. But she came back on the bridle for Bryony Frost as they turned for home, pricked her ears, and stayed on well over the final flight and up the run-in to get the better of Eglantine Du Seuil, with the progressive Crossgalesfamegame back in third.

Only one horse from that race has come out and run since, fifth-placed Schiaparannie, who won a handicap hurdle at Kelso 10 days ago.

The handicapper has raised The White Mouse by another 6lb for that win, but there is every chance that she can take that hike in her stride. She has just turned seven and that was just her sixth run over hurdles, so she has plenty of potential to progress further. She left the impression that she had more in hand than the two-length winning margin.

Left-handed

Natural inclination is to think that she might be disadvantaged by the switch from left-handed Cheltenham to right-handed Kempton today, given her tendency to jump to her left but, actually, the opposite may be the case. Her left leanings took her towards the inside at Cheltenham, probably onto the worst of the ground, whereas, today, if she does go a little to her left, it will take her towards the outside of the track, probably onto the best of the ground. The Lanzarote Hurdle is the second last race on the card, it will be the fourth race run on the hurdles track on the day and, on the soft, holding ground, the probability is that the better ground will be towards the outside. Remember last year, the Lanzarote Hurdle winner Burrows Edge was widest of all for much of the race and came down the stands rail in the home straight.

Going for Gold

Earlier in the day, Two For Gold could be the answer to the three-mile handicap chase. Kim Bailey’s horse was pulled up when we had him on side for the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury last time, but he actually ran well for a long way. He jumped and travelled well just behind the leaders until they got to the fourth last fence, after which he tired, as his early exertions took their toll, up with the pace on good ground, and Ciaran Gethings wisely pulled him up.

He should do better today, back slightly in trip to three miles, and on softer ground. He is at his best on soft ground, as he showed when he won the Grade 2 Hampton Chase last January at Warwick. He ran well too on his final run last season, when he finished second in the Grade 2 Reynoldstown Chase at Ascot, and he started off this season with a most encouraging performance to finish second to Huntsman Son in a listed handicap chase at Wetherby’s Charlie Hall Chase meeting over an inadequate two and a half miles.

Forward-going

He has never run at Kempton, but it is a track that should favour his forward-going style. He has run just six times over fences, so there is a good chance that we haven’t seen the best of him, and a handicap rating of 147, 1lb lower than his Ladbrokes Trophy mark, could under-estimate his ability by a little way.

Recommended

Two For Gold, 1 point win, 1.45 Kempton, 11/2 (generally)

The White Mouse, 1 point each-way, 3.30 Kempton, 12/1 (generally)

Already advised

The Two Amigos, 1 point each-way, 2.30 Chepstow, 12/1