Uttoxeter Saturday

1:50 Never Ordinary At bet365 Handicap Hurdle 2m 3f 207y

Jagwar proved a disappointment on his handicap debut over hurdles at Haydock, but he soon got back on track with a game win over Clovis Island at Carlisle last month, and that form was given a boost when the runner-up scored at Hexham on Thursday, albeit at cramped odds.

The encouraging aspect of Jagwar’s win at Carlisle was the way he rallied after a poor jump at the last had given Clovis Island a definite advantage, and for a horse who had finished weakly when beaten on his hurdles bow at Aintree (traded 1.01 in running), that was an underlying doubt put to rest.

The son of Karaktar has always had a big reputation but still looks a work in progress and taking him here rather than the EBF Final at Sandown looks a wise move in terms of his ongoing development.

He will be a better horse next year when he has strengthened up but this looks an excellent opportunity, and he can follow up that Carlisle success off what is likely to prove a lenient mark.

2:25 bet365 Handicap Hurdle 2m 7f 70y

Christian Williams always seems to get his horses right at this time of the year, and Lord Snootie is taken to build on an excellent second to Trelawne in this contest 12 months ago.

This race has been on his radar for some time, and he looked right back to form when second to Cuthbert Dibble in a Pertemps qualifier at Haydock last month. That form looks all the better after Cuthbert Dibble ran a stormer to be third in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham during the week, and Lord Snootie was better than the bare result there, staying on powerfully late on having lost a prominent pitch on the turn for home.

I put Lord Snootie up as a horse to follow earlier in the season, and was keen on his chances last time, but in retrospect he faced a stiff task against a well-treated rival and ran with great credit in the circumstances. He acts very well on heavy ground, is clearly at home on this track, and a 3lb rise for Haydock looks very fair on balance. He would be vulnerable in a tactical race, but the pace here is likely to be relentless, and that will suit him ideally.

3:00 bet365 Midlands Grand National Handicap Chase 4m 2f 8y

Top of the list for the Midlands National is the progressive stayer My Silver Lining, who remains on a fair mark after an excellent second in the Haydock Park Grand National Trial last time.

Emma Lavelle’s grey mare has been a picture of consistency of late, with her Haydock effort following a win in the Classic Chase at Warwick, and on both occasions she has jumped really well from a position on the front end, not needing to dominate, and clearly improved for the recent switch to marathon chases.

The daughter of Cloudings has already raced 12 times over fences and there is a clear discrepancy between what she’s achieved at short of three miles (3P35) compared to over 3m1f and further (11112), with her last two runs clear personal bests. She outjumped her rivals last time and still looked the likeliest winner jumping the last before finding Yeah Man’s strong kick too much. She had the much-touted Iron Bridge back in third and is fancied to confirm the form, for all she will be 4lb worse off for a six-length beating of Jonjo O’Neill’s stayer.

The longer trip seems likely to suits a mare who keeps progressing as her stamina is drawn out, and the fact that she jumps so fluently is an undervalued positive in such races.

3:35 bet365 Novices’ Handicap Chase 3m

I wouldn’t trust a few of these with my last shilling, and that goes in spades for the talented but frustrating Regal Blue, who won from the front at Haydock two starts back when backed as if defeat was out of the question.

He’d have a fine chance on that form but he has jumped as if his legs were tied together on either side of that run, and is impossible to get a proper handle on, other than he’s costing me money.

I prefer to look to the bottom of the weights and Val Dancer is taken to go well for the in-form yard of Mel Rowley. Kyntara ran the race of his life when making most and finishing second in the Pertemps, and further silver medals have come from My Bobby Dazzler and Houston Calling in the last week.

Forest Chimes was a winner at Stratford on Monday for Mel’s husband Philip, who trains the pair’s pointers and hunter chasers, and the stable is clearly in excellent health.

For his part, Val Dancer has added three victories to the Rowley seasonal tally, showing a good attitude to get back up to beat Tom Cody at Catterick on his latest start.

That isn’t particularly strong form, but he’s only gone up 2lb for that, and his previous win on heavy ground at Wetherby has worked out really well, with three of the six who chased him home that day winning since.

Kempton Saturday

1:35 Try Unibet’s Acca Boosts Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase 2m 2f

It’s hard to oppose the progressive Issar D’Airy here with Gary Moore’s charge looking a natural over fences with a pair of wins at Newbury, and he showed great determination to edge out I’dliketoknow there on his most recent run.

That gelding won at the same track a fortnight ago to give the form more substance, and Issar D’Airy doesn’t face particularly daunting opposition here, with Persian Time hailing from the ailing Nicky Henderson yard and Beau Balko up in the weights for winning a weakly contested race at Musselburgh last time.

2:10 Read Nicky Henderson’s Unibet Blog Handicap Hurdle 2m 5f

I’ve put up Good Look Charm on her last two starts, including when she was fourth in the Lanzarote over course and distance in January, and I see no reason to desert Anthony Honeyball’s mare under ideal conditions given how genuine and consistent she is.

Good Look Charm followed her fourth in the Lanzarote with another excellent run in a premier handicap at Sandown (three mile) last time. She did her best work late that day but is clearly fully effective over this track and trip, and was also third, splitting subsequent winners, over two and a half mile at Cheltenham in December.

2:45 Unibet New And Improved Bet Builder Handicap Chase 2m 4f 110y

Fiddlerontheroof is likely to be missed by punters here having run poorly on either side of a long absence, but it’s easy enough to forgive his run at Exeter last time due to lack of fitness after five months on the sidelines. His record prior to picking up an injury in the 2022 Coral Gold Cup is one of a consistent and high-class performer.

Despite often racing at the highest level, his lifetime form figures prior to Newbury read 32122110212222312253, with the only blips coming in the Supreme Novices’ as a six-year-old.

The “5” in there is a fifth of 40 in the 2022 Grand National, which was another highly creditable run in the circumstances.

Now 10lb lower than when running two starts ago, he’s clearly a risky proposition, but it would be no surprise to see him run much better with the benefit of an outing, and odds of 20/1 and bigger make the risk worthwhile.

Recommended:

Lord Snootie 2:25 Uttoxeter – 1pt e/w @ 11/2 (general – 5 places)

My Silver Lining 3:00 Uttoxeter – 1pt e/w @ 6/1 (Hills, 11/2 SkyBet – 5 places)

Val Dancer 3:35 Uttoxeter – 1pt win @ 11/2 (Bet365, 5/1 general)

Good Look Charm 2:10 Kempton – 1pt e/w @ 10/1 (Bet365 – 4 places)

Fiddlerontheroof 2:45 Kempton – 1pt win @ 20/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair)