Hi all,
Sir Ivan was a very welcome winner at Wincanton on Saturday, especially at a BOG 16/1. Today it’s the first National of 2020 the Sky Sports Racing Sussex National Handicap Chase at Plumpton which is raced over a marathon 3m 4 ½ f. It’s that race that provides us with today’s selections.
Plumpton
Eleven are set to go to post for this year’s running of the Southern National and it looks a tight handicap with no less than nine runners separated by just 2lb on Racing Post Ratings.
2:40 – Vinnie Lewis won this race in 2018 off 6lb lower. He ran like his seasonal reappearance when only 6th of 10 in the Durham National back in October. The 9-year-old was then pulled up in the voided London National last month. Ticks the all-important boxes marked course and ground and remains capable of winning this race again if bouncing back to from.
The Caller won the Durham National before never travelling and pulling up in the Southern National at Fontwell 49-days ago. Surely his running at Fontwell wasn’t the 9-year-old’s true form. Now 5lb higher than at Sedgefield but remains on a competitive enough mark and would be a big danger of replicating his that Durham National run.
Garrane is 0 wins from 8 runs over fences but he’s on attractive mark based on the best of last seasons form when finishing runner-up to the likes of The Two Amigos & Glen Forsa. Well beaten on his seasonal return at Cheltenham (5/1) but last time seemed to bounce back to something like his best when third at Haydock 32-days ago. Leading from the off he was headed three out but still stayed on all the way to the line. Today’s extra distance suits and the first time cheekpieces could eke out that bit more improvement in the 8-year-old.
Trainer Linda Jewell won this race on 2015 and she saddles Uallrightharry. The 8-year-old gained his second win over fences when winning here over 3m 1 ½ f on his seasonal reappearance in October and looked set for another win when making mistake and unseating his rider at the last here 34-days ago. He remains unexposed over staying trips and today’s extra distance could bring out more improvement. Up 2lb for the last time in a better race but he’s going the right way.
Verdict: The Callerwould be interesting if he was back to his Sedgefield form. Garrane threatens to be better horse over this sort of marathon trip. I can’t leave out previous race winner Vinnie Lewis or the steadily improving Uallrightharry.
1pt win – Vinnie Lewis – 7/1 @ Bet365
1pt win – Uallrightharry – 10/1 @ Bet365
Cheers
John