14:20 Market Rasen
This is a two mile five furlong graduation chase with five runners and it is a really nice looking contest.
Aso for Venetia Williams has had three second place finishes including in a decent race at Haydock on heavy going last time out. On each of those three races he has shaped as if extra distance would definitely help, however this is quite big step up in trip being over five furlongs more, and I don't want to be taking such a short price not knowing if he can stay.
Kalane for is trained by Charlie Longsdon and she carried bottom weight here today. She fell when favourite in a very nice Listed Chase at Sandown last month but I think she was beaten then anyway. Prior to that she was a very easy winner of a mares' novices' chase at Huntingdon. From those two it is difficult to judge how good she is but I think she will probably need to improve to take this.
Buche De Noel has moved to Jamie Snowden from France where she won three pretty ordinary looking races, one of them being a chase. She is only five but it's pretty tough to figure out how good she is and I think a handicap mark of 134 is probably on the high side for what she has achieved so far.
Richard Johnson rides Ballyalton for Ian Williams. He fell on his chasing debut before finishing six of seven in a very hot novices' chase at Cheltenham in November which was won by More Of That. He was good enough to get to within four and a half lenghts of Faugheen in the Neptune at the Festival in 2014 which shows he has plenty of speed for this type of trip. I am hopeful that he will have learnt a lot from his previous chase experience against better rivals than he faces today and if he does, he will be far too good for his rivals today.
Today's Selections
Market Rasen 14:20 - Ballyalton - 1 point @ 3/1 (Bet365, Skybet)