Timeform Daily View
Timeform Daily View | Sunday preview and tips
By John Ingles
20:02 · SAT October 26, 2024
John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on the racing front on Sunday.
Three points of interest
Hurdles debut for promising mare Mozzies Sister
Bargain buy Mozzies Sister has shown useful form in bumpers for Declan Queally but has looked very much the type to do well once sent over hurdles and she makes her debut in that sphere in Galway’s opener (12:55). Bought for just €6,000 as an unraced three-year-old, Mozzies Sister got off the mark at the second attempt in points and then soon proved herself an above-average performer in bumpers.
She began with an impressive debut under Rules at Cork in March and then ran a cracker in the Grade 3 mares’ bumper at the Punchestown Festival when going down by half a length to Familiar Dreams after the winner had hung across her in the straight. Back in ordinary bumper company, Mozzies Sister gained her second win at Down Royal in August and then ran another good race in defeat last time when three lengths second to Aruntothequeen in a listed bumper at Gowran, possibly doing a bit too much too soon.
One of the Irish selections this season in Timeform’s Horses To Follow, Mozzies Sister looks capable of winning at the first time of asking over hurdles at the expense of Whimsy who boasts fairly useful form in this sphere already.
Grade 1 winners clash in Old Roan Chase at Aintree
While there are just five runners declared for the Old Roan Limited Handicap Chase at Aintree (13:50), it’s a high-class renewal of the Grade 2 contest with Ahoy Senor heading the weights from a lofty BHA mark of 169. Lucinda Russell’s top-class chaser has a particularly good record at Aintree, where he’s a Grade 1 winner over both hurdles (Sefton Novices’) and fences (Mildmay Novices’) and where he has finished second in the last two editions of the Bowl Chase at the Grand National meeting. Jumping better than usual, he ran much his best race of last season in that contest, having every chance on the run-in before going down by half a length to Gerri Colombe.
However, Ahoy Senor doesn’t have the best of records first time out and the shorter trip isn’t ideal either. On the other hand, this is very much the optimum distance for Paul Nicholls’ Stage Star who does go very well fresh and is in receipt of 6 lb from the top weight. Successful on his reappearance in all four of his previous campaigns, Stage Star made his winning return last season in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham despite almost coming down at the final fence. That followed an excellent novice season which included a win in the Turners at the Cheltenham Festival.
Given a wind op since finishing fifth (one place in front of Ahoy Senor) in the Ryanair Chase at the latest Festival when last seen, Stage Star looks set for a big run, heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 1 lb, with last year’s runner-up Minella Drama the one who might give him most to do.
Torn And Frayed pick of the weights in veterans’ chase
Some familiar names line up for the Vieux Lion Rouge Veterans’ Handicap Chase (14:25) named in honour of David Pipe’s chaser who had a terrific record at Aintree over the National fences, winning the Becher Chase twice and contesting five Grand Nationals. A couple of the runners in this field, Fortescue and Diol Ker, have contested the Grand National themselves in the past, though Fortescue is far from straightforward nowadays while Diol Ker is one of a few in this field whose jumping can let him down.
Torn And Frayed is another who can make mistakes over fences, but he takes the eye here on a potentially lenient handicap mark, coming out 5 lb clear in the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings. His only win to date over fences came in the Grade 3 handicap on Trials Day at Cheltenham in January 2022 but a lengthy absence followed, and he struggled to recapture his best form last season. However, having raced mostly off marks in the 130s over fences to date, the handicapper has cut him some slack so that he returns here off 126.
Torn And Frayed showed signs of being on his way back when finishing fourth to In Excelsis Deo from out of the handicap in the Silver Trophy Chase at Cheltenham on his final start last season. He looks worth chancing on his return, especially with Nigel Twiston-Davies’ stable being in such good form at present.
Tip of the Day
Long Draw – 15:35 Aintree
Flags: Horse In Focus, Hot Trainer, Top Rated
Long Draw didn’t initially build on his debut promise for Olly Murphy last season but he’s improving in leaps and bounds now and looks capable of landing his second race of the season off bottom weight in this useful handicap hurdle.
He quickened smartly when getting off the mark at Ffos Las in May and would have followed up when returning from a summer break at Worcester in September but for a bad mistake two out. Rallying from that, he failed by just a short head to peg back Oceanline.
Long Draw improved further but had to settle for second again at Warwick last time where he was unfortunate to come up against another progressive type who was even more well-in. However, he and winner Guard The Moon pulled a long way clear of the rest and, with further improvement to come and his stable in good form, Long Draw looks weighted to run a big race, being 3 lb clear in the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings.
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