Andrew Asquith provides an overview of the key things to note on the racing front on Friday.
Three points of interest
Demnat one to watch eased in class
The JCB Fastrac Handicap Chase (14:40) at Warwick on Friday doesn’t look the deepest contest and represents a drop in grade for Demnat who has been found a fine opportunity to resume winning ways.
Bought from Francois Nicolle for €64,000, he was very impressive on his British and stable debut when routing his opposition by 15 lengths on his return from a mammoth absence at Ludlow last season. Demnat looked a potentially smart prospect, travelling with plenty of enthusiasm and drawing clear from four out. Admittedly, he didn’t progress as expected after that performance, but, based on his Ludlow effort and the form he displayed in France, he’s much better than he was able to show.
He took a step back in the right direction on his return from eight months off when finishing third at Newbury in November, looking threatening as he moved into contention approaching the second-last, but he hung left in behind the first two and was unable to go through with his effort.
Faster ground than he’d previously run on is a possible excuse and he has been given plenty of time since. The return to a soft surface will be in his favour and he is in less-competitive company now, so he’s worth another chance to prove himself on a good mark - he is 2 lb clear at the head of Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings.
Casa Loupi hard to ignore from a handicapping perspective
Casa Loupi wasn’t at his best last season, tumbling down the weights as a result, but he has returned in much better heart and will likely prove hard to beat in the JCB Hydradig Handicap Hurdle (15:40) at Warwick.
He raced from a mark 16lb lower than the start of last season when making a winning return over two miles at Sandown last month and he had the race sewn up some way from home, drawing clear from two out with even a mistake at the last not preventing his jockey from being able to ease down close home.
Casa Loupi was raised just 3lb for that success and he followed up in an equally dominant fashion over the same course and distance last week, having the run of the race this time, again blundering the last but quickening clear on the run-in under this conditional.
Due to the conditions of that race, Casa Loupi is able to race from the same mark now, and he’s 5 lb clear at the head of Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings. He moves up in trip now and, while he has never won over this far, he did finish runner-up over a similar distance as a juvenile, and it is also worth remembering he also finished second in the Adonis that same season, so he has a bit of class. He will be very hard to beat if continuing in a rich vein of form.
Rohaan ready to take advantage of lowly mark
Rohaan perhaps isn’t the force of old anymore – he won the first of his two Wokingham’s at Royal Ascot from a mark of 112 in 2021 – but he appears to be building up to something and looks very interesting in the Weekly £5 Free Bet With BetUK Handicap (18:15) at Southwell.
He wasn’t at his best and struggled for consistency last year, his best effort actually coming on the all-weather in a six-furlong handicap at Lingfield in March from a BHA mark of 105.
Rohaan was unable to build on that back on turf, though, but he did shape better than the bare result on more than one occasion, and he also caught the eye over this course and distance three weeks ago – he was given the Horse In Focus Flag, highlighting him as a horse to look out for next time.
He did some good late work on that occasion having been caught too far back, travelling as well as any but unable to pick up the leaders in what was a steadily-run event. A lack of pace is a slight concern again, but there are a few who like to race prominently, so it shouldn’t be a dawdle, and Rohaan should have too much class for his opposition now dropping into a 0-85 handicap for the first time in over four years.
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