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Timeform Daily View | Monday preview and tips
Tony McFadden provides an overview of the key things to note on the racing front on Monday.
Three points of interest
Skelton sends strong team to Ayr
Dan Skelton's strike rate of 23% at Ayr compares favourably to his overall record of 18% and the leading trainer based in Britain last season brings a powerful team to Scotland on Monday.
Skelton sends five runners on the long journey north to Ayr and four of them have been tipped in the Analyst Verdict that appears on Sporting Life's online racecards, while the other one, What A Flirth (13:47), is second on ratings and selected as the main danger.
Country Mile looked like a good prospect when overcoming signs of inexperience to make a winning bumper debut for the yard at Huntingdon in April so he stands out in the novice hurdle (13:17), while winning Irish pointer Dalston Lad makes appeal on paper ahead of his debut under Rules in the concluding bumper (16:03).
Entity of Substanz (14:55) and Home Free (15:28) both contest handicaps and are top-rated, have a 'p' attached to their ratings to denote that improvement is likely and also have the Horse In Focus Flag after the eye of Timeform's reporter last time.
Wexford event an early treat for jumps fans
There surely won't be many better Listed races than the Michael Hickey Memorial Chase (15:20 Wexford) this season. Only six horses have been declared but among them are a pair of wide-margin Grade 2 novice chase winners in Corbetts Cross and Favori de Champdou, a Grade 1-placed novice chaser in Heart Wood and Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle runner-up Buddy One.
Corbetts Cross boasts the strongest form courtesy of his third-place finish behind top-class chasers Gerri Colombe and Ahoy Senor in open Grade 1 company at Aintree, a month after he had roared to a 17-length success in the National Hunt Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
That fine effort behind more experienced rivals at Aintree earned Corbetts Cross a Timeform master rating of 164, marking him out as the third highest-rated novice chaser, behind only Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File.
The conditions of this listed race, however, mean that Corbetts Cross, a 25/1 shot for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, is not presented with a penalty kick on his return. Corbetts Cross is burdened with a 10 lb penalty for his Grade 2 win, while Heart Wood is not only unpenalised but also receives a 5 lb allowance having won his first chase after February 1.
That first chase success for Heart Wood came on February 4 when he bolted up by 14 lengths in a valuable handicap at the Dublin Racing Festival and he backed that up with another smart effort in third behind Inothewayurthinkin in a Grade 1 novice at Aintree. In receipt of 15 lb from Corbetts Cross, Heart Wood tops Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings by 4 lb.
Grade 1-winning hurdlers clash in beginners chase
On a good Bank Holiday card at Wexford, the beginners chase (15:55) that follows the listed race is also well worth watching as it features a couple of Grade 1-winning novice hurdlers.
Farren Glory won the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse in December and then looked unlucky not to double his Grade 1 tally later that month when falling in the Formby Novices' Hurdle at Aintree when in front and still to be asked for his effort.
He badly failed to meet expectations when sent off second favourite behind Ballyburn at the Dublin Racing Festival on his only subsequent start, but he reportedly bled there and is better judged on his previous efforts which mark him out as a good recruit to the chasing ranks.
He's conceding chasing experience, though, to Inthepocket who was a promising second behind Facile Vega on his only start over fences at Navan last season. He wasn't seen again after encountering a setback but the 2023 Top Novices' Hurdle winner at Aintree remains with plenty of potential.
Tip of the Day
Unique Journey - 14:00 Galway
Flags: Horse In Focus, Jockey Uplift, Top-Rated
Unique Journey didn't show a great deal in maidens but he produced a much more encouraging effort when a close-up third on his handicap debut at Navan earlier this month. Unique Journey, racing in cheekpieces for the first time, travelled fluently in rear but had no room approaching the final furlong when trying to make headway. He kept on strongly when the gap appeared, though, leaving the impression that he's started in handicaps from a lenient mark and that he might have gone close with a clear run.
Leading rider Billy Lee takes over from apprentice Scott McCullagh and Unique Journey can build on his recent promise with the step up in trip to seven furlongs not expected to pose a problem based on pedigree or how he finished off at Navan.
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