Timeform Daily View | Monday preview and tips

By Andrew Asquith

Horse Racing

Mon December 02, 2024 · 2d ago

Andrew Asquith provides an overview of the key things to note on the racing front on Monday.

Note Gold Clermont’s course record

Gold Clermont has the ‘Horses For Courses Flag’ at Plumpton to highlight her good record at the track, and she looks very interesting returned to this venue in the staying handicap chase (14:20) on Monday.

She was a two-time winner over this course and distance in 2022/23, and he also finished runner-up that season, too. Gold Clermont wasn’t in the same form on her sole visit to Plumpton last season, but that effort came just 19 days after a victory over a marathon trip at Fakenham, and perhaps came too soon.

Gold Clermont made her seasonal reappearance from eight months off over hurdles at Warwick 12 days ago, but she isn’t as effective in that sphere, and she strongly left the impression she was in need of the run, weakening leaving the back straight.

She is entitled to strip fitter for that outing and given her record at Plumpton, connections may have had an eye on this race for a while. Gold Clermont is now back down to her last winning mark and a bold show is anticipated.

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Mumbles an improver to keep on side

Mumbles looked all about stamina over hurdles last season, so with that in mind, he made a very encouraging debut over fences over two miles at this course last month, and is of interest now moving up in trip in the two and a half mile handicap chase at Ffos Las (14:35).

He was a two-time winner over hurdles last season, both of which came over a similar trip to the one he faces today, and both on ground that Timeform described as heavy. Conditions are set to be very testing at Ffos Las on Monday and that will suit Mumbles very well given his pronounced knee action and past exploits on similar ground.

The race he contested at this course three weeks ago was strongly run and changed complexion four from home, the leader taking a fatal fall and also bringing down another chasing debutant, leaving Mumbles in second place and he stayed on well from there without ever posing a serious threat to the more experienced winner.

He has the potential to improve markedly for that initial experience now faced with a stiffer test of stamina and, given his size, he is just the type to go on progressing for a while in this sphere.

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Caramay caught the eye on the clock last time

There is a bumper nine-race card at Wolverhampton on Monday evening and Caramay is one to note in the final race of the night, a mile and a half handicap (20:30).

She arrives in the form of her life, having won three of her seven starts so far this year, including over an extended nine furlongs at this course in September.

Caramay followed up from a 4lb higher mark over 11 furlongs at Southwell on her next start, scoring only by a neck but doing so with more in hand than that margin implies, produced to lead inside the final furlong and cosily on top at the line.

She was unable to complete a hat-trick back at Southwell last time, but she lost little in defeat and did well to finish as close as she did given the slow gallop and the position she came from.

Caramay may have won had she given her rider more assistance in the final 1f, lugging in behind the winner when it looked like she was beginning a rattle, and her effort can be marked up further when taking sectionals into account.

She ran the last three furlongs nearly a second quicker than the winner and by far the fastest overall, earning herself a 20lb Timeform sectional upgrade, so she is of plenty of interest from just 1lb higher in a less-competitive handicap.

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