John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on the racing front on Thursday.
Three points of interest
Sean Bowen can set new seasonal best at Southwell
Sean Bowen’s win aboard Bobbi’s Beauty at Taunton on Tuesday took his tally of winners for the season to 157, equalling his previous career-best total which he set last season. It also put him 27 clear of closest rival Harry Skelton in his bid to secure a first jump jockeys’ championship. With five booked rides at Southwell on Thursday, Bowen looks to have a first-rate chance of bettering last season’s total and extending that lead for the title of champion jockey.
Olly Murphy has supplied well over half of Bowen’s winners this season and can supply him with further success at Southwell, starting with Salley Gardens in the handicap chase over two and a half miles (15:05). A course-and-distance winner under Bowen in 2022, Salley Gardens has been hurdling of late without success but with Bowen back on board, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a better showing from him returned to the larger obstacles.
In the maiden hurdle (16:05), Bowen rides clear form pick Koapey for Warren Greatrex. Runner-up in all three of his starts, most recently under Bowen’s brother James at Newbury, Koapey shaped with plenty of encouragement again behind progressive rival Peso there and looks to have been found an excellent opportunity to get off the mark.
Bowen’s other leading chance comes in the concluding handicap hurdle (17:40) where Murphy saddles top-weight Tramuntana. While there are question marks about a number of his rivals, Tramuntana was a ready winner of a conditionals event on his handicap debut at Huntingdon last month and can progress again to follow up from a 5 lb higher mark.
Headgear can help Snipe at Warwick
A field of six is something of a disappointing turn-out given there’s a first prize on offer of more than £20,000 in the final of the Challenger Staying Chase Series at Warwick (16:32). Recent Kempton winner The Doyen Chief looks sure to make another bold bid off top weight following that authoritative first win over fences, but his rivals include Snipe who has been contesting better-grade handicaps than this for Dan Skelton.
Runner-up twice at Carlisle in the autumn, Snipe picked up more place money when a never-nearer third behind Docpickedme in the Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase at Doncaster in January. While he couldn’t get competitive in the Swinley Handicap Chase at Ascot last time, he again shaped as if still in good form and was staying on when the race was all but over.
The addition of cheekpieces could well benefit Snipe, therefore, who is Harry Skelton’s pick of the local stable’s two runners. He can get off the mark for the season here, perhaps on the way to taking up his entry in next month’s Scottish Grand National.
Strong book of rides for Finley Marsh at Wolverhampton
Having enjoyed much his best season yet in 2024 with 70 winners, Finley Marsh has nine on the board on the all-weather so far this year, with six of those wins coming at Wolverhampton where he has some good winning chances again among five booked rides on Thursday.
Adrian Wintle’s Pessoa has gained all five of his career wins at Wolverhampton, four of those with Marsh in the saddle, with their latest success coming just a week ago. While that was over seven furlongs, Pessoa stays further and can follow up under a penalty over the extended mile (17:00).
Stablemate Ravenglass can make it a quick double for the same trainer-jockey combination in the second division of that contest (17:35). He landed a gamble in a classified stakes under Marsh here earlier this month and was only beaten a neck under a penalty in a handicap a week later. The partnership should make another bold bid from a 2 lb lower mark this time.
Marsh’s boss Richard Hughes can also provide him with a winner on the card thanks to Circus of Rome in the novice over the extended nine furlongs (18:10). The son of Circus Maximus is the clear pick on form here judged on his narrow defeat to 2000 Guineas entry Marhaba Ghaiyyath at Lingfield in December, and while he has since been beaten at odds on, the shorter trip was a valid excuse on that occasion, and he can confirm himself a fairly useful performer back over further.
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