Tony McFadden provides an overview of the key things to note on the racing front on Wednesday.
Three points of interest
Brian Hughes boasts excellent strike rate at Sedgefield
Brian Hughes has had 93 winners at Sedgefield since the start of the 2019/20 season - that's more than Sean Quinlan (37) and Henry Brooke (34), the second and third most prolific jockeys on the list, have amassed combined.
Those winners for Hughes have come at a strike rate of 23.5% and that compares extremely well to his overall record of 17.7% in British jumps race in that timeframe.
Sedgefield is also the course where Hughes has had most winners since the start of the 2019/20 season - his next highest tally is 68 at Perth - and it's also where he has posted the best strike rate among the tracks where he has had at least 25 rides.
Hughes has four rides at Sedgefield on Wednesday and one of his most interesting contenders appears to be Trailblazer in the first division of the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle (15:05).
Trailblazer has been largely disappointing since winning a conditional jockeys' handicap hurdle at Perth in July, but he has been falling in the weights and is now 6 lb lower than for that sole success. The step up in trip here and the booking of Hughes for the first time offer encouragement that he might be able to return to form.
A notable trainer change at Fairyhouse
Gavin Cromwell, who struck three times at the Dublin Racing Festival with Hello Neighbour, Perceval Legallois and Backtonormal, is having a superb season and is set to register comfortably his highest tally of winners for a campaign.
It's only the start of February but Cromwell already has 72 winners to his name in the Irish jumps championship, equalling his record total with a good chunk of the season still to go.
Arguably Cromwell's best chance at Fairyhouse on Wednesday is in the second division of the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle (16:25) with Next Stop Paris. The half-brother to smart chaser Jetoile has shown only modest form over hurdles so far but has offered encouragement on a couple of occasions, including when seventh in a strong maiden hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas. He won't be up against such talented rivals on his handicap debut here and appeals as a likely improver.
Cromwell also has an interesting runner in the rated novice hurdle (14:25) with Ballysax Hank who is making his first start for the yard. Bumper winner Ballysax Hank was runner-up on his first two starts over hurdles and shaped better than the distance beaten would suggest when down the field at Punchestown last time after cutting out some of the running. The switch from Brendan Duke to Cromwell has generated Timeform's Trainer Uplift Flag so it would be little surprise to see him raise his game for this powerful yard.
Sectional Flags point to Kempton improvers
Timeform's reporters not only record overall times but they also take sectional times which can help identify the degree to which a horse was advantaged or inconvenienced by the run of the race.
The Sectional Flag is awarded to horses who, through sectional timing, have been identified as likely to be of interest next time and whose performance may well have been underestimated by the public. Selenic, who runs in the mile fillies' novice (17:30), and Berkshire Whisper, who contests the six-furlong novice (18:00), both have the Sectional Flag at Kempton on Wednesday.
Selenic was sent off at a big price over the same course and distance on debut, in keeping with most horses from the Sir Mark Prescott yard, but she showed plenty of promise and almost got up despite running green and starting her challenge from further back than ideal in a muddling race. She earned a sectional upgrade at least 5 lb higher than any other runner in that race.
Berkshire Whisper also showed plenty to work with when runner-up on debut over the same course and distance he tackles on Wednesday. He too came from further back than the other principals in a race run at a modest gallop and clocked an encouraging closing sectional. He also earned a sectional upgrade 5 lb higher than any of his rivals on debut.
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