Newsboy has gone head over heels for Handstands in the Dragonbet Towton Novices’ Chase (1.15) at Ffos Las, and he also reckons Midnight It Is can score a hat-trick in the big race at Fairyhouse (1.45)
HANDSTANDS is fancied do cartwheels to victory in the Grade 2 Dragonbet Towton Novices’ Chase (1.15) at Ffos Las today.
Ben Pauling’s six-year-old, whose only defeat over hurdles came at the Cheltenham Festival last March, came down at the third-last when making his debut over the larger obstacles at Wincanton in November.
But Handstands made handsome amends in the Esher Novices’ Chase at Sandown Park the following month, sealing victory with a fine leap at the final obstacle to beat Resplendent Grey by three and a half lengths.
That success came over three miles, but Handstands did his winning over half a mile shorter as a hurdler, so the step back in distance shouldn’t hold any fears.
My selection has to shoulder a 5lb penalty as a result of his Sandown score but still has plenty more to offer and is the selection to give Pauling, who has a strong hand when it comes to the fencing rookies, another win in the sphere.
MIDNIGHT IT IS gets the vote to rack up a hat-trick over fences by beating 12 rivals for the SBK Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase (1.45) at Fairyhouse.
Viewers of ITV Racing drew a blank last Saturday but now have 11 races to feast on – with the Fairyhouse feature the pick.
Midnight It Is marked his final outing of last season with a win at the home of the Irish Grand National in January and, having returned from 323 days off to beat Folly Master by a length and a half at Navan 10 days before Christmas, can win again.
At Ffos Las, two more hat-trick seekers are taken to star in front of the ITV4 cameras, starting with ROSSCAHILL in the DragonBet The Independent Bookmaker Handicap Hurdle (2.58).
Nigel Twiston-Davies’ point-to-point victor is 2-2 under Rules – both successes came at the West Wales course – and a first try at three miles should tease out further as Rosscahill steps into the handicap sphere.
The thriving OSTRAVA DU BERLAIS also makes plenty of appeal in the Download The DragonBet App Handicap Chase (3.31).
The ex-French mare drew a blank on her first 16 visits to the track but now seeks to add to scores at Ludlow and Taunton in the first half of December.
Charlie Deutsch’s mount is 9lb higher in the weights thanks to a nine-and-a-half-length margin in Somerset but has more to offer in her current form.
After a near-miss at Exeter six days before Christmas, a red-letter day looks on the cards for DIAMATISTE , who seeks to break his career duck at the seventh try in the DragonBet Still Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Hurdle (Div II) (2.25).
Chelmsford City also joins the party and James Owen’s CARLTON should be hard to stop in search of a four-timer in the Each Way Extra At bet365 Handicap (1.30).
The Newmarket trainer also has chances at bigger odds with HAT TOSS in the bet365 Handicap (2.40).
After a fine course-and-distance second on Thursday, RISING FORCE can make a winning return to the fray less than 48 hours later in the It’s Never Ordinary At bet365 Handicap (2.10).
He needed every yard of five furlongs to score at Southwell 22 days ago, so a return to six should suit BROOKLYN NINE NINE in the Bet Boost At bet365 Handicap (3.15).
At Newcastle, MIDNIGHT LION is on a roll for the Gamble Responsibly At BetUK Handicap (2.00), while top weight may not anchor STREAK LIGHTNING in the Best Odds Guaranteed At BetMGM Handicap (3.45).
Saturday’s selections
FAIRYHOUSE
12.00 WENDROCK
12.32 SIXANDAHALF
1.07 WALHAAN
1.45 MIDNIGHT IT IS
2.18 TULLYHILL
2.51 BLEU D’ENFER
3.26 SKYLIGHT HUSTLE
FFOS LAS
12.12 DUNSKAY
12.42 JASMINE BLISS
1.15 HANDSTANDS
1.51 MINI YEATS
2.25 DIAMATISTE
2.58 ROSSCAHILL
3.31 OSTRAVA DU BERLAIS
4.01 DOUGLAS HYED
CHELMSFORD CITY
12.55 WAR AND LOVE (NAP)
1.30 CARLTON
2.10 RISING FORCE (NB)
2.40 HAT TOSS
3.15 BROOKLYN NINE NINE
3.52 LILKIAN
4.27 BERNIE THE BEAR
5.00 FAI FAI
NEWCASTLE
2.00 MIDNIGHT LION
2.35 DASH GORDON
3.10 STUDIOUS
3.45 STREAK LIGHTNING
4.15 PACIFIST
4.45 NOVAK
5.15 BRAZILIAN ROSE
WOLVERHAMPTON
5.30 CITY CYCLONE
6.00 WANDERLUST
6.30 MANARA
7.00 BANG ON THE BELL
7.30 PARTY BEAR
8.00 ROGUE THUNDER
8.30 FINN RUSSELL
DOUBLE: WAR AND LOVE and RISING FORCE
