APPLE ROCK (3.50, nap) looks a tasty bet in the three-mile Invest Southwest Handicap Hurdle at Taunton on Thursday.
The Ben Pauling-trained nine-year-old won three in a row during the winter, and completed his hat-trick over this course and distance in December, beating The Changing Man by half a length.
He was slightly disappointing on his return at Ascot last month when sixth behind Thomas Mor, but he is sure to be much sharper this time and can resume winning ways.
At Wolverhampton, BASCINET (5.30, nb) is also fancied to return to the winners’ enclosure after failing to see out two miles on the course last time when sixth behind Rock Chant.
The four-year-old, trained by Eve Johnson Houghton, will be more at home over today’s trip of a mile and three-quarters as he showed when winning over the course and distance at the start of the month.
Then he took the lead after two furlongs and was never headed, keeping on well to land his third victory of the year.
He should take some stopping today under Mia Nicholls in the BetUk’s Acca Club 5 Free Bet Apprentice Handicap.
THURSDAY'S SELECTIONS
HEXHAM
1.35 LEADING FORCE
2.10 ASHJAN
2.45 MISS LAMB
3.20 TWOSHOTSOFTEQUILA
3.55 BLAZING PORT
4.30 TREVELYN’S CORN
5.05 CHANCE THE ROBIN
TAUNTON
1.30 SPARTAN ARMY
2.05 MOYTIER
2.40 GARINCHA
3.15 DECORATED
3.50 APPLE ROCK (NAP)
4.25 HOWYOUPLAYTHEGAME
5.00 JOHNNYWHO
WARWICK
1.50 CARRAREA
2.25 JACK DOYEN
3.00 STELLAR STREAM
3.35 SAINT SEGAL
4.10 MIDNIGHT GINGER
4.45 ZAMPARELLI
5.15 SOLAR SYSTEM
5.45 DIAMOND RI
WOLVERHAMPTON
5.30 BASCINET (NB)
6.00 OLYMPIC QUEST
6.30 ALWAYS FEARLESS
7.00 BUSSENTO
7.30 DEE’S DREAM
8.00 ATHMAD
8.30 BUACHAILL
NEWSBOY'S DOUBLE: APPLE ROCK and BASCINET
