Antoine Griezmann's Hooking is intriguing - but plenty of unexposed contenders ready to pounce in Easter Classic

The easy way to find winners on all-weather finals day has been to back French-trained runners. Six victories, two seconds and four thirds from a total of 26 representatives is a remarkably good record for the visitors and a £1 bet on them all yielded a profit of £45.75.

Those figures suggest there is no point looking any further than Hooking, who represents French trainer Philippe Decouz and comes here on a hat-trick following back-to-back victories in Listed races at Cagnes-sur-Mer. This will be an altogether different test, though.

Hooking, who is a first runner in Britain for France and Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann, also has a different profile to other recent French winners and this race is also now a handicap, rather than a conditions event. As an eight-year-old, he will be the oldest French raider to contest a race at this meeting and none older than six has won before.

A BHA mark of 106 might not be beyond him if Racing Post Ratings are anything to go by, given he has recorded RPRs of 114 and 113 on his last two starts, but it’s hard to truly equate his level with the British handicappers until he takes them on. So we should learn plenty here.

There are plenty of unexposed British and Irish handicappers lining up and perhaps the most interesting are Simon and Ed Crisford's pair Oh So Grand and Base Note. 

There is lots of market confidence behind the former, who is a course-and-distance winner. She has since won back-to-back fillies’ handicaps at Lingfield to complete a hat-trick and lines up here off a mark 18lb higher than for her first success. 

More improvement will be needed, but she has run only five times on the all-weather for form figures of 41111.
Analysis by Graeme Rodway

Penzance seeking big payday for connections

Penzance (near): improving all the time and expected to go wellCredit: GROSSICK RACING

Mick Appleby and owners The Horse Watchers are hoping the highly progressive Penzance can seal a big payday.

The first prize for this 1m2f event is just over £100,000 and 31,000gns purchase Penzance is eligible for a £75,000 bonus if successful following wins at the two trials day fixtures.

Penzance prevailed by a short-head from the reopposing Storm Catcher at Newcastle on New Year’s Day before securing a career-best victory by a length and three-quarters at Lingfield in March. 

Alistair Rawlinson’s mount has won his last four starts and races off a 25lb higher mark than when first successful for Appleby at Chelmsford in December.

Chris Dixon, a Racing TV pundit, Flat jockeys’ agent and member of The Horse Watchers, said: “He's improving all the time and, while it will be tougher off a higher mark and in a deeper race, I expect him to go well.

"His form stacks up well, particularly at Newcastle, and it's a positive he's going back there having won nicely despite not handling Lingfield perfectly last time. You don't get too many opportunities to run for this kind of money so it's a massive deal for us."

What they say

Adrian Murray, trainer of Elegant Man
He's a proper horse. Since we got him he's done nothing but improve and we like him an awful lot. This race fitted in nicely to the programme for him.

Simon Crisford, joint-trainer of Base Note and Oh So Grand
Oh So Grand has had a very good winter. She'll need to improve again, but we think there’s more improvement in her. Base Note found life a little tougher in a handicap last time, but he's been working well and loves the all-weather.

Jane Chapple-Hyam, trainer of Blanchland and Claymore
Claymore did nothing wrong when fourth in the Winter Derby. He’s a big unit and has improved for that race, while Blanchland is coming in fresh. They've trained well for this and I find it hard to split them.

Teumessias Fox (left): expected to be suited by the trackCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Alastair Donald, racing manager to King Power Racing, owners of Teumessias Fox
It's taken a little bit of time for us to figure him out but on the all-weather or with some give in the ground he can look very smart. Newcastle will suit him and he stays a bit further so hopefully he’s a leading contender.

Simon Pearce, trainer of Storm Catcher
He’s been running well all winter, and while it looks a good race, it’s a handicap and that gives everyone a chance. We’re closer in the weights to Penzance and he only beat us by a short-head in January.

Read our Friday previews:

1.53 Newcastle: Spartan Army 'very much on the up' for Alan King in ultra-competitive marathon final 

2.25 Newcastle: 'He's surprised us by how much he's come forward' - analysis and trainer quotes for competitive sprint handicap

3.00 Newcastle: 'The one most of us are worried about is Nine Tenths' - can William Haggas's topweight demonstrate her class? 

3.35 Newcastle: Can Albasheer or Cover Up pick up valuable Sprint glory - or is it the 'perfect storm' for Batal Dubai? 

4.40 Newcastle: Jockey merry-go-round makes it tricky but Oisin Murphy could hold the key on Fantastic Fox

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