Noseda's progressive runner can continue on the road to America

Euxton Lane
3.10 Fontwell

This looks a match between Philip Hobbs’s Casterly Rock and Oliver Sherwood’s Euxton Lane and preference goes to the latter, who bids to make it fifth time lucky for owner Trevor Hemmings.

The six-year-old gelding has improved for each of his hurdles starts and ran a respectable second to subsequent Grade 2 Dovecote Hurdle winner Global Citizen when last seen at Southwell.

Granted, he was beaten a long way and the winner – who was sent off the 4-9 favourite – could have won by three times the winning distance of eight lengths, but he stuck on nicely to pass three rivals after the second-last and Leighton Aspell was far from hard on him.

He still seems to be progressing and, despite being rated 6lb lower than Casterly Rock, he looks the bet.

De Medici
3.30 Lingfield

De Medici was very green on his debut but justified strong market support – sent off at 9-4 from a morning 5-1 – when running down previous winner Completion to score by a widening margin at the line.

Ed Greatrex had to teach Archie Watson’s three-year-old through the early part of the race when he looked all at sea, but he really put his head down when asked with two furlongs to go and the fact the front two pulled eight lengths clear of their rivals suggests that they are both useful.

The time was good – the son of Makfi earned a Topspeed figure of 81 – and, despite carrying a penalty in this novice event, he should be very hard to beat with improvement likely.

Gronkowski
7.10 Kempton

An American adventure could beckon for Gronkowski as this race forms part of a qualification series for the Kentucky Derby and he is fancied to win comfortably.

Jeremy Noseda’s charge improved from his debut seventh when sticking on well to finish second to a useful Godolphin inmate in a mile novice event at Newmarket in October, but Noseda clearly thought he wasn’t putting it all in and fitted blinkers for his all-weather debut at Chelmsford a month later.

Sure enough, the aid made a huge difference and he drew clear to win by four and a half lengths.

Given a break after that, he returned last month to bolt up in a three-runner contest under Jamie Spencer when given a positive ride over the straight mile. That form was franked when the second won at Wolverhampton next time.

The switch to the synthetic surface has definitely been a plus and he should maintain his 100 per cent strike-rate when taking this decent affair.

Koubba
9.10 Kempton

Koubba showed very little on her first three starts in maidens when beaten a long way each time and didn’t exactly write herself into people’s notebooks when beaten a distance on her handicap debut at Bath off a mark of 46 in August.

However, Neil Mulholland’s mare has looked much better in two subsequent all-weather starts, suggesting this is her favourite surface, and she could have won on both occasions.

Stepped to 1m5½f at Chelmsford in November, she was sent off a 50-1 outsider but ran much better than her price suggested when a strong-finishing fourth. She was given far too much to do and that effort can be marked up given two of the first three right up with the pace the whole way.

The same tactics were employed last time out and she again looked unlucky as she stumbled three furlongs out and was forced to challenge between rivals. She ran on well behind a well-handicapped rival, Iley Boy, to take third.

Off the same mark, she can record her first win at the seventh attempt.

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