Richard Birch's play of the day at Plumpton

All Authorized

1.00 Plumpton

All Authorized, a six-year-old brother to 2024 Grand National winner I Am Maximus, has the potential to develop into a much better horse than his rating suggests, and can prove it by landing Plumpton’s 3m1½f handicap chase.

The three-time winner has yet to score in three attempts over fences, but this will be the first occasion both trip and ground are likely to be in his favour.

All Authorized is clearly a stayer, so you can forgive Sandown and Newbury defeats over 1m7½f and 2m4f respectively.

Kikijo, winner of that Newbury race, has since landed handicap hurdles at Cheltenham and Sandown in the style of a rapidly progressive performer to earn an official hurdles rating of 134.

All Authorized was backed off the boards on his Ascot reappearance over 3m last month, but the 7-2 joint-favourite let down his supporters by finishing last of nine.

Although he made a bad mistake at the 14th, that didn’t look the sole reason for his well below-par performance. The ground at Ascot that day was officially good and, in all likelihood, it was too quick for All Authorized, who needs some cut underfoot.

Good to soft is the likely going at Plumpton on the chase course, which should be slow enough for All Authorized to show his best form.

The handicapper has taken a big chance by dropping All Authorized 5lb for his Ascot defeat, and punters can also view the fitting of first-time cheekpieces as a positive.

All Authorized scored in good style on Plumpton’s hurdles track off a 4lb higher mark in April, arguably value for more than the winning margin of five and a half lengths suggests.

The track had been heavily watered, and it’s likely conditions were softer than the official description of good implies.

All Authorized13:00 Plumpton

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Jky: Caoilin Quinn Tnr: Gary & Josh Moore

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Richard Birch's Monday tips at Plumpton, Lingfield and Wolverhampton

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