'If he's going to keep winning there, we'll keep taking him there!' - Newcastle course specialist one to watch
Linda Perratt is enjoying a flying run of form and hopes to continue her winning ways when course-specialist Pockley heads to his favourite track on Friday afternoon.
The five-year-old gelding boasts the strongest course form of any runner across the four meetings in Britain on Friday, with his six wins from 16 starts including three course-and-distance successes.
Pockley will aim to enhance that record when he lines up in the 5f handicap (3.40) just ten days after notching his latest win at the track. Despite a 5lb penalty, Perratt is optimistic he can give another strong performance with Jonny Peate on board once more.
"He seems very well at home and is nice and bright after his win last week," the Scottish trainer said. "The handicapper has put him up 3lb but he's running off a 5lb penalty, which is not ideal, however he seems in good heart and for whatever reason he just loves the track and surface.
"I thought he'd run well at Southwell in September but he refused to come out the stalls that day. I think he'd had a fright the last time he ran at that track and maybe he remembered, yet he jumped out well last time at Newcastle and won – I think he just really likes the course. If he's going to keep winning there, we'll keep taking him there!"
Pockley is not the only one carrying a strong record into tomorrow's contest, with Perratt also enjoying a rich run of form that has seen her surpass last season's winning tally after scoring with three of her last four runners.
With a strike-rate of 57 per cent, the trainer hopes she can maintain her impressive all-weather record with her other runner Henery Hawk also well fancied in his 6f contest (4.30) at Wolverhampton less than an hour later.
"We've been flying and fingers crossed we can continue that," she said. "They've all been enjoying their trips to the all-weather tracks, I keep joking that we need to keep them on that surface and never go back to the turf! It's been great and long may it continue."
Spotlight comment
Refused to race at Southwell in September but he got going over course-and-distance ten days ago and made smooth headway before holding on to record his sixth course win; this is tougher under a penalty (due to be 2lb lower in future) but he was as good as ever last time and is in the mix.
Read more:
The Punt Acca: Harry Wilson's three horse racing tips at Cheltenham and Newcastle on Friday
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