Will a return to Newbury spark a revival for former winner Django Django?

Wednesday: 3.00 Newbury
Nouveau Cloud And Cybersecurity Handicap Chase | 2m7½f | 5yo+ | RTV

‘Big horse, big problems’ is a phrase I’ve heard a few trainers use down the years and Keep Wondering has had a share of physical issues, having missed last season with a back problem.

“He’s a big horse who has taken a fair bit of time,” was how trainer Philip Hobbs described him in his stable tour at the start of the season, but Hobbs also said he “could be an improver” and Keep Wondering went some way to proving that statement right at Haydock last month.

Keep Wondering was having only his second run in 22 months on that occasion and improved on his seasonal reappearance fifth at Chepstow 26 days earlier to win by half a length from Thomas Macdonagh in a relative bunch finish to a race run on testing ground.

An RPR of 129 is 7lb shy of Keep Wondering’s best, so he hasn’t yet made the improvement predicted, but he looks back on the up and that’s more than can be said for many of his rivals.

Django Django won this race two years ago off a mark of 130, but he has lost his way since and now runs off 5lb lower, with connections adding a tongue-strap to the usual cheekpieces.

However, trainer Jonjo O’Neill’s record with runners in a first-time tongue-strap since the start of last year reads 0-12 and that suggests he fits the aid more in hope than expectation.

Soft ground and a stamina test is ideal for Wayfinder and he could be the fly in the ointment. He is another who appears to have had his problems, having run just twice in nearly 15 months, but he did run well for a long way when sixth in the Mandarin here last month.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

What they say

Peter Bowen, trainer of Landofsmiles
He's off a very stiff handicap mark. He did all his winning when he won the Perth Gold Cup and those sort of races, so I think he may have to come down the handicap a bit before you see him winning again.

Chris Gordon, trainer of Mellow Ben
He's in good order. I just find him quite a tricky horse to win with nowadays, but he normally runs a pretty solid race. He'd need everything to go right for him.

Venetia Williams, trainer of Cuban Pete
He's been there once before and finished third. He nearly got brought down with a lap to go at Bangor last time and slightly lost his confidence. He was pulled up that day but I hope he can get back on track.
Reporting by Charlie Huggins

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