'I think he’s favourably weighted' - can Grade 2 scorer Fortune De Mer make an instant impact in handicaps?

Dan Skelton is one of the best target trainers around so the fact he is said to be working back from the County Hurdle with Fortune De Mer should give us some insight as to how favourable an opening mark Skelton thinks his runner has been handed.

The five-year-old landed a Grade 2 novice hurdle at Cheltenham last month, travelling into the race strongly and finding plenty to get up late, seemingly aided by the application of a first-time hood.

He can have that effort marked up too, considering he was carried to his left by runner-up Doctor Blue, who could give the form some substance when he lines up in the earlier introductory hurdle on the card. The Racing Post Rating of 127 he achieved that day suggests his opening mark of 126 is within range.

The biggest danger could be the oldest runner in the line-up Moveit Like Minnie, who has been unlucky to bump into some well-handicapped rivals on his two starts this season, notably when a fine third behind subsequent Greatwood Hurdle winner Alexei. He looks well handicapped off an unchanged mark.

Also of interest has to be the Emma Lavelle-trained George’s Lad, who is entitled to take a step forward from his reappearance over three and a half furlongs further. He was in the process of running well when coming down at the last in the valuable EBF Final at Sandown last season and could well have more to come back in trip.

Trustintimes is progressive, having won a bumper and two hurdles this year, but looks to have a bit to find in his first handicap after an absence, while last-time-out winners Manuelito and Poet Laureate are open to further improvement.
Analysis by Harry Wilson

Going update

The going is good to soft, good in places. No inspection is planned despite temperatures expected to drop to -2C overnight and a dry and cold day forecast.

What they say

Philip Hobbs, joint-trainer of Manuelito
It was a really good performance when he won at Newton Abbot. Two miles is probably his optimum trip, and I'd like to think there's more to come. We took him up to Aintree for the conditional jockeys' and amateur riders’ race at the Grand National meeting and he was a bit disappointing, but we're looking forward to a good season.

Emma Lavelle, trainer of George’s Lad
Fingers crossed he would have a good each-way chance. He ran well on his comeback at Fontwell and, although he’s back in trip, he’s not short of speed.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Fortune De Mer
He didn’t run at Cheltenham last week as it went very soft and he had top weight. This should be much nicer ground for him and he should go well. We’ll see how his handicap mark looks after this, but I think he’s favourably weighted and we're looking forward to getting him back out.

Jamie Snowden, trainer of Hardy Du Seuil
He’s had a good winter break and we feel there's a big handicap in him this season. Maybe he'd have wanted the ground to be a bit softer than it is for his return, but there’s some good prize-money on offer and we're looking forward to starting him off.

Sam Twiston-Davies, rider of Moveit Like Minnie
The fitting of a visor has helped him and he jumped well when third there last time, since when the winner has followed up at Cheltenham. It’s competitive but he goes there with another solid shout.

Chris Gordon, trainer of Poet Laureate
He won easily at Plumpton last time when he jumped right, so hopefully he’ll enjoy going right-handed this time around. It’s a 0-140 so he’s up in grade.
Reporting by David Milnes

By David Carr

Pauling keen on Darling's chances

Ben Pauling has high-class young chasers Handstands and The Jukebox Man in action this weekend and could well warm up by striking with one of the older generation. 

Your Darling may be ten now but he won the £35,000 two-mile-five chase at Ascot (2.00) in 2022 and 2023. And although he was on the sidelines last year and is returning from 544 days off, his trainer reported on his recent Racing Post stable tour: “He seems as good as ever and I’m pleased with where we are.”

Another Mullins smart chasing prospect?

Oh what riches there are at Closutton! Willie Mullins gives another smart prospect his chasing debut at Fairyhouse, just days after Final Demand and then Kopek Des Bordes did the job so impressively first time out over fences at Navan. 

Kiss Will won a Listed hurdle race at Perth last April, as part of his trainer’s late surge to clinch the British championship, and will carry high hopes when he bids to make his own successful switch to fences in the beginners’ chase (1.06) here.

Angel Gabriel could be the class act

What could be more topical than a victory for Angel Gabriel as Advent approaches? It is more than just a Christmas wish, as Highclere Thoroughbreds’ colt is the class act among those with experience in the two-year-old novice at Southwell (6.00). 

He is out of Group 1 winner Nahoodh and showed he had inherited plenty of ability when keeping on for a clear second on his debut at Doncaster this month. Unless Amo Racing’s €300,000 newcomer Domina Ignis is well out of the ordinary, this looks a fine chance for him to go one place better.

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