Richard Birch's play of the day at Plumpton
La Dolce Dolly
There is an old adage in punting which suggests you should never be frightened of one horse when placing a bet.
In my opinion, it applies more to low grade than high-class racing and, on the eve of the magnificent Cheltenham Festival, I am using it to finalise a selection for Plumpton’s 3m1f handicap hurdle (4.00).
The Paul Nicholls-trained Rickety Bridge stood out when the entries for this 0-120 were made, largely based on a last-time-out second to J'Ai Froid at Chepstow. It was definitely a career-best effort and he is open to further improvement on just his eighth start.
However, I made a note of La Dolce Dolly when she ran at Market Rasen last month to back her if she ran in the stayers' handicap hurdle at Plumpton on the day before the Champion Hurdle.
The six-year-old was doing all her best work towards the end of that 2m4½f contest after getting tapped for toe at the top of the straight.
It’s no surprise she couldn’t match Miss Cynthia for raw speed as she is a 94-rated Flat performer who contested last year's Group 1 Prix du Cadran won by staying superstar Kyprios.
Miss Cynthia followed up that Market Rasen victory by finishing runner-up to World Of Fortunes in a Doncaster Listed mares' novice hurdle.
La Dolce Dolly, a good-ground maiden point-to-point winner, will appreciate both the faster surface and longer trip and, with improvement almost certain, might be able to overturn likely warm favourite Rickety Bridge.
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