26-Dec-2008

I put Pressgang down as a horse to follow after he finished second to Hercomesthetruth at Taunton last time. If he had been allowed stride on earlier, he probably would have won, and he is a lot better than the bare form of that race. He was second in the 2006 Cheltenham Bumper and, while he has obviously had his problems, he does jump fences well, he looks like he could make up into a really decent novice chaser, and his current rating of 125 could seriously underestimate his ability. I have him on my Jewson Chase shortlist already.

Hivikos is obviously well regarded, given that he was sent off as joint favourite for a hot novices’ handicap hurdle at Cheltenham last time. He races off his hurdles mark of 117 here, which could prove to be lenient in time, but he didn’t show a great deal in that handicap hurdle, and you feel that he would want to have a lot in hand of the handicapper over fences is he to repel Pressgang this afternoon.

PRESSGANG WON (MP 3/1, SP 2/1)

26th December, 2008