12th-Apr-2014

Samstown is a thorough stayer, he was only just beaten a neck in the Somerset National over three and a half miles at Wincanton on soft ground in January, but he did win a novices’ hurdle at Perth on good ground. He doesn’t not handle better ground.

He has run just once since that Somerset National, he ran a cracker over today’s course and distance last month to finish second to the dour stayer Mister Philson, just getting out-stayed himself on the run-in after Etxalar had made a bad mistake at the last.

That was just his sixth run over fences and he is still just seven, so he should be able to progress again. We know that he goes well at the track, and the fact that the handicapper left him on his mark of 116 gives him a real chance.

SAMSTOWN WON (ADV 13/2, SP 7/2)