14-Nov-2009

Ferdy Murphy’s gelding looked really good in winning his beginners’ chase at Uttoxeter almost a year ago on really soft ground, and he again ran well at Aintree in May, staying on nicely to finish second to Aleron. He ran an eye-catching race on his only start to date this season, staying on nicely from the back in the amateur riders’ race at Cheltenham’s October meeting to finish sixth. Ferdy Murphy’s horses almost always come on for a run, and it is probable that the trainer has had this race in mind for Gallant Nuit for a little while.

This is more competitive than anything he has faced before, but he gets to race off the same mark as the mark off which he ran at Aintree in May, and he creeps in at the bottom of the handicap on 10st (he is actually 1lb out of the handicap) which will be a big help on today’s ground. He is only five years old, he has run in just six chases and has huge scope for improvement. In Graham Lee he has one of the most intelligent chase jockeys in the business, and he is worth backing at 7/1.

GALANT NUIT WON (ADV 7/1, SP 9/2)