Past Winners » Hollow Blue Sky

4th-Apr-2015

Hollow Blue Sky is not one for maximum stakes, and he was disappointing at Exeter last time, but the three miles on soft ground at a stiff track may have stretched his stamina beyond its limit.

He is another for whom two miles and six furlongs on soft ground could be ideal. He had good form earlier in the season, including when he finished third behind Al Alfa and Buck Mulligan over two miles and five furlongs at Cheltenham’s December meeting, and when he finished third behind Hollow Penny – who ran a cracker in the Plate at the Cheltenham Festival – at Wincanton in October.

Third in this race last year off a mark of 117, the attraction with Nigel Twiston-Davies’ horse lies in the fact that the handicapper has dropped him to a mark of 114. That is 8lb below his peak, and that gives him a real chance. As well as that, Jamie Bargary takes off another 7lb, which is useful, and he is a big price.

HOLLOW BLUE SKY WON (ADV 14/1, SP 11/1)