28th-Jan-2023

I am backing Hacker Des Places in the concluding handicap hurdle.

Paul Nicholls’ horse progressed nicely through the spring last year, he kept on well to win at Chepstow in February before running a big race to finish third in the Imperial Cup at Sandown off a handicap rating of 133.  Then he went to Aintree and won the conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle there off the same mark.

He shaped nicely on his debut this season when he kept on well in a handicap hurdle at Ascot to take second place behind Highway One O Two, who made all.  He is 1lb lower now, he is only six, he retains scope for progression this season, and we know that he can operate on an undulating track.  And Angus Cheleda’s record on him reads 161312.

Punctuation was impressive in winning last time at Cheltenham, but they went very slowly early on in that race, and he is 8lb higher today.

HACKER DES PLACES WON (ADV 4/1, SP 4/1)