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Preview
01 June 2008
3.50 Perth Langvale homes Perth
Gold Cup Handicap Chase 3M Good 16K
A decent handicap for this time of year over fences and the
ground should be on the quick side of good in comparison to the good
ground they would expect over the winter months. The handicap is
made up of largely proven types and it is hard to see which horses
are going to progress of improve further within this handicap and it
may come down to who is best weighted.
Victor Daly was a impressive winner last time at Aintree when
skipping clear of his field and holding on as he got tired in the
final furlong, he is lightly raced compared to many of these but
also he has had enough runs to know what to expect from him in the
make up this race and may well need to improve further. The class
issue seems to stand up better on the level then over fences from my
experience and Bunea Vista is yet to find the same form that he
showed when placing in a grade 1 hurdle over the larger obstacles
and with top weight It is hard to see him having anything in hand
over his rivals.
Newton Bridge effort over hurdles is most probably the best piece
of form coming into this race shown, but over the larger obstacles
and the change in conditions and race he may not be as good as he
was that day. Sue Smith has a strong hand in this handicap in my
view with Rare Society and the proven Little Big horse in this
handicap and both on my ratings stand out as having decent chances,
while Twelve paces will improve for return to further and fences for
David Pipe. One horse that is very well handicapped is Peter Bowen
Lankawi who has seemly regressed in his form and the recent effort
he put up at Aintree and Bangor he should improve on here and
shouldn't be long before he starting to knock on the door again. Out
the Black is another horse that shouldn't be discounted lightly
after winning a handicap for older horses in good style at Ascot
last time and while the ground is on the quick side should be one to
keep in mind around this level but he is quite in and out.
Megaton and Brooklyn Brownie both add to the decent chances in
this handicap and shouldn't be discounted lightly even though there
chances look slightly harder then previous good races at Fontwell
and Perth where they found a couple to good that day. Little Big
horse has fallen down the handicap and should be more suited to
Perth track then that of Aintree in which he stayed on to good
effect and has the look of a well handicapped horse coming to hand
and should run a big race while stable mate Rare Society was heavily
backed last time and was really staying on to good effect against
Victor Daly at Aintree and a little further he would have got up,
the chances are that he will be better suited to today and
handicapped to reverse that form and deserves a strong mention.
I hear Thunder showed that he still retains ability when running
well over the national fences a few runs back and if he ever found
his best form like Lankawi would be very well in at the weights
here. Rare Society and Out The black look the two progressive horses
in this race today even though they are exposed and likely to find
it hard under any future penalties while Little Big horse is
certainly the horse handicapped to go well on old form under today's
conditions and in my view the winner is likely to come from one of
these 3 runners.
Richard Johnson has often ridden out the black poorly but finally
came good on a horse that is hit and miss, the five pound rise
shouldn't be a problem for the horse, while the jockeys claim on
little big horse just adds to the horses chance. Rare Society who
was so well ridden by Christian Williams is paired with Richard
Mcgrath who rides superbly well here and has had a good record for
the stable who does brilliantly well in these types of races, while
Philip Hobbs yard are flying in the winners. At the prices all 3
could be invested in but the choice for this race is between the Sue
Smith pair and Little Big Horse could well be laid out for the
Summer plate and Rare Society who ran 3rd in this last year to
Tariminbleu could be the one to land it.
Selection –
Rare Society 2
pts win @ 12-1 (BF16's)
Well Chief
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