THERE is some quality racing this weekend, with Kempton, Wetherby and Warwick all staging Grade Two chases, but perhaps the biggest betting race is Saturday’s Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase (3.00pm) at Warwick.
This 3m5f marathon is quite a unique staying test as it requires accurate jumping around a tight track, with Warwick’s famous row of fences in the back straight capable of catching plenty of horses out.
The ability to travel well is often paramount, as horses like Corach Rambler found when being caught too far back in this contest two years ago, before of course going on to win at Cheltenham and then the Grand National.
This is a race that can provide National clues and Alan King’s MAJOR DUNDEE is a horse that looks to be taking in this race on the way to the big one at Aintree.
This nine-year-old is a thorough stayer, as he showed when finishing third behind Win My Wings in the 2022 Scottish National and when winning the Midlands Grand National over 4m2f at Uttoxeter last season.
His return this season came at Warwick and he ran well to finish third, proving he handles the track, before again running a decent race at Chepstow, finishing behind subsequent runaway Welsh National winner Nassalam.
He’s still reasonably lightly raced over fences after nine starts, and we know he’ll handle the track and stay well in the likely testing conditions.
Off a mark of 135, he will need to win this to get into the National, so he makes plenty of each-way appeal at around the 10/1 mark.
A horse that could shorten considerably in the market if lining up is MALINA GIRL.
Gavin Cromwell is operating at a 26 percent strike rate with his runners in the UK this season and has landed two big handicap pots at Cheltenham already, including one with this mare during the November Meeting.
Malina Girl hacked up by 10 lengths on that occasion, proving far too good for Guetapan Collonges and City Chief, who could reoppose here.
Understandably she was hit with an 11lb rise following that, but the extra weight didn’t look to burden her when she crashed out at the third last when still travelling with ease in another big Cheltenham handicap in December.
She looked like she would have played a serious part in the finish there, which makes her still appear well-treated off her current rating.
If turning up here in the same form, she must be kept onside and the current 7/1 is well worth snapping up.
Warwick racegoers are in for an added treat as the Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase (3.35pm) has been moved here following Sandown’s abandonment last Saturday.
The Veterans’ Series has been one of the BHA’s biggest success stories over the past decade and the Final is always eagerly awaited.
There are reasons to fancy and take on most of the runners, but the most interesting one for me is SAM BROWN for Anthony Honeyball.
The 12-year-old ran on well at Cheltenham in a middle-distance veterans’ chase last time and will definitely appreciate this step up to three miles.
He was two lengths ahead when falling two out in a valuable handicap chase at Punchestown in April which showed that the candle still burns.
A classy horse, he is worth backing each-way at around 7/1.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Major Dundee e/w 3.00pm Warwick
Malina Girl e/w 3.00pm Warwick
Sam Brown e/w 3.35pm Warwick
