KATEIRA is favoured by the race conditions in the Racing TV Mares’ Hurdle at Kempton and is backed to take full advantage.
Dan Skelton’s charge made great progress last season, claiming wide-margin wins at Uttoxeter, Huntingdon and Market Rasen before a Grade One second at Aintree.
The way she plugged on gamely to split Irish Point and Hermes Allen over two and a half miles in the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle suggests this step up to three miles should pose no problems.
Admittedly, Kateira put in a below-par performance when a distant third behind You Wear It Well and Luccia on her reappearance at Wetherby, but that was over an inadequate trip and she looked very much in need of the outing.
That has been the case with a number of Skelton’s string so far this term but others have improved markedly on their second outing.
Jane Williams’ horses usually come on for a blow-out as well, which makes Captain Marvellous very interesting in the Racing TV Junior “National Hunt” Hurdle.
The French-bred gelding, who is closely related to Auteuil Grade One winner Capivari, was unfancied on his racecourse debut at this track but produced an eye-catching effort.
Despite being far from fluent in the jumping department, he travelled strongly throughout and finished an encouraging runner-up behind Gifted Angel in what was a competitive contest full of experienced Flat campaigners.
Destroytheevidence pulled clear to prevail by a comfortable 15 lengths here last month and can follow up in the Wise Betting RacingTV.com Handicap Hurdle.
Kim Bailey’s five-year-old is bred to go chasing in time, as a full-brother of Arizona Cardinal, but has the scope to do some more damage over the smaller obstacles first.
At Ludlow, Anthony Honeyball can continue in good form with Breaking Cover in the Flowfit Handicap Hurdle.
The five-year-old finished second last time out at Taunton and although he was five and a half lengths behind the winner, the next horse was 23 lengths behind him and the rest of the field were strung out further still.
He was beaten there by Paul Nicholls’ Panjari, twice a Listed winner on the Flat in both Italy and Germany and a promising type now gelded and switched to the National Hunt code.
Defeat behind that one may not prove too discouraging and Breaking Cover comes from a stable not short of a winner in recent days.
