3 minute read
Goobinator should be fresh following a mid-season break and can notch another winner for Donald McCain and Brian Hughes in the quinnbet.com Handicap Hurdle at Newcastle.
A smart dual-purpose performer, the last time he ran on the level he finished fourth in the Cesarewitch to Buzz – a Grade One performer over hurdles – with Burning Victory in second.
First time out over hurdles this season, Goobinator was travelling strongly at Bangor when coming down three from home, in a race won by Hunters Call who has continued to frank the form.
McCain then sent him to Doncaster a month later for what looked an average handicap and he could finish only third as the 9-4 favourite, which looked a little underwhelming at the time.
However, time has already proven he faced a stiff task as the winner, Ben Case's Cobblers Dream, subsequently went to Kempton and won the Lanzarote off a 6lb higher mark by over five lengths.
This looks a tidy race for Newcastle on a Friday, but Goobinator's freshness is a huge plus at this stage of the season.
Hughes could also be on the mark for Ruth Jefferson on Edmond Dantes in the Little Petey Hopper Woves Princess Sophia Handicap Chase.
The pair were successful last time out at Market Rasen and do have a 9lb rise to overcome, but he is very unexposed still, as that was his first run over fences and just his sixth overall.
Dr Kananga can provide the upwardly mobile Ben Clarke with another winner in the Virgin Bet Novices' Limited Handicap Chase at Exeter.
The potential this eight-year-old had shown Clarke in the pointing fields, allied with that of The Galloping Bear, who won Haydock's Grand National Trial, were the main reasons Clarke took the plunge to take out a licence.
On admittedly limited evidence to date, it nevertheless looks the right move as Dr Kananga has already won three this season and was very impressive at Sandown most recently.
He fairly bolted up there, so it was no surprise the handicapper hit him with a 10lb rise, and while he carries top weight and takes on some unexposed rivals, he might not have reached his ceiling yet.
Paul Nicholls would have no doubt been disappointed when Flemenstide was turned over at Wincanton in January, but it came at a quiet spell for the yard and the winner, Unanswered Prayers, is no mug.
While he is just biding time over hurdles, first-time cheekpieces might sharpen him up.
Stablemate Friend Or Foe faded quite tamely over two and a half miles at Musselburgh, so it is no surprise to see him drop in trip for the CDS Colleague Appreciation Novices' Limited Handicap Chase at Leicester.
Ed Walker's King Of Jungle did a lot of things wrong on his debut but still ran out a ready winner, so there are high hopes he can defy a penalty in the Betway Novice Stakes at Wolverhampton.
He showed signs of greenness down at the start, was upset in the stalls and not surprisingly was slowly away – but he still came through to win easily.
If those quirks can be ironed out, he could be quite useful.
SELECTIONS:
DUNDALK: 5.00 Collective Power, 5.30 Form Of Praise, 6.00 Tai Sing Yeh, 6.30 No Trouble, 7.00 Matilda With Me, 7.30 Merisi, 8.00 Bowerman, 8.30 Elzaam Blue.
EXETER: 1.15 Dr Kananga, 1.45 Flemenstide, 2.20 Operation Manna, 2.55 Limetree Boy, 3.30 Hit The Rocks, 4.05 Fulgurix, 4.40 Give Us A Swig.
LEICESTER: 1.00 Out The Glen, 1.30 Radetzky March, 2.05 Friend Or Foe, 2.40 Jacamar, 3.15 Pride Of Lecale, 3.50 Ecu De La Noverie.
NEWCASTLE: 1.55 Our Idic Boy, 2.30 Choral Work, 3.05 Mahanakhon Power, 3.40 Edmond Dantes, 4.15 GOOBINATOR (NAP), 4.50 Raffles Gitane, 5.20 Nikolayeva.
WOLVERHAMPTON: 5.10 Olympus, 5.45 Purple Power, 6.15 Glorious Charmer, 6.45 King Of Jungle, 7.15 Moon Bay, 7.45 Surrey Mist, 8.15 Illuminated.
DOUBLE: Goobinator and King Of Jungle.