3 minute read
The team return with two selections from Sunday’s jumping action…
Scarlet O'Tara was impressive when winning at Ascot last time out and is taken to make it two in a row in the 3m Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (14:07) at Carlisle on Sunday.
Stepping up in trip on this occasion, the extra yardage will act in the mare's favour given the sectionals registered in the aforementioned Ascot contest. The six-year-old posted near identical times between the two-and one-furlong poles and from the one pole to the finish, implying that she had plenty left in the tank.
That effort yielded a career-best speed figure of 106 (ATR) – evidence of her being on an upward trajectory with more improvement set to come.
Luke Scott represents good value for his 5lb claim and is familiar with the mare having been onboard for her victory on last appearance. It could pay to oppose the favourite at current prices, with Scarlet O'tara perhaps being generously priced at 9/2.
SCARLET O'TARA – WIN – 9/2
Individualiste seems to have enjoyed a new lease of life since his relocation across the Irish Sea and could be poised to follow up in the 2m4f Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Chase (14:20) at Navan on Sunday.
Gavin Cromwell's charge registered a comfortable victory at Thurles when last seen, requiring little encouragement to take up the challenge at the last before demonstrating a good turn of foot to win by three-and-three-quarter lengths. That performance seemed to suggest that the six-year-old was ahead of the handicapper, with an official rating of 111 on this occasion constituting a manageable task.
Conditions at Navan will play to his strengths, having already notched up three victories on yielding ground or its equivalent. Keith Donoghue's booking is a further positive, who arrives in red-hot form in chases returning a strike rate of 33.3% over the last two weeks.
While a current general price of 11/10 may not be to everybody's liking, it would be unsurprising to see Individualiste go off even shorter.
INDIVIDUALISTE – WIN 11/10