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Henry Daly’s Precious Eleanor can kick off her season with a Listed win in the Bud Booth Mares’ Chase at Market Rasen.
The seven-year-old was never out of the first two in seven runs last term, including a consecutive run of five second placed finishes in mares' handicap chases.
In March she finally got her head in front when winning a Warwick contest by a facile 20 lengths, after which she was a winner again when landing a Listed prize at Cheltenham in April.
Back at the same level in Lincolnshire, the mare steps up to three miles for her first outing of the new campaign and runs in a contest mentioned by her trainer immediately after she signed off last term with the Cheltenham victory.
Another mare who holds a fighting chance on the same card is Dan Skelton's Iorens, who is set to run in the EBF Mares' "National Hunt" Maiden Hurdle.
A five-length Irish point-to-point winner, the four-year-old then made her debut under Rules and for current connections in a Carlisle novice hurdle in October.
Second to Jonjo O'Neill's promising winner Springwell Bay, the performance was a pleasing one and she looks set to build on it when stepping up in trip.
At Taunton it is Milton Harris' Mordred who holds a notable chance in the Invest Southwest Novices' Handicap Chase.
The gelding is a versatile sort who has dabbled with both codes, winning on the Flat on turf, all-weather and even in the snow at St Moritz.
Making a chasing debut at Sedgefield in September, he won by three and a quarter lengths although his jumping left something to be desired.
Subsequently reverting to hurdles, he was fifth at Plumpton when last seen in October, Harris has clearly decided to give chasing another go and in a small field of only five he is appealing off bottom weight.
Now that Kim Bailey's I Spy A Diva has got her head in front she could be worth sticking with in the Cornish Rock Gin Novices' Hurdle.
Placed three times over hurdles last season, a wind op seemed to have the desired effect on her reappearance when she justified odds-on favouritism.
Bailey appears to have found her another very winnable opportunity.
Lucinda Russell's Flylikeaneagle improved markedly on the level in the summer and clearly enjoyed his new surroundings in Scotland.
He arrived from Ireland with a rating of just 53 and ended the season rated a respectable 70.
Having shown little in four previous outings over hurdles in Ireland his chance is taken on trust but the excellent Russell would not be running him in Newcastle's Cramlington Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle if she had been given any reason not to.
On the Flat at Chelmsford it is Myriad who looks well placed in the Betsi Handicap, run over a mile and six furlongs.
The Cotai Glory gelding has consistently hit the frame both on turf and on the all-weather this season, but victories have proved hard to come by barring a Kempton success in August.
Nevertheless the chestnut runs off a career-high mark of 70, a rating that still leaves him carrying less weight than just one opponent at a track where he is unbeaten.
SELECTIONS
CHELMSFORD: 5.30 Mirabello Bay, 6.00 Maggie's Way, 6.30 Colombidea, 7.00 Myriad, 7.30 Twilight Heir, 8.00 Alpha Cru, 8.30 Mcqueen.
MARKET RASEN: 12.55 Summer Moon, 1.30 Iorens, 2.05 Belvedere Blast, 2.40 Fawsley Spirit, 3.15 Precious Eleanor (NAP), 3.45 Passing Secrets.
NEWCASTLE: 12.25 Flylikeaneagle, 1.05 Hidalgo De L'Isle, 1.40 Hidden Commander, 2.15 Onenightintown, 2.50 Kilbarry Leader, 3.25 Return Fire, 3.55 Zafar.
TAUNTON: 1.15 True Romance, 1.50 I Spy A Diva, 2.25 Mordred, 3.00 Dancing Harry, 3.35 Oceans Red, 4.10 Molliana.
DOUBLE: Precious Eleanor and Myriad
