Sunday 24th October 2010

Wincanton 2-55 F J Chalke Desert Orchid Handicap Chase

F J Chalke Desert Orchid Handicap Chase is not a race where there appear to too many trends to point out, well, not unless your willing to accept the fact that the last four winner all started with the letter ‘T’. Favourites win the fair share but if not then the price is usually 5/1 or above.

Fairoak Lad is a seven year old gelding who has only run over a distance this far once before and that was at Sandown in the Bet365 Gold Cup Chase where he was 7/1 joint favourite and pulled up. Won a novice chase last march over an extended three miles at Wincanton, a course he has done well at over the years. Beat Gullible Gordon by about two lengths that day but today is effectively four pound worse off, although does have Giles Hawkins as the jockey today who takes five pounds off its back.

Gullible Gordon has not raced over this far before but did win a novice chase at Chepstow twelve month ago by over twenty lengths and could been considerably more if he had not been eased down. Finished well ahead of Cullahill in a race despite carrying a stone more weight a few weeks ago and although beaten by Templer, the weight today should even things up.

Templer has won nine races with the most recent being at Ludlow last March and while not the best race to be run a the course it was a win. Templer does have the beating of a number of these including, Cold Mountain, Culahill and Gullible Gordon, whilst he did finish behind Simply Smashing at Stratford in September the weight will today make things more even.

Present M’Lord is a ten year old gelding who has won over these long distances on a number of occasions before, the last of which was two years ago at Exeter. Has the trainers top jockey on board today but with its high handicap rating things may not be that easy.

Cold Mountain won two handicap chases in the summer and its handicap mark has gone up accordingly, distance would be no problem. Has been beaten by the forecast favourite, although finished head of Cullahill but that would not be good enough and I see no reason why there would be a reverse of this form.

Simply Smashing is ridden by Kyle James who does well for this trainer and has ridden this horse for his last four outing, winning two of them. Has beaten Templer but things should be much closer this time around and has a number of wins when racing in excess of three miles.

Cullahill won in June at Worcester and was basically allowed to come home in his own time, not managed to repeat that trick since. Not a bad race at Newton Abbot in July getting close to Cold Mountain but would not think that it would be good enough here today.

Ballyvessey ran some nice races during the summer including when winning at Market Rasen, does have a change of jockey to contend with and the trainer P Bowen is not known for getting winners here. In fact the jockey does not get to many rides for this trainer but does have a very good strike rate at this course, so an interesting contender.