The progressive Harry Senior looks decent value to take the step up into Grade 2 company in his stride and land the spoils in the 2m 5f Leamington Novices’ Hurdle at Warwick on Saturday (14:25).
After shaping with plenty of promise when fourth on hurdling debut at Chepstow, this Colin Tizzard trained five-year-old ran a cracker when headed close home and beaten 1 3/4 lengths by Sporting John at Exeter.
The winner is a hugely exciting sort who has since bolted up by eight lengths at the same venue, whilst the third, fourth and fifth home have also gone on to taste success. That gives the form an extremely strong look.
Harry Senior then again very well when again collared late on and beaten just a length by Edwardstone at Aintree.
Again, the winner is a well-regarded inmate of trainer Alan King who went into the race on the back of a taking success over Harry Senior’s stablemate Fiddlerontheroof.
As Fiddleronthehoof went on to score next time up and has since landed the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown in impressive fashion, that form again reads really well.
Harry Senior has since opened his account in good style over 2m 1f at Chepstow, when leading at the last and drawing effortlessly clear to score easily by five lengths.
The Brocade Racing owned son of Oscar is clearly going the right way, promises to be suited by the step up to 2m 5f and has form in the book that suggest he is well worth a crack at this level.
At 5/1 with Betfred, Harry Senior thus looks well worth a wager at the odds on offer to land what is a wide-open looking renewal of the Leamington Novices’ Hurdle.
Highest Sun hot stuff in Hampton Novices’ Chase
Dorset based handler Tizzard also looks to hold leading claims of landing the proceeding 3m Grade 2 Hampton Novices Chase (14:25) with Highest Sun.
This six-year-old was a useful hurdler who posted an eye-catching effort on his debut over the larger obstacles at Newbury in November, when keeping on nicely from off the pace to finish a not knocked about 4 1/4 lengths fourth to the hugely exciting Champ.
Highest Sun backed that up with a solid three-length runner-up to Pym at Ascot, where he stuck to the task well having pulled too hard in the early stages.
The winner has since followed-up in good style at Cheltenham, whilst the fourth home Deise Aba has also gone on to taste success to give the form a solid look.
Highest Sun then gained a deserved success in a match around Plumpton when making all and jumping well to score unchallenged by 4 1/2 lengths from Diablo De Rouhet, who went into the contest on the back of two wins.
The way in which he disposed of such an in-form rival was impressive. It also suggested that there were plenty more races to be won with the son of Sunday Break.
This does demand more, but Highest Sun is clearly going the right way. The form of his run behind Champ and Pym reads well and suggests that he should be well up to making his mark in graded company.
So, with handler Tizzard continuing to be among the winners, and the prospect of even better to come, Highest Sun makes plenty of appeal at the 5/2 on offer with Coral to go in again.
One For The Team the Pertemps punt
In the 3m 1f Pertemps qualifier (15:35), One For The Team looks the one to be on at em>5/1 with 888sport following a cracking run last time out.
That came in a competitive 18-runner class 2 handicap hurdle over 3m at Newbury, where the Nick Williams trained six-year-old went down all guns blazing when a neck second to Champers On Ice.
The son of Shirocco tracked the leaders going nicely on the inside under 5lb claimer Chester Williams, but showed signs of inexperience at several obstacles which cost him vital ground.
However, One For The Team showed plenty of gears on the level and had little difficulty making up the lost leeway to close up travelling strongly two from home.
It was at this point that the winner, who made all, kicked clear under a positive ride from Tom Scudamore to pinch valuable lengths.
That resulted in One For The Team playing catch-up at a vital stage, so it was to his credit that he stayed on powerfully to be gaining hand over fist at the finish.
He was arguably an unlucky loser and it was a fine effort on just his fourth start over hurdles off an opening handicap mark of 126.
The fourth home, Dolphin Square, has also come out and bolted up since to give the form a boost.
The assessor therefore appears to have been really kind in raising One For The Team just 2lb for that. A revised rating of 128 could seriously underestimate his ability.
There are undoubtedly races, and a big pot, to be won with One For The Team, so he is thus strongly fancied under Sam Twiston-Davies to take this en route to better things.
