Josses Hill looks one of the most intriguing horses on a really good card at Doncaster on Wednesday.
Nicky Henderson’s emerging hurdler was thwarted by the weather at the weekend after Sandown’s meeting was abandoned due to a waterlogged track.
That the six-year-old was in line to run in the Grade One Tolworth Hurdle is obviously a clear barometer with which to measure his potential.
Josses Hill pleasingly won an Ascot bumper on his British bow in November, after which he made a similarly striking impression when victorious on his hurdling debut at Newbury last month.
Although he already looks tailor-made for fencing, the Alan Spence-owned gelding is seemingly towards the front rank of Henderson’s formidable team of young novice hurdlers.
And with conditions likely to be ideal on Town Moor, he can illustrate the point in the Download The All New freebets.co.uk “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle.
The big name on show at Doncaster is Rock On Ruby, who should not have too much difficulty winning the Check Out The All New freebets.co.uk Novices’ Chase.
Byroness could rattle a few cages at a chunky price for the Winners Are Welcome At Betdaq Fillies’ Handicap at Kempton.
The four-year-old filly is 1lb lower in the handicap than when she won over course and distance last February, with punters advised to look beyond her apparent no-show here in December.
Heather Main’s representative was pinched for room two out out in a seven-furlong handicap and was eased once the cause was lost.
Before that she only succumbed to the useful Stormbound by a head over an extra furlong in November, for which she only went up a little in the weights.
Byroness knows this terrain very well, having struck at Kempton three times in the past, and might be over-priced given both her small-time connections and the alleged manner of her meek reversal last time.
Trainer John Gosden has been in rollicking good nick on the all-weather this winter, with Blessington the latest Clarehaven inmate taken to shine in the £500 Free Bets At Betdaq Handicap.
The four-year-old colt must carry joint-top weight for this, but his recent exploits at Lingfield read pretty well, suggesting a race of this nature is cosily within his compass.
And there is surely more to come from a horse who has only raced seven times.