Warwick Saturday Preview - 15/01/22

The first event of the afternoon at Warwick is the Novices' Handicap Hurdle over two miles and the horse that makes big appeal is the Irish raider Petrol Head.

The Ronan McNally trained animal suits the typical profile of this trainer/owners horses having very minimal form on the flat before coming to the handler and winning first time out over hurdles.

Making his hurdles debut this term, he was seen at Fairyhouse over 2m4f in November and in a 15 runner handicap hurdle he went on to win by half a length.

The drop back to, two miles will look to suit better and still only on a mark of 107, it looks a big chance to exploit the handicapper.

Next up is the Class 2 Handicap Chase over two miles that only sees four runners head to post but it still looks a very competitive affair.

The horse we are siding with is the Venetia Williams trained Brave Seasca who still looks well enough weighted to stay under the handicappers grasp for another run.

A fair hurdles horse for the yard, winning on his final start last term at Huntingdon, seeing off the very expensive Interconnected for Dan Skelton.

Always bought to be a chaser, he was let loose over the bigger obstacles this term and finished sixth of 13 on debut behind some nice types, with many of them since franking the form.

Brave Seasca himself gave the form a boost next time out when winning over course and distance at Warwick by 10 lengths in a handicap chance.

He made it 2/2 last time out at Ascot in the a valuable handicap chase running off 7lb higher but taking it in his stride to see off Amarillo Sky by an eased down three lengths.

Up another 9lb for that win now on a mark of 137 it still shouldn't be enough to stop him landing the hat-trick.

Plenty of things in his favour.

One of the best bets on the card comes in the Group Two Hampton Novices' Chase over three miles and we can't see past the smart front runner Threeunderthrufive.

The McNeilly owned gelding was a smart horse in bumpers that made the leap over hurdles last term and looked like a very talented stayer.

Racing five times he went on to win four events in good style between 19f and 24f only suffering his first defeat in the Grade One Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival when a valiant sixth.

This season he has been sent over fences and has always looked the type to progress for fences and he has done just that.

Needing his first experience at Chepstow behind a subsequent next time out winner, he has since landed a hat-trick of victories over the bigger obstacles, landing a nice race at Exeter before heading to Cheltenham in a good event where he won nicely.

Looking to land the hat-trick last time out he bolted up in a three runner event at Doncaster and back in a small field against lesser opposition he should get the job done again.

Another Grade Two follows and it sees the 2m5f Ballymore Leamington Novices' Hurdle and we are siding with the Nicky Henderson trained.

The five year old Surrey Quest has been a great addition to the Seven Barrows yard this term, costing £50,000 as a three year old.

Making his rules debut in May 2021 when second to stablemate Russian Ruler over two miles at Warwick in a bumper, he has since been sent hurdling this term.

Starting his term off at Leicester he won a three runner event at Leicester in decent fashion, but last time out but up a massive career best to take a good Novices' Hurdle at Doncaster by close to eight lengths.

That run came in tricky conditions and the way he breezed away from the field was very taking and he now deserves his chance in this grade.

The big race of the afternoon and one of the features at the track every year is the Grade Three Classic Handicap Chase over the marathon trip of 3m5f and with a huge field heading to post we have two each way selections.

The first is the very reliable Achille for Venetia Williams with this animal always in and around the frame in these sorts of events, including when a good second in this event last term.

Off the back of that he went to Haydock in the Grade Three Grand National Trial and was again a narrow second behind the smart Lord Du Mesnil.

Aimed at the Midlands Grand National, he was a staying on sixth of 21 runners, making up plenty of ground in the final stages of the race.

Not seen again until December for his first run this season he was a valiant fifth in the Becher Chase behind the impressive Snow Leopardess.

That run was used as a prep for the Welsh Grand National over Christmas and once again he ran a cracker to finish fourth in a gruelling renewal of the race.

Dropped 3lb for that run to a mark of 138 he has now been given a big chance by the handicapper and with stamina being one of his big strengths, he offers big frame shouts again.

Following that form line for this race, we also think last year's winner in the race Notachance for trainer Alan King can make it back to back renewals in the race.

The eight year old landed this event off a mark of 139 last term and enters the race this term off exactly the same mark, having been less than impressive since this win.

Being pulled up twice after her win in this race, she was not seen again until November this term and once again she did not complete the race.

However, last time out she put up a much better effort to finish a fair sixth in the Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase at Haydock and having been dropping down the weights he is now back to a mark where he can get competitive.

The final selection of the afternoon from us comes in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle Qualifier and at the bottom of the weights Riggs looks the one to beat.

The Dan Skelton trained seven year old has been a very smart hurdles horse for the yard over the last few years, knocking on the door in plenty of races without actually getting his head in front that often.

Last term saw some of his best runs to date, when needing his first outing but after that went on to run four more times, winning a nice event and then placing in three strong events at Kempton, Doncaster and Sandown.

Having fell on his final appearance of last term he was put away until his seasonal return in November like previous seasons looked to need the run.

However, he bounced back in a big way last time out at Haydock when stepped up to three miles for the first time in his career at Haydock in the Grade Three Stayers' Handicap Hurdle and he was a narrow second to a well handicapped Dans Le Vent.

He went up 5lb for that run which still leaves him on a very feasible mark of 132 and being unexposed at the trip is only a positive for him with big improvement still expected.