Wincanton Saturday Preview - 06/11/21

The first selection of the day comes in the Class 3 Handicap Chase for Conditional Jockeys' and Guy for Nigel Twiston-Davies could be tough to beat.

The six year old was a revelation last term, winning on his chase debut at Huntingdon in October and then going on to run into the frame on his next three starts.

He made a very pleasing return to action at Market Rasen when a good second to the Alan King trained Senior Citizen and still on a feasible mark he should go well.

Knappers Hill is bidding to make it two from two in the Novices' Hurdle and if coming on for the run could be very tough to beat.

The five year old gelding last season was a bit of a superstar in bumpers winning all three of his events in good style, justifying his price tag of 155,000gns.

Starting his career off in October at Chepstow, he was a seven length winner on this card and then went to Ascot off the back of that in December and made it two from two in a much better Listed contest.

Having shown clear ability in both his starts he was sent to Aintree during the Grand National meeting and landed a hat-trick of wins in the Group Two bumper.

He made a fair start to life over hurdles, not blowing anyone away but getting the job done in workmanlike fashion and should be much fitter for that run.

It's hard to look past Bravemansgame in the Grade 2 'Rising Stars' Novices' Chase.

The Grade One winning hurdler took to chasing in impressive fashion last time out at Newton Abbot, jumping a near perfect round whilst making all from the front.

He's entitled to come on for the run with it having been his first start in six months and he now makes the step back up into Graded affairs.

Paul Nicholl's gelding is the one they all need to beat here, reflected in his already short price for the contest.

Despite boasting fairly decent form, Alan King has made no secret that Wynn House is capable of much better than what she has shown thus far across her five starts as a hurdler.

The daughter of Presenting won on her first two starts over hurdles last season over 2m 3f - 2m 5f trips upon good ground, however was seen to lesser effect up at the three mile distance, not quite seeing out her races.

She ran a funny race off a big weight when last seen in a 4 runner affair at Ludlow, finishing 2nd, and she now marks her return off the back of a 220 day break.

With progression more than likely to have taken place over the summer, Wynn House is expected to return a better rounded proposition.

Alan King knows how to get them ready first time out, boasting a 17% strike rate with his returners from 150+ day breaks.

This race has been notoriously hard to win off a big weight, with 10 of the last 14 winners carrying 11 stone or less at the weights; carrying10 stone 7lbs, Wynn House looks more than attractively weighted for the affair.

The Listed Badger Beer Handicap Chase is always a big event at Wincanton and this year Hurricane Harvey looks weighted to go close.

The Fergal O'Brien trained gelding was a Grade Two winner of the December Novices' Chase (24f) last season however poor rounds of jumping cost him in his two subsequent affairs at Ascot and Ayr.

He was subject to a wind operation over the summer in order to eek out further improvements and he returned last time out at Chepstow under a quiet ride over an insufficient trip in order to get him back to race fitness.

The son of Doyen should now relish the step back up to the three mile trip and despite a few unknowns surrounding how much of an effect the wind op has had at springing him back into form, he should now be primed to go close if back near to his best.

The feature race of the event is the Grade Two Elite Hurdle over two miles and Sceau Royal for the shrewd Alan King is looking to take this race for consecutive seasons.

If Goshen is back close to his best it would be no surprise to see him spring back to form with a big run in the same race he won last season.

With little rain in the forecast however that makes things difficult and preference is for Sceau Royal who won the Grade Two Game Spirit Chase last season at Newbury.

The son of Doctor Dino continued to run respectably up at Grade One level over the larger obstacles in the two races following that win however marked his return back over hurdles last time out at Kempton, comfortably landing a listed affair at Kempton.

He'll be sure to appreciate the better underfoot conditions and looks to be in great shape this season.

Will be a tough rival to beat under these conditions now stepping back into graded company.