Phill Anderson's best bets for Wednesday include selections from Sandown and Listowel.
KNIGHT @ 13/8 (Sandown 3.40)
CALL THE TUNE @ 2/1 (Listowel 3.15)
GEVREY @ 6/1 (Listowel 4.25)
Knight to take charge
The Listed Chasemore Farm Fortune Stakes at Sandown over 1m is a competitive event for the grade and with rain in the forecast, the ground could well get soft by the time they break from the stalls.
That would be a negative for the best horse in the race, Chindit, who won a Group 3 at Haydock last time but is best on a sound surface and has to carry a 5lb penalty too.
Last year’s 2000 Guineas fourth Eydon makes his first start since then but will surely improve for this debut run for Andrew Balding.
KNIGHT (13/8) trained by the Crisfords could be most interesting. His best form has come on soft ground, including a win in the Group 3 Horris Hill Stakes last year. Last time, he was a close 2nd in the Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood and he will appreciate the drop in class today. He gets cheekpieces for the first time and can get off the mark for the season.
Gevrey to win National
The feature race at the Listowel festival is today’s Guinness Kerry National Chase over 3m and, as befitting of a €200,000 prize, it is a competitive affair. The sole UK runner is Fergal O’Brien’s Captain Cattistock but he is currently first reserve, though would come into calculations if getting a run.
Ain’t That A Shame is the pick of Rachael Blackmore from Henry de Bromhead’s quartet and could run well, while Authorized Art is Paul Townend’s pick of Willie Mullins’ pair. Gordon Elliott saddles seven runners and the winner could well come from that bunch. They are headed by the Galway Plate winner Ash Tree Meadow and he is obviously respected. His stable jockey Jack Kennedy is on the triple novice winner Salvador Ziggy and he is also a player even though this is a big test for him.
Chemical Energy is another from the stable with a shout but GEVREY (6/1) could go well under Brian Hayes. He was a close 4th in the Magners Plate at Cheltenham over 2m4f before running a gallant second in the Irish Grand National over a mile further despite jumping left.
He is going that way around today, which can help and this three miles should be a perfect distance for him. He warmed up for this test with a solid third over hurdles at Kilbeggan last month, so given that Betway are paying 1/5 the odds of the first six home, he looks a solid each-way bet. .
Call The Tune to call the shots
Also at Listowel tomorrow, CALL THE TUNE (2/1) looks a bet in the Devon Inn Hotel Handicap Hurdle over 3m under the excellent Michael O’Sullivan.
Barry Connell’s lightly-raced 9yo gelding has had only 11 starts after missing some chunks of time over the years. While he is a maiden over hurdles after five starts, he finished a close 2nd in a Galway handicap over this trip last time on just his second start this year.
He wore first-time cheekpieces that day and they are re-applied, so can hopefully do the trick again. He did win over fences on heavy ground in 2022 and, with heavy rain set to drench this south of Ireland track, conditions will be right up his street.
There are a few recent winners in this so he will need to be at his best to prevail given that he was raised 4lb in the handicap but he should win if he is at that level.
Gavin Cromwell’s Peaches And Cream wasn’t far behind him last time and could be his biggest danger.
