Fontwell Park – Wednesday 20th October

First thing to consider when assessing Wednesday’s WhichBookie sponsored card at Fontwell Park, is the 10mm or so of rain forecast overnight, on ground already described as good to soft.

It could be the case that this has the effect of decimating the fields somewhat, but given plenty of the declared runners are more likely winter types, I’d hopefully suggest we may not have too many of the races differently shaped come post time.

As some exciting jumps action will play out this weekend, the rains are good news for sure. It is also good news for those jumps horses that have perhaps had a run already, and thus will have a race fitness edge on some of the emerging horses, and that will very much be the focus in trying to find some winners at Fontwell Park for Wednesday’s WhichBookie sponsored card.

The opening maiden hurdle and the 0-110 handicap chase that begin the card don’t make a huge amount of appeal from a betting perspective. Despite that, it’ll be worth having notebooks at the ready for some of the younger horses coming from the point-to-point field in the maiden hurdle at 1.23.

The first bet on the card comes in the whichbookie.co.uk Bookmaker Reviews Handicap Hurdle at 2.30 – a decent contest over 2m3f for slightly above average types. It is chock full of horses who have either been rated much higher and are re-appearing with a little to prove, like Seddon, Delire D’Estruval and Champagne Court, or have claims to being potentially progressive this season, like Adicci, No Risk Des Flos and Haddex Des Obeaux.

However, Adam West’s Thibault has a very convincing profile for this race, and at 8/1 with SkyBet, who offer the extra fourth place for each-way terms, he is a very solid betting proposition.

A big improver on soft ground last season, he signed off with really creditable efforts on his last three starts in much better races than this at Ascot, Uttoxeter and Sandown.

Crucially, Thibault has had a run this season, which came over an inadequate trip here at Fontwell Park 19 days ago, and he did well to chase home Small Bad Bob, who would be a live contender if turning up at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Thibault will handle what will inevitably be testing ground, will be race fit, act at the track, and has Tom Cannon (who is 2 from 2 on him) to assist in the saddle. All in all, Thibault should really be vying for favouritism, and so should be backed at 8/1 each-way with SkyBet for 4 places.

The remaining four handicaps look tricky, as there seems to be a dearth of horses who will handle the ground and/or can be guaranteed to be fit enough to acquit themselves to their full potential.

However, the whichbookie.co.uk Best For Racing Handicap Hurdle at 3.40 has a decent early betting shape to it, as I’d be keen to take on the early market principals No Worries. Twentyfourstitches and Teenage Dirtbag in the testing conditions.

Olly Murphy’s lightly raced mare Celtic Tara has clearly had her problems, as she’s only got to the track on five occasions in her seven years. She is however, worth supporting here at 12/1 with Paddy power or Betfair Sportsbook, who both pay four places each-way. Her third run in novice and maiden hurdles to qualify for a handicap mark was strikingly eye-catching.

Particularly when you consider the form and the ratings of five of those that finished in the six spots ahead of her – they are now rated: 135, 131, 139, 135, n/a, 122. Add in that Celtic Tara was racing over a trip notably short of what was always going to best for a daughter of Kayf Tara that day, the fact she was allotted a mark of 100 initially was very generous.

Given a bit of a sighter four weeks ago, in this 0-100 grade at Perth on her first run back from 18 months off, Celtic Tara ran on nicely in the closing stages and given that confidence booster, she is worth supporting each-way at 12/1 with Paddy Power or Betfair Sportsbook for four places in the 3.40.