Fourteen were originally declared for tomorrow's renewal of the Grimthorpe but King Turgeon is now a non-runner, leaving thirteen to face the starter at 3.15; the going on the chase course is currently described as good, good to soft in places.
King Turgeon was one of three runners I thought might prefer more cut underfoot, the other two being Surrey Quest and, possibly, Undersupervision.
Back in 2022 the ground was soft underfoot when Undersupervision, six years old at the time, beat Mister Malarky in this race off a mark of 132; it remains the only chase the gelding has won in 18 attempts and was the first time a horse younger than eight had come home in front since Knight Templar won in 2000.
In the 2023 renewal Moroder, racing from one pound out of the handicap proper, pipped Undersupervision a neck on good ground.
In last year's renewal only two of the ten to start completed with Does He Know staying on dourly under top weight to deny Some Scope; Undersupervision was pulled up.
It's no surprise to see Some Scope at the head of the market on ground he's likely to appreciate and a mark just two pounds higher than last year.
On his penultimate start he had the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby in safe-keeping approaching the last, although Charlie Maggs' seven pound claim meant he was receiving 21 pounds from runner-up Kinondo Kwetu.
Undersupervision is one of three runners for Nigel Twiston-Davies.
According to the market Weveallbeencaught is the yard's best chance, with son Sam in the plate.
The horse spent some time with Christian Williams in the autumn but returned to Naunton in January and beat Rock My Way in a five-runner novice handicap at this track five weeks ago.
He made most that day; watching a replay, I thought his jumping was safe rather than assured on occasions although he appeared to warm to the task in hand as the race progressed. This represents a stiffer test.
I've as much time for stablemate The Kniphand whose third behind Monbeg Genius and Richmond Lake on soft ground at Uttoxeter last time reads well.
This one went into my notebook back at the beginning of October when he won a three mile novice handicap on good, good to firm ground, at Southwell, beating the previous course record by (an astonishing) 12 seconds.
I've checked that again; the results section from the RP Weekender states:
"An extremely fast time, 12 secs faster than the previous course record."
There were a number of fast times recorded that day: Nevendon won the opener in just over a second under standard, and both Harry's Hope and Sunshine Diamond also established new course records.
Still... Food for thought, as they say.
Last time out White Rhino ran in the Kauto Star at Kempton on Boxing Day; he wasn't too slick at the first and then made a mistake at the third, unseating Henry Brooke in the process.
Unexposed, he could prove better than these but with just three chase starts to his name I'm not tempted. Although he won a three mile handicap hurdle at Cheltenham in December 2023, much of his racing to date has been over a shorter trip.
It looks as though connections of top weight Twig have been trying to take advantage of a more lenient hurdle mark with three runs over the smaller obstacles so far this term.
This one tends to race up with the pace; his second behind Chianti Classico in last year's Ultima reads well, as does his win in the 2023 Uttoxeter Summer Cup.
Trainer Ben Pauling has indicated the horse needs to run once to qualify for this season's Grand National and this is that run. His chance is respected.
Surrey Quest holds an entry in the Aintree Grand National and, should he fail to make the cut, the Scottish National will be the target, a race in which he was beaten a nose by Macdermott last April.
Writing in the RP Weekender [12-16.02.25], handler Toby Lawes said:
"He has a Grand National entry but I don't think he'll get in.
"He probably had to win at Musselburgh to give us a live chance (finished third behind Magna Sam in the Edinburgh National), but we'll see. We've always got the Scottish National, in which he was beaten only a nose last year. That's always been plan A for this season and I'd think he'd have a serious chance in that.
"I'll probably consider something like the Grimthorpe for his next run...
"If he's sound and well, I'd be very happy to get another run into him and something like the Grimthorpe wouldn't be a marathon slog either."
Hymac finished second behind Henry's Friend in the Mandarin at Newbury (Surrey Quest unseated rider) but the in-running comment 'Didn't always jump with fluency' tells its own tale. Connections will hope the fitting of first-time cheekpieces will help the cause.
Erne River, Fidelio Vallis and Lord Baddesley are runners who wouldn't be guaranteed to see out the trip.
The last-named moved to from Chris Gordon to Anthony Honeyball's yard at the beginning of November and looks feasibly treated from a handicapping perspective but hasn't won for two years.
Outsider Monte Igueldo hasn't won since he moved down the road from Oliver Greenall to Gary Hanmer's yard in Tattenhall, Cheshire.
His third at odds of 125/1 in last year's Summer Cup at Uttoxeter behind Hang In There reads well, as does his second behind Kinondo Kwetu over the same course and distance four weeks later.
On a couple of lines through Kinondo Kwetu that admittedly wouldn't stand up to too much close scrutiny - in this season's Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle and the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby - he's entitled to be competitive with Some Scope.
Although seventh behind Victtorino over three miles at Ascot two weeks ago, he was beaten under eight lengths and the time before, when third at Bangor on soft ground, he raced without the declared tongue-tie.
More than likely at some stage in tomorrow's proceedings he'll be outpaced but, if first-time cheekpieces help, he can outrun odds of 40/1.
Plenty of imponderables but I like The Kniphand from a stable in form; Finn Lambert claims three and has been on board for four of the gelding's five victories to date.
The Kniphand is the each-way suggestion, 10/1 generally at the time of writing with most layers paying four places.
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