Wincanton
1.35pm
Monk’s View
I rode him in a bumper here last April where he didn’t shape too badly but I see Ben had his wind done before reappearing at Huntingdon on his hurdling debut in November. He doesn’t look to have shown a lot there, in truth, but he has a nice pedigree and one that suggests that the step up in trip will suit him.
2.05pm
Kupatana
She was a progressive hurdler last season, and she looked electric when winning on her chasing debut at Kempton in November. Things haven’t gone to plan since, as she was beaten at Newbury and unseated here last time – though she bumped into one at Newbury, it has to be said – but trip and ground are ideal, and I think a mark of 131 is workable if she can return to the form of that Kempton victory.
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2.40pm
Marten
He is another one of Ben’s who had a wind op before his comeback run, though it didn’t do the trick as he was pulled up over 3m on his chasing debut at Market Rasen. But those were a completely different set of circumstances to what he faces here. He has been given a good break since then, and the return to hurdles, and stepping back in trip, could prove a good option. He certainly looks fairly handicapped off a mark of 117 on the form he showed for me when winning at Southwell last season, and let’s hope the first-time blinkers help, too. He clearly needs to show more than in recent starts, though.
