De Rasher Counter for Emma Lavelle is the antepost selection at 33/1. In a brief bullet point type of format here’s why:
Second season chaser
7yo who also had just one full season over hurdles so open to plenty of improvement
Has won over 3miles on heavy ground at Uttoxeter (a bit too easily, 6L, so got a 9lb hike for it) so this 3m2f trip should be ok
Wasn’t stopping when winning over 2m6f at Newbury (course form)
Oh and the 2nd that day (both pulled 21L clear) went up 5lbs and still won the big Kempton RacingPost Trophy Chase. DRC will be racing off a 16lbs higher mark.
Gave 6lbs (and was beaten 6L) to Now McGinty on the start prior to that fella finishing a close up 2nd in the G1 Reynoldstown. It’s flaky but suggests there’s not much between De Rasher Counter & Mister Malarky (except the latter is 6/1 fav in a place)
“Target is very much the Ladbroke at Newbury” – thanks Emma Lavelle website blog
Has had a prep to knock off the cobwebs, nothing amazing but an okay effort over hurdles where a mistake 3out put paid to any chance.
Will be carrying a ‘nice racing weight’ of 11-1 ish, if you’re into that sort of thing
33/1
Cabaret Queen got 16lbs for what may turn out to be a very average Munster National, this is obviously a much tougher test for her. Ok Corral has just 2 completed chase starts to his name, both in 4 runner fields. Kildisart is hardly well handicapped off 156, he’d need to be a borderline G1 animal. Same goes for Talkischeap. Real Steel & Voix du Reve must be unlikely runners. Dingo Dollar, Beware the Bear, West Approach (40/1 too big e/w if I knew he would run) and Elegant Escape weren’t good enough last year. Vintage Clouds, Lake View Lad, Robinsfirth, Daklondike and Yala Enki are all starting to look a touch exposed; they’re not the stereotypical Hennessy type. You know who is – De Rasher Counter.
Cee Bee Scribbles 