Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon

Huntingdon has its best card of the year today, with the Grade Two Peterborough Chase at 15.00 CET the main feature. The race over 2 1/2 miles has been won by many top-notchers and trainer Henrietta Knight has an excellent record here. Her CD specialist Ederdon Blue won it four years running not so long ago, and she can improve her record here with Somersby (Dominic Elsworth) today.

Although Knight has expressed reservations regarding the tight track, conditions seem ideal for Somersby today and his second place to Master Minded last time is clearly the best form in the field. The Nightingale (Paul Nicholls/ Daryl Jacob) looks the main danger; he ran a good race in Down Royal on ground that was too testing and over a distance that was too far. Tartak (Tom George/ Paddy Brennan),who won the race last year when it was run at Newbury, but was very disappointing last time at Autueil, and German-bred Gauvain (Nick Williams/ Noel Fehily), who fell early in the Tingle Creek on Saturday, could fight it out for the minor placings.

The other race of interest here is the novice hurdle at 16.00. Bedouin Bay (ln McCab/ Conor O´Frrll) and Grman-.bred Dwn ommndr (Chli Lomgdpn/ Fhily) lrdy sgown decnt form, but the only wunnr ver stick in th field h to cincde 7 lb all round. Italian Master (Nicholls/ Jacob) and Hit the Headlines (Nicky Henderson/ Barry Geraghty), representing top stables, must obviously be respected, while Tuscan Gold (Alan King/ Robert Thornton) and Bowdler´ s Magic (Mark Johnson/ Richie McGrath) are two good flat handicappers making their N.H. debut. It is very unusual for Mark Johnston, one of the very best trainers on the flat, to have a runner over jumps so we make his runner a very speculative selection.

The most interesting runner at today´s other meetings is Blackstairmountain (Willie Mullins/ Ruby Walsh) who runs over fences for the first time in the beginners chase at 15.05 at Clonmel. He was easily the best of these over hurdles and if he jumps round safely should win this by a wide margin. German-bred and -owned Der Spieler (JG Coogan/ Davy Russell) could run into a place here.