THERE’S no place like Aintree as far as Frankie Figg is concerned. He simply loves the challenge of the Grand National course.
You will find fewer better jumpers of these unique obstacles than the nine-year-old, even though he hasn’t always completed, and he makes some appeal in his attempt to win the Betfred Grand Sefton Chase for the second year running.
Frankie Figg jumped boldly from the front to beat Nikola by five lengths a year ago in the colours of Graham and Andrea Wylie. He was then trained by Howard Johnson but the owners switched the gelding to Paul Nicholls after Johnson had his licence withdrawn.
He showed all his old zest in the jumping department when reappearing at Sandown last month and, though he faded quickly from the third last, the outing was needed to get him spot on for another trip to Merseyside.
He is 4lb higher this time but meets Nikola on the same terms and you would expect the form to be upheld.
The danger to Frankie Figg could come from his former stable companion Santa’s Son who has changed ownership and is based with Lucinda Russell in Scotland. His career wins include the Castleford Chase at Wetherby and he took his chance in the Grand National only to find the trip too far and he was pulled up. On his first run for his new connections, he revisited Aintree for a veterans’ chase over the Mildmay course and ran Nikola to half a length under an aggressive ride. He has a 4lb pull with the winner and has every chance of taking his revenge.
Abbeybraney, another former Howard Johnson jumper, has his first start for Nicky Richards in the Betfred Becher Handicap Chase.
The 10-year-old has had his training problems in the past and his new handler admits there were a few issues with his legs when he arrived at Greystoke.
If he can be kept sound he has the ability to win more races as he has little mileage on the clock for a horse of his age, but I can only advise a watching brief on this occasion. It will be no surprise to see the prize go to Ireland with Rare Bob preferred to the other two raiders Another Palm and Merchant Paddy. Rare Bob’s trainer Dessie Hughes has won this twice in the last three years and his nine-year-old has performed well on previous visits to Aintree’s Mildmay course. Two seasons ago he finished third in a well-contested handicap at the Grand National meeting and had every chance when unseating his rider late on in the same race this April.
Wyse Hill Teabags is the one to beat in the Betfred Goals Galore Handicap Hurdle. Sizing Europe captured the Champion Chase last season when dropped back to the minimum trip.
Connections have tried him over further again unsuccessfully and it it’s obvious that two miles is his optimum trip. He holds a favourite’s chance in the Sportingbet Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown but will not have things all his own way with Tataniano and Wishfull Thinking taking him on.
At Wetherby, My Arch is nap material for the Follow Wetherby Racecourse On Facebook Handicap Hurdle. Ollie Pears’ nine-year-old has proved his versatility with success on the Flat and over hurdles and fences and is not yet fully exposed in the winter game.
He had to play second fiddle to Bow Badger. He found two and a half miles inadequate over this sharp circuit and on quicker ground and will appreciate the step up to an extended three miles today.
The handicapper has reacted to Frontier Boy’s wide-margin first win over fences at Sedgefield with an 11lb hike. However, I doubt if it will stop him from following up in the Racing Again On Boxing Day Novices’ Handicap Chase.
