Thank you chav and Virgin.

The day was in danger of ending on a damp squib after a good start with D Flawless making the frame at 50-1, but Relevant Range lifted the spirits again when going close in the finale.

2026 Running P/L: -4.2 pts

My post has gone to the moderator, so in the meantime here are today's selections:

Pessoa, 1pt EW @ 28-1, 4.45 Wolverhampton

Country Artiste, 1pt EW @ 40-1, 8.00 Southwell

Miss Ayala, 1pt EW @ 9-1, 2.35 Lingfield

Miss Ayala had a couple of subsequent dual winners in behind when winning at Chelmsford (7f) in September, and although she seemingly hasn't built on that success in two starts since at Wolverhampton (7f, behind Athenian Spirit) and then back at Chelmsford (6f), she's probably had excuses both times having done too much too soon from difficult draws but not been disgraced in the circumstances.

Miss Ayala hasn't been seen for over two months so fitness has to be taken on trust, and she has to prove her effectiveness at this course, but it's likely she can be competitive off her current mark when running her race more efficiently.

And significantly the late money too, from an opening show of 11-4, Virgin.

As for Miss Ayala, probably needed it after a break, down on the inside too, will probably be eligible for 0-50 classified stakes after today.

2026 Running P/L: -10 pts

Wd George nice price place gl

Marcello Si, 1pt EW @ , 4.00 Newcastle

Marcello Si ran well on his return to action from an 8-month break over C&D in November when finishing 5th of 13, considering he led down the centre until around 0.5f out in a contest where the first three were waited with and challenged more stands' side, and the winner has won his three starts since. The selection proved easy enough to back returned here over the mile trip (which he has won over previously) when dropping out to finish last of 12.

His disappointing run here last time is an obvious concern but he makes some each-way appeal at the prices based on his previous effort, now returned to 7f and dropped back into 0-50 classified company.

Invincible Annice, 1pt EW @ , 4.35 Newcastle

Invincible Annice hasn't offered much since winning over C&D in November, and that form could have worked out better, but she did pull well clear with one other rival. It is possible to make excuses for her four runs since with one thing and another, including last time in the race won by Little Mi Mi, when she was denied a clear run approaching the final furlong and dropped to the rear.

The manner of her C&D success suggested that she should have remained competitive off slightly higher marks, and she's now just 2lb higher here having gone up 6lb for the win, so while her form figures since are uninspiring, I'm going to take a chance each-way at the prices on this slight drop back in grade.

Carrickfinn, 1pt EW @ 28-1, 5.40 Dundalk (4 PLACES)
Marrbush, 1pt EW @ 16-1, 5.40 Dundalk (4 PLACES)

It's not hard to spot the negatives here regarding Carrickfinn's chance as he's an 18-race maiden who's drawn wide, and he finished last of ten over the 7f trip here when last seen in October, however, a couple of his efforts in the summer suggested he should be up to winning a low-grade handicap at some point, notably when pulling clear at Gowran (one mile, good) with one who was completing the first leg of a hat-trick, and he showed he can run well here too when finishing a close 4th of 14 over tonight's trip of a mile in July.

He may need this following a break but he didn't run too badly off an even longer break when finishing 4th of 11 over C&D back in the spring, and promising 7lb claimer Julian Pietropaolo takes the ride.

Marbush was a bit of a 'cliff' horse for me on last year's thread after seemingly running well when trying to punch above his weight in a 0-91 C&D contest in October. One I got wrong as he just didn't build on it after, however, he hasn't looked entirely lost cause the last twice here over the 7f trip under an inexperienced apprentice, and he's given another chance back over a mile with Nicola Burns taking over in the plate, off a mark 20lb lower than for that seemingly respectable effort in the aforementioned 0-91 contest.

Wd George nice price place

Paradise Lost, 1pt EW @ 16-1, 2.18 Punchestown (5 PLACES)

Paradise Lost is an old Flat notebook horse who I watched run last time at Limerick (2m, heavy) over hurdles when he didn't shape too badly considering he was returning from a break, took a keen hold and raced around the inner on bad ground which might not have been ideal. He should be sharper for that recent return to action, and he's now 10lb below his initial hurdles rating, which was allotted after finishing runner-up in two of his three qualifying runs.

Faster Bee, 1pt EW @ 28-1, 7.30 Wolverhampton (4 PLACES)

Faster Bee hasn't built on his stable debut which came over C/D in April last year when I thought he had shaped better than his finishing position suggested, and things didn't improve last time at Lingfield (10f) when Kieren Shoemark took over in the plate from the inexperienced amateur who had ridden the gelding six times since joining Fergal O'Brien.

It takes a leap of faith to select him again but the straws I'm clutching at this time is a return to this C&D with a tongue-tie tried for the first time, and now being 12lb lower in the weights than he had been for his stable debut.

Thank you luckyme for sharing the trainer's thoughts.

"...finding it hard work at the moment."

Tbf, that could have been the title for this thread.

Wd place and unlucky George gl

Robusto, 1pt EW @ 10-1, 8.30 Southwell

Robusto was a selection at Kempton in December when I wrote:

Robusto dropped right away in the home straight last time at Southwell in the handicap won by the progressive New York Minute, and a 5lb pull in the weights with that rival doesn't seem much for being beaten over thirty lengths, however, the selection was returning from six months off so the run might have been needed and he didn't shape too badly up to a point having been prominent for most of the journey.

Robusto hasn't won since being successful over C/D off today's mark in July of last year, but he went close to winning on four occasions on the all-weather in the first half of this year and he looks fairly handicapped on that evidence, so in the hope that his recent return to action has advanced his fitness, he makes a bit of appeal each-way at a double-figure price.

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He didn't see his race out at Kempton over the two-mile trip having raced 2-wide on the pace, but he has since run a lot better in a class 3 contest over this evening's C&D under Harry Vigors, when he got racing soon enough but only one, who had been ridden patiently, was able to get past him, and he was clear of the third.

He's back down in grade but this doesn't look any easier against some in-form rivals, but if he's able to repeat that latest form just 12 days on then hopefully he again won't go down without a fight.

Wd place George didn't look likely most of the race, Jockey made the best of it gl ...

Faustus, 1pt EW @ 9-1, 2.30 Lingfield

Faustus's form dipped on turf in September when the ground turned soft / heavy, but prior to that he'd generally been in good form, winning at Newbury in July off a 3lb higher mark than today's, and he still looked in good nick when finishing a close fourth at Goodwood in August off an 11lb higher mark than today's.

He has returned from an autumn break with three runs over today's C/D, shaping well on the first of them when not beaten far into 5th, then had a disadvantageous wide trip next time, but the concern is that he didn't appear to have any excuses when sent off at 7-2 and finishing behind Gogo Yubari and  Mick's Spirit on Saturday. However, hopefully that was just a blip and he seems the sort who can quickly bounce back, so a chance is taken here at the prices, being 10lb better off at the weights with the winner plus Ryan Kavanagh's 5lb claim, granted he gets into a good rhythm from his outside draw in seven.

First Encounter, 1pt EW @ 8-1, 6.30 Kempton

First Encounter was a selection last time at Chelmsford when I wrote:

First Encounter is of a little interest of the prices based on his run over C/D two starts back when finishing second to Gladiadora, whom he meets here on 5lb better terms for a 2L beating. It has to be said that the Charlie Clover-trained filly may have further improvement in her for her new yard and she's much shorter in the betting, but I thought First Encounter's effort could be marked up as he had to use up gas early to get across from the outside stall and then got into a battle for the lead soon enough.

The selection could only finish 4th of 11 last time at Lingfield when sent off at 7-2 under Rossa Ryan, but he ran okay considering he might not have been helped by challenging up the inside. He's back up in grade today but hopefully can at least press for a place if repeating his recent C/D form.

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First Encounter got across to lead from his draw in eight but failed to settle and he weakened out of it from over a furlong out. He's given another chance here on this drop back in grade with Edward Greatrex back in the plate, who has a win and a place on him from three rides. This will be the selection's first visit to Kempton, but he has won twice going right-handed on turf so hopefully he can give his running here if getting into a better rhythm than last time.

Thank you Virgin

Arth's Gold, 1pt EW @ 11-1, 5.00 Wolverhampton

The combination of the step up to 11f and the application of cheekpieces prompted a decent effort from Arth's Gold when he finished a close 3rd of 13 at Southwell last month. He failed to build on that effort in a slightly higher grade returned there last time out so has to bounce back here, but a chance is taken at a double-figure price now dropped back in class, and while this drop in distance to 9.5f is a slight concern, the selection didn't finish far behind Stipulation (who's shorter in the betting here) over C/D in October having not had the clearest of passages.

Pessoa, 1pt EW @ 12-1, 5.30 Wolverhampton

Pessoa was a selection last time when I wrote:

Pessoa is eligible for slightly weaker races than this one and the draw could have been kinder, but I'm going to take a chance at the prices as this multiple course winner didn't shape too badly here last time over the 9.5f trip that's he yet to win over, when from a wide draw he had to use up some gas to get into a prominent position in a contest where it paid to be waited with, and given he was returning from a three-month break, it wasn't a bad effort to have got to the front over 2f out before being headed and fading out of it from over a furlong out.

It's a positive that the promising Taryn Langley retains the ride as she has a win and place from five rides on the gelding, and hopefully the selection strips fitter for that recent return to action, while this drop back in trip to 8.5f can also help.

===========

Pessoa finished five lengths behind Latin then and doesn't face an easy task to reverse that form on just 3lb better terms, and if anything they both face a stiffer task here despite the smaller field with the front of the market looking stronger this time, but the selection did end up further back than ideal last time, so while a minor place might be his best hope today, a chance is taken each-way at the prices in the hope that this pans out better for him.

Genealogy, 1pt EW @ 11-1, 12.25 Ascot

Juvenile hurdler time again and I'm selecting Genealogy again, who was picked last time on his hurdles debut at Leopardstown, when I wrote:

Juvenile hurdler time again and I'm going to take a chance on Genealogy, who made an encouraging start for Aidan O'Brien, finishing runner-up to a long odds-on stablemate on his 2YO debut at the Curragh, before creating a good impression when running on strongly to land a Punchestown (one mile, good) maiden. He could then only finish 5th of 6 on his final juvenile start when upped in class to Group 3 company at Newmarket, but in a contest won by his then stablemate and subsequently top class Delacroix.

Genealogy seemingly hasn't gone on in two starts this year, having never been involved and finishing well down the field when sent off at 100-30 under Ryan Moore for the London Gold Cup, but perhaps all wasn't well that day as he wasn't seen again until five months later when returning to action in a 12f Leopardstown handicap on heavy ground where, although he could only manage a midfield finish, he didn't shape too badly considering he'd taken a keen hold and then stayed towards the far side in the home straight on a day when coming stands' side appeared an advantage.

It's hardly encouraging that he's been let go relatively cheaply (18,000 gns) since, and perhaps he'll need this initial hurdling experience with his new trainer Denis Hogan taking the ride, but he clearly had a decent level of Flat ability and currently has an official rating of 94, has been gelded ahead of his stable / hurdles debut, won't mind drying ground, and interesting that he held an entry at the five-day stage for the recent Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham.

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He was ridden by his trainer Denis Hogan that day who appeared keen to get him settled which was understandable as Genealogy had raced keenly on his final start for Aidan O'Brien, but he did end up further back than ideal before making some late headway to finish 8th of the 19 runners. Hopefully he goes the right way from that hurdles introduction, with Sam Twiston-Davies taking over in the plate.

Ribba Hill, 1pt EW @ 22-1, 2.05 Taunton (4 PLACES)

A speculative pick on Ribba Hill who isn't obviously bred for three miles over hurdles being by Ribchester and out of an Acclamation mare, but he seemed to stay at least 12f round Newcastle when trained by Grant Tuer on the Flat. His three starts over hurdles at up to 2m3f since joining Syd Hosie haven't been without hope, and the pick of his Flat form would suggest he should be able to cope with a mark of 102 under this code, so interesting to see how he gets on now faced with a more realistic task in this sphere.

Cheers Virgin.

Genealogy (16-1) was no match for the winner but maybe the Fred Winter will be on the agenda after keeping on well from off the pace to finish a clear second.

As for Ribba Hill, a dismal effort. He travelled ok in behind the pace as they ambled along but once the dash for home commenced he was left well behind.

2026 Running P/L: -21.4 pts

Wd George lovely price gl