TimeformBlog

When A P McCoy and Jonjo O'Neill team up at Fakenham it is often worth taking the hint, as the pair have enjoyed a 40% strike rate at the Norfolk venue in the past five seasons. They combine on three occasions this afternoon, with Abnaki (14:30) making most appeal at current prices. A point winner at the start of the year, Abnaki came good on just his second attempt under Rules when winning a Newton Abbot novice hurdle in May. That form proved to be particularly strong as the second, third, sixth and seventh horses all came out and won next time. Abnaki himself was slightly unlucky not to follow up, as he was still in with every chance prior to blundering at the last on his handicap debut at Southwell a month later. Not at his best in two starts since, Abnaki can nevertheless be expected to come on for last month's reappearance and will appreciate the step back up in trip. He can provide the McCoy/O'Neill partnership with another Fakenham winner with the refitted cheekpieces expected to aid his cause.

Last week was one to forget for Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson as his side crashed out of the Champions League at the group stages for just the third time in seventeen years. It did however end on a positive note, as United bounced back to record a comfortable success over Wolves at the weekend, and Ferguson will be hoping for more of the same as his Lost City (15:15) bids to get off the mark at the third attempt in the five-furlong juvenile maiden at Wolverhampton. Owned by Ferguson in partnership with Jack Hanson, the Richard Fahey-trained youngster was out early this season, sent to Ireland to make his debut in the first two-year-old race of the campaign at the Curragh in March. He had obviously been showing connections plenty at home as he was sent off odds-on favourite to account for four rivals but floundered in the soft ground, finishing last. Subsequently gelded, Lost City did not return to action until last month where he finished a promising second at Lingfield despite still showing signs of greenness. Sure to progress further from that experience, we can expect to see more of the finished article this afternoon and he can prove too strong for main market rival Jwala.

The Midlands track stages the final race of the day at 17:45 and any punters looking to recoup some afternoon losses should look no further than the George Prodromou-trained Trip Switch. Very much at home on the Polytrack (both his career wins have come on the surface), the five-year-old made light of a fourteen-month absence when winning at Kempton last month and showed himself none the worse for those exertions when chasing home a well-handicapped sort at Lingfield five days ago. He holds leading claims racing off the same mark this evening.

Back Abnaki @ 7.0 Fakenham 14:30
Back Lost City @ 2.58 Wolverhampton 15:15
Back Trip Switch @ 2.96 Wolverhampton 17:45

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