12 January 2024 , 19:07
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BRACE yourself for an eruption in the Wigley Group Classic Chase.
VOLCANO (3.00) looks set to explode back into life in Warwick’s biggest race of the year.
Sheila Lewis’ grey simply loves this track. In half a dozen visits to the course from the trainer’s base smack on the border between Wales and England, he has recorded five victories.
His only defeat came when a creditable fifth in this race 12 months ago.
He’s lower in the weights this time and this year’s race looks slightly less competitive.
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His last two runs have come around Cheltenham’s cross county track when he’s been a stone out of the weights.
That unique course doesn’t tend to play to his strengths as they don’t go at a fast enough pace. Have 3pts each-way at 20-1. Several bookies are paying out on five places.
The Unibet Veterans’ Chase Series Final has been saved from last week’s abandoned card at Sandown and rescheduled for Warwick today.
That should suit LORD DU MESNIL (3.35). He seems best on left-handed tracks and he ran a cracker to finish second behind Cepage over 2m5f at Cheltenham last month.
That was a remarkable effort considering his last two victories came over 3m4f on testing ground.
He hasn’t won for nearly three years but he’s still more than capable and he has edged down the weights.
Richard Hobson’s dour stayer should love this test of stamina over 3m and his preference to race somewhere near the pace is usually an advantage at Warwick. Have 1pt each-way at 11-1. The sponsor Unibet is going six places.
QUINTA DO MAR (2.40) aims to make it third time lucky in the Coral Lanzarote Hurdle.
He fell at the last when booked for a place in 2021 and he ran well for a long way before pulling up on unsuitably testing ground 12 months ago.
Conditions will be much more to his liking this time and his first start of the season, just before Christmas when third at Exeter following a breathing operation should have put the edge on him.
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With excellent conditional jockey Beau Morgan taking off 5lbs, he has plenty in his favour. Have 2pts each-way at 25-1. Plenty of firms are paying out on six places with Sky Bet stretching to seven.