Couple of runners at Catterick Bridge on Thursday

Bollin Matilda : Catterick 11th January : 12.45 pm 3m 1½f mares' handicap hurdle (Class 5)

Cowboy Cooper : Catterick 11th January : 1.20 pm 3m 1f novices handicap chase (Class 4)

Advance going at Catterick on Thursday is soft (heavy in places). Hardly surprising but the jury is still out as to whether either of our runners would appreciate such testing conditions.

Even a cursory glance at Bolin Matilda's form gives the impression she acts best on good to soft. Both her first run last season at Ayr in a novices' hurdle and her last (very commendable) run when a close 3rd at Carlisle have come on a sounder (-ish) surface. The handicapper put 2lb onto her OR for what is to be her first run at 3 miles. Craig Nichol rides.
Sue Smith's It's Maisy is lightly raced over hurdles but has already racked up a couple of wins, albeit very fortunate in the first of those.
But there's no doubting she is progressive and looks the one to beat here.

Chase debutant Cowboy Cooper (Henry Brooke) runs in the staying novice handicap chase that follows on from Bollin Matilda's race. He's run fairly well a couple of times this season - 3rd on each occasion - and these were in heavy ground conditions at Hexham. He weakened from a promising position over the last each time. So, a slight drop in trip (couple of furlongs) and Catterick is a less severe test than Hexham......

Storm Tiger has caught the eye more than once in the past couple of seasons but remains a maiden. He's the type to go in at a reasonable price one day.
But the horse most open to improvement is Jonjo's Irish Point winner Time for a Pint. He now runs at 3 miles over fences for the first time.

No doubt vying for favouritism will be Tim Easterby's English Point winner Benny Baloo who won a similar event to this at Market Rasen a couple of weeks ago. He also seems progressive.

Best of luck to all connections.

Nice prize won by Pallas Lord at Newcastle on Monday

After a couple of near misses, Pallas Lord thrilled connections with a nice victory at Newcastle (AW, 1 mile) on Monday afternoon.
Well ridden by PJ, the gelding was always prominent and stuck on well inside the final furlong to prevail by ½ length and a head.
He's clearly feeling good about life just now, so we may turn him out again soon, at Newcastle of course.