Racing tips: Wetherby specialist can bounce back off a reduced mark

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Tuesday's racing wasn't great. Tique was let down by her jumping in what was a muddling race, but her jumping far too bad to be involved at any stage. Lady Berlais was quite keen but didn't stay the trip, and Great Samurai ran okay on chase debut to finish 2nd. He was given every chance when jumping the last but he lacked the gears of the front runner who put in a nice round of jumping on chase debut.

Deauville 11:50 – Dollerina 15/2 (0.5pt EW)

Some of you might remember the name Dollerina from a month or so ago when I tipped her up at the Curragh in a Group 2 on just her second run. She was very well-supported that day after making a very good and eyecatching debut behind recent Group 1 winner, Ylang Ylang. Things didn't go to plan for Dollerina in that race at the Curragh, she was halted on multiple of occasions and in the end had no chance of showing her ability. At the time I thought she would've won that race, and looking back I still have that same view.

Dollerina was disappointing last time out at the Curragh in a Group 3 but I don't think she enjoyed the soft ground she encountered that day. She did run on towards the end of the race which is pleasing as she is running over a mile today, and with the ground currently being described as good I think you can expect a return to form and with a clear passage, she should have a nice chance of landing her first win.

The French horses don't look to be too strong with their form and I'd say the one-raced horse, Aventure is the one to keep an eye out for. She made a winning debut at Chantilly and won by 3.5L, so clearly has something about her.

Christophe Soumillon has been booked on Dollerina which is always a big positive when the foreign raiders manage to secure the main man. I'm expecting a big run.

Wetherby 2:25 – Garde Des Champs 5/1 (1pt Bet365)

A few in this race make their chase debut in this race and I think the debutantes are the way to play against the exposed chasers. The pick of the bunch for me is the bottom weight Garde Des Champs.

He was pulled up on stable debut for Lucinda Russell a couple of months ago over hurdles at Perth but Paddy Wadge, the jockey on the day, said that the horse made a respiratory noise. Since then, he has had a wind-op, so that should've straightened that issue out and they've decided to go straight to chasing on the back of that. He was well-fancied on his stable debut, so connections would've been mightily disappointed to see him run the way he did, but if that due to his wind, then the problem should be fixed now.

This horse is related to Robin Des Champs who was trained by Willie Mullins and was a 3x winner over fences from six runs, including winning on chase debut, so there's plenty of optimism for Garde Des Champs' chase debut today. He had previously finished 2nd twice as a point-to-pointer, recording a peak RPR of 90 which is a decent standard. He runs in this off a mark of 117 and I think that is workable on good ground which seems his most suited surface. Lucinda Russell is in great form and will definitely be one of, if not the main trainer for the North this season.

Wetherby 4:08 – Fransham 11/4 (1pt)

Though Fransham was not in great form last year, the more I look at this race the more I think he has a very nice chance of winning this.

Obviously, it's all about what ability does Fransham retain at the age of 9 after that dire previous season and if he can bounce back to form. However, if there was ever a place and race for him to do it, this is the one. His best run of recent time was in this race last year when he finished a close second off a 13lb higher mark, he ran off 12 stone that day, yet the top weight in this race this year is 11st 13lbs off a mark of 123, so it's evidently a weaker race 12 months on. Pam Sly won the inaugural race back in 2021 and then had Fransham finish 2nd in this race last year, so it's clearly a race she likes to target for the start of the season and with Fransham making a return to his stomping ground that is Wetherby, I think he has a great chance.

Fransham has recorded five of his six wins at this track, so it's clearly a happy place for him. His handicap mark has dropped drastically as a result of poor runs at the back end of last season, but I wouldn't say this race is full of horses better than their mark. Whizz Kid is the danger as he has the 7lb claimer on board and he is a good horse on his day, the rest don't seem to bother me too much.

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