The good form continued on Sunday with one of the selections winning.
Highlands Legacy made hard work of the win, but got the job done… just about.
He's a strange horse. He travels strongly through his races and then doesn't stretch out and win like you think he would. I'm not a huge fan of Jonjo Jr, and I think a better man in the saddle would get more out of the horse. He managed to scrape home and secure profit on Sunday.
Apples Moon put in a couple of scruffy jumps, and then her gas tank emptied. It was an eventful race, and if you was on the leader before the last, you were very unlucky, as she was home and hosed before unseating the rider.
Invincible Nao 8/1 (1pt) – Lingfield 1.50
I am a sucker for backing horses in the regional national races, and I'm a sucker for giving horses multiple chances.
This is a cracking renewal of the Surrey National, and you could easily give a chance to 80%+ of the horses who are lining up. Invincible Nao won the Sussex National for me last year, and I thought he was going to progress and win the Midlands National, but he chucked in a stinker on that day.
This year, he returned with a win over 2m 4f, before finishing fourth at Sandown when tipped up in a Class 2 handicap. He could be on a tough handicap mark now, but he went through his race very well and looked to be in with a solid chance a couple of fences from home, but he got tired.
Considering I thought he was a Midlands National horse, I've got to believe that he is better than this field. This is a weaker race in terms of grade than last time out, and the form of those who have run from Sandown has boosted the form.
The winner ran well for a long period in the Welsh National, only losing out by 3L to Haiti Couleurs. The third has since won a Class 3 race, winning by 21L to a horse who won on his last start.
Invincible Nao is only 4lb higher than when winning the Sussex National at Plumpton last February, and given how much ground he made up in that race, it's hard to believe he isn't capable of winning off today's handicap mark.
Of the others in the field, the likes of Val Dancer and My Silver Lining are ones who could easily win this if on their A-Game. Val Dancer was a runner-up in the Welsh National a year ago, and has since finished third in a Grade 3 at Aintree of the National fences. My Silver Lining has been a consistent performer over trips this far or further, and she stays longer than the mother-in-law. Hidden History is the one who could be an improver for Dan Skelton over a trip which is an unknown.
GambleAware