Salaria was restless in the stalls and keen throughout the opening furlongs.
She came under pressure just before turning for home, as the front pair went five lengths clear. She couldn't pick up, and neither could any of the others from off the pace.
Duhallow Tommy 15/8 (1pt) – Fontwell 3.40
In a small field event like this, it could be worth siding with the likely front-runner, Duhallow Tommy.
He seems the most sensible and obvious option for this race. He gets on well at this course, handles the ground, and is in good form. He is best when getting the lead, and with no likely pace angles willing to take him on, he could have the race set to his own fractions.
There are doubts over the other three for various reasons. The top weight is making a return from 533 days, and has to carry 12st 2lbs. Rip Wheeler appears to be on a tough enough handicap mark and hasn't fired on a few occasions this season. The bottom weight has been pulled up on his last two starts, so he has to show something different.
My selection hasn't won off a handicap mark this high before, but has finished second behind Thistle Ask off 114 (2lbs higher) and has run well at a higher level off the same rating. The yard is in good form, with two winners from two runners in the last fortnight.
Ferret Jeeter 6/5 (2pt) – Fontwell 4.15
I highly doubt we'll get an amazing price of Ferret Jeeter for this race, as he was a good winner over fences last time out, but anything over EVS is deemed as a good price.
This does not look like a strong race, so it doesn't bother me that Ferret Jeeter is reverting back to hurdles. It looks like a couple of the horses in this race are returning to dangerous handicap marks, but they aren't in good form at present, so it's best to take them on and believe their return isn't going to be today.
Ferret Jeeter is a three-time hurdles winner and ran well after his win two runs ago. Both of his recent runs over hurdles have been at Plumpton, which shares some similarities with Fontwell, so there shouldn't be anything to worry about.
Chad Bament remains in the saddle and removes a solid 7lbs, meaning that he is carrying the second-lowest weight in the race. I still think, as a staying hurdler, he is unexposed, and I think it would be a surprise if he doesn't win this.
GambleAware