Ground Could Be Key For Gardes At Chepstow

Baileys Concerto produced a cracking effort at Doncaster and with a better jump at the last he might have won. When you consider he was pretty badly hampered early on too I think he was a fairly unlucky loser, but at least he held on well for each way money in 3rd. He is one to watch out for on good ground in handicaps during the Spring and I think Aintree could be ideal in a couple of months time.

Tomorrow there is some cracking action with some decent types on show in Ireland and in the UK. I like the look of a couple of Charlie Longsdon horses and with Richard Johnson booked a big run could be forthcoming from Killala Quay at 8/1 in the 2.35 at Kempton. However, at a much bigger price later on at Chepstow I think A Vos Gardes could be set for a big run with the drying ground at Chepstow in his favour.

This 6yo son of Kapgarde has shown his very best form on decent ground, and after a dry week in Chepstow the surface should be improving all the time. A Vos Gardes ran a stinker on his last run at Cheltenham but his yard was badly out of form then and the ground was never going to suit. He had previously run okay, again on ground plenty soft enough at Bangor when he chased home the useful Top Billing, and the third horse home that day, Sir Vinski, has since gone on to win.

His best run came at Doncaster when he won his maiden hurdle (19.5f good to soft) last January and he was highly tried after that run. He was 2nd behind Different Gravey on his next run, beaten just 4L, but it is perhaps unwise to take that form literally as two runs later he was 11l behind that rival.

His second run this season off 135, when he was 7l behind Bivouac on soft ground in a class 2 handicap over 19.f at Huntingdon, suggested he would benefit from a step up in trip and he dually showed that he stayed with that penultimate run behind Top Billing. Tomorrow will be his first try over 3m on his preferred ground and off a mark of 132 with the Longsdon yard back firing on all cylinders ( a win and two 2nds from last 3 runners) he looks worthy of supporting each way at 25/1. He needs to run well in this if his entries in the Coral Cup and Pertemps at Chelltenham are to be justified.

STEVOS' SELECTION: 3.45 CHEPSTOW-A VOS GARDES E/W 25/1