Wizard Could Weave Magic Back On Heavy At Uttoxeter

Well, Flaxen Flare ran a stinker for us in the Thyestes, and my prediction that he would be travelling best 4f out proved to be just a shade wide of the mark. However, Wounded Warrior ran an absolute cracker. His fine record first time up in January continued as he chased home Monbeg Notorious in 2nd. He clearly likes Gowran Park, and he will surely be back for a repeat bid in 2019.

Wounded Warrior ran a stormer at Gowran.

Sophie Leech is a trainer that I have a huge amount of respect for, especially on Saturdays. Milrow ran a cracking race for us at Cheltenham at the tail end of last year at 66/1 under Sean Houlihan and I think Leech and Houlihan can team up to good effect again with West Wizard at Uttoxeter in the 20f handicap chase at 16.00.

This 9yo son of King’s Theatre hasn’t won since scoring in a soft ground handicap chase at Ffos Las in December 2016 off 122 (21f) for Paul Morgan and Davy Russell. His only good run for Sophie Leech came on his third start for her on good ground at Bangor (24f) when beaten 1.5L in first time blinkers off 127, and he races off 119 today.

Although his best effort for Leech came on good ground over 3 miles, West Wizard showed some of his best form on heavy for previous connections. His run at Ffos Las back in March of 2017 over 19.5f on bottomless ground was a cracker (19.5f hvy) and he just failed to get up by a neck off 129. With Houlihan's 7lb claim a repeat of that would see him go close here.


He was well beaten on heavy at Haydock in December, but that run came over 23f and that distance is too far for him on that sort of ground. He will be much more at home now dropped back to 20f, and with Sean Houlihan’s claim he is effectively off a mark of 112, 10lb below the mark off which he won by nearly 5L at Ffos Las in 2016. And 17lb lower than for that superb 19.5f run back in March.

Houlihan is a jockey with a lot of potential, and his 7lb claim probably won’t last for long. He is yet to ride a winner for Leech, but he has an impressive frame hitting strike rate of just under 70%. From 13 rides he has 9 top four finishes, and when Leech books him she usually means business. I think this trip could be perfect for West Wizard on that Ffos Las 2nd back in March, and at odds of 20/1 in a first time hood he is well worth chancing each way.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: 16.00 UTTOXTER-WEST WIZARD E/W @ 20/1