By Sam Inkersole
Jumps racing often takes a back seat at this time of year as the Flat season kicks into gear but there is still some action on offer for those fans of the obstacles – including at Ffos Las this week.
The Welsh track hosts a seven-race Jumps card on Wednesday afternoon, kicking off at 2pm with a 16-runner maiden hurdle before rounding off at 5.05 as 12 runners tackle the 2m7f handicap chase.
The opener (2.00) is a large field maiden hurdle and of the 16 runners set to head to post, the Olly Murphy-trained Dexterity sets the standard.
A runner-up in his sole Irish point-to-point start in 2022, it took a while to get him on the track but it paid off with a second at Perth three weeks ago and looks the one to beat here. Impatient was promising on hurdles debut in October and can provide the chief challenge here.
Kansas Du Berlais is taken to get off the mark in handicap company in race two of the Ffos Las card (2.30) in the 12-runner handicap hurdle in class four over the 1m7f trip.
The Adam West-trained four-year-old looked to have benefitted from a second wind operation when going close at Fontwell on April 19 and has top jockey Sam Twiston-Davies on board here.
Trainer Nicky Henderson @sevenbarrows has two entries on our seven race card this Wednesday 15th May – 90 runners have been declared for the fixture sponsored by @AKBets – here are the runners and riders – https://t.co/XR3wExogU5 pic.twitter.com/BACezGQPIV
— Ffos Las Racecourse (@FfosLasRC) May 13, 2024
Race three on the card (3.00) is another big field handicap hurdle with 16 runners set to head to the start. Fourteen-time champion trainer Paul Nicholls, who doesn’t often have many Spring jumpers, does send one to Ffos Las in Pentire Head, second in a Taunton handicap five weeks ago and is a big player here, as are Activist and Jubilee Gold, both unexposed in this sphere and are of interest.
The midway point of the meeting arrives with race four (3.30) with another handicap hurdle, this time in division one and Welsh trainer Christian Williams has a live chance with Stringtoyourbow, who is back over the smaller timber having been pulled up over fences on his two starts over the bigger obstacles.
Hobb’s Delight made it two wins from three starts when scoring at Southwell in February and can go well here, while recent Kempton winner Halifax for trainer Grace Harris is another in with a shout in what is a very open contest.
The class four handicap hurdle in division two is race five on the card (4.00) and the top yard of Nicky Henderson sends Avada Kedavra to Ffos Las, who failed to justify favouritism at Stratford last month but is stepped up in trip quickly here and is a big player.
If Spitalfield, trained by Jonjo O’Neill, can improve his jumping then he too is in with a chance.
Going update for Wednesday’s fixture:
GOOD
Dry for the past week. Heavy isolated showers today (up to 15mm). Further showers tomorrow.
Mainly dry on Wednesday.
Six races from 2pm sponsored by @AKBets – https://t.co/tLU7JwZPXn pic.twitter.com/13NTNzWxeF— Ffos Las Racecourse (@FfosLasRC) May 13, 2024
The penultimate race of the card is a 14-runner handicap chase over the Ffos Las fences (4.30) and preference is for Gats And Co, who races here of his previous winning mark and is in contention once again. Silver In Disguise, a winner at Chepstow recently, heads the dangers.
Finally, the card comes to a close at 5.05 with a handicap chase in class five over the 2m7f trip and of the 12 runners set to tackle the track, Dynamite Kentucky heads the selections having been a dual-winner of hurdles and has posted two runners up finishes over fences since, including last time out at Hexham.
Ffos Las selections – Wednesday (via horse racing odds)
2.00 – Dexterity
2.30 – Kansas Du Berlais
3.00 – Pentire Head
3.30 – Stringtoyourbow
4.00 – Avada Kedavra
4.30 – Gats And Co
5.05 – Dynamite Kentucky