Place That Face on a retrieving mission

Watch out for a popular “Face” at Wolverhampton today, when all-weather is nigh on certain to “stand alone,” given that Russian-type weather is enveloping our little UK island. Frost threatens to wipe out all jumping fixtures for a day or so. Sandown was a huge loss and now we are all hoping the “Betfair” meeting, scheduled for Newbury next weekend, doesn’t suffer a similar fate. Initially, the idea of introducing all-weather racing was to offset the problems we have often experienced at this time of year. Flat and NH were staged on three tracks from 1989 but unfortunately, the Jockey Club deemed it unsafe for jumping, after ten fatalities during a three-year(s) period. Ironically, there were ten deaths at the subsequent 1992 Cheltenham Festival, but stubborness prevailed.

Of course, AWR is our speciality and Place That Face will doubtless, be heavily-backed to retrieve recent losses and go one better, when this Hughie Morrison-trained, Compton Place filly tackles six moderate-looking rivals in the Maiden Stakes over six furlongs of polytrack. Earlier, once-raced Falcon’s Reign should be a “penalty-kick” in the Maiden Stakes over a mile at lingfield. We can’t find the semblance of a danger to Jeremy Noseda’s charge, which is reported to have thrived since a promising effort last month, when a close third to subsequent “serial-winner,” Roedean at Dunstall Park. Slatey Hen has similar credentials going into division two of the “aged” handicap over six furlongs.

William Carson rides Slatey Hen for the first time, no problem. Willie’s grand-son is set for a major year, given ordinary luck. WC also partners Cut The Cackle in division one and this is another attempting to get back considerable losses, which were incurred when the Danetime mare was involved in a desperate, three-way finish won by Rightcar last week, beaten half a length. They all have good chances and as usual, will form my “daily yankee.”