Seven-race card at Stratford this Thursday

HORSE RACING

SUMMER jumping will soon be heading for a short break but, before then, Stratford hosts a seven-race card on Thursday headlined by the Class Three Watch Racing TV On Sky 426 Mares' Handicap Hurdle over an extended two miles, writes David Hucker.

Last week's record temperatures put the spotlight firmly on horse welfare and courses responded with extra staff to wash and cool down the runners, more veterinary support and unsaddling as soon as possible after horses crossed the winning line, with just the jockeys returning to the enclosures.

With the paddock area adjoining the course at Stratford, there is only a short distance to go after the horses have pulled up and facilities can be placed immediately adjoining the track before they are led away to the stable area.

Stratford has the jumps action to itself on Thursday and there have been 115 entries in all, with eight in the feature, including Graceland, a good winner over the course in June.

She couldn't follow up from a 7lb higher mark at Southwell next time, but would have a chance of returning to winning ways in this field.

Shufoog loves the fast summer ground and ran well to be runner-up on the flat at Newbury recently.

She was last seen out over jumps when chasing home Dan Skelton's So Lonely in a similar type of race at Warwick at the end of May.

Skelton has entered Simply Loveleh, who had too much speed from the final flight for the well-regarded Vinnies Getaway here last month, and would be an interesting contender on her handicap debut, although she also holds an entry in the longer Natural Flake Novices' Hurdle which gets the meeting underway at 1.30pm.

Here, Simply Loveleh could meet Yccs Portocervo, who put an inauspicious Warwick debut behind him to score at Fakenham and missed an engagement at Newton Abbot on Monday.

Another who held a Newton Abbot entry is the consistent Grageelagh Girl, beaten four lengths by Teaser at Ffos Las last time, and she could line-up in the Watch Racing TV Now Novices' Handicap Chase over two-and-a-half miles along with Regulation, a regular visitor to the course, who has been running in open handicaps since winning back-to-back novice races earlier in the summer.

Topofthecostwolds has yet to win after ten starts and got no further than the second fence at Uttoxeter last time, running into the back of another horse and unseating Sam Twiston-Davies.

He had been sent off favourite the race before and, despite his lack of success, clearly has some ability, although is plenty high enough in the weights with a mark of 118.

Alexander The Grey set a scorching pace on his last run here, being still five lengths to the good at the final fence, only to be caught on the run-in by Game Line.

This race is over the same distance, as is the later Join Racing TV Now Handicap Chase, where he could face Double Court, runner-up on his chasing debut at Uttoxeter and a veteran of 29 hurdle races before that, winning twice.

Trainer Graeme McPherson has given himself plenty of options with Alexander The Grey, also entering him in the Charles Peters Handicap Chase over the longer trip of two-and-three-quarter miles where possible opponents include Show's Over, a winner of three chases, but running over hurdles on his last two starts at Newton Abbot, and Findusatgorcombe, another who bypassed a race at the Devon course on Monday.

Capitoul, supported late on in the betting when fifth behind stable companion Mcgroarty in a Class Two race at the last meeting, is an interesting entry in the racingtv.com Selling Hurdle.

Another to have run here last time is Doubly Clever, who has changed owners and stables since finishing runner-up to easy winner Rakhine State and must be one for the shortlist.

Biggest entry of the afternoon sees 32 possibles for the concluding Every Race Live On Racing TV Novices' Handicap Hurdle over two-and-three-quarter miles, including Show's Over and Akkapenko, who would not be without a chance from his current rating if getting back to the form he showed at the course 11 months ago when runner-up to Ladies Dancing in an amateur riders' race.