2.20 Kelso

3: DOVE HILL

The Brightwells National Hunt Sale at Cheltenham has grown in importance over recent years, primarily because of the remarkable success enjoyed by horses that have fetched high prices. Pretty much all the 22 that had previous experience which sold for more than 50,000 from 2004 (as far back as their web site data goes) went on to do really well. And seven of the twenty two won first time out for their new connections.

Here we have a very interesting 59,000 pound purchase at Brightwells' January sale making its first start under rules. The horse in question is former point to pointer Dove Hill who won both his starts between the flags comfortably (though he got disqualified from the first one on technical grounds).

This is a really weak maiden hurdle where Dove Hill faces a motley crew of rivals that have run a total of 57 times between them under various disciplines without ever winning. It seems to me that he has a great shot of continuing the fine run of recent graduates from the Brightwells sale for a trainer that has a very good record with new acquisitions.

3.45 Gowran Park

3: J'Y VOLE (NAP - i.e. double the normal stake)

This race features a whole bunch of ageing former stars that are attempting a revival after a long series of losses. They're running against a young, lightly raced Grade 1 winner that has a terrific record when coming into a race off a break as she does today.

I don't think there's much point trying to find excuses for the lengthy losing runs of Central House, Conna Castle, Tumbling Dice and Publican. Sure, they were all Grade 1 class or close to it in their heyday. But now much the most likely explanation for their loss of form is that they've deteriorated with age due to physical problems.

Here they face one of the best chasing mares in training in J'Y Vole.

After she'd won her first two starts by a distance last season I suggested on my web site that J'Y Vole probably needed resting. My reasons for saying this were threefold. First she's a light-framed sort and such horses are invariably best fresh. Second, her wins had all come on one of her first two starts off a six month plus break or with a rest of at least six weeks thereafter. Third, she is one of those horses that seems incapable of running a slow time, even when she doesn't have to. Horses that do this invariably take a lot out of themselves and need their runs spacing out.

J'Y Vole did manage to win one more time but then ran below form in her subsequent three outings.

You could argue that the two month gaps J'Y Vole had before her last couple of starts should have been enough. But I suspect that those four tough races in January and February took their toll to the point where she needed resting for longer, which she now has been. And there were other excuses for the losses anyway. One was over three quarters of a mile longer than she'd ever been before and she clearly didn't stay. The other was a decent third in a Grade 1 where she did well seeing that she got involved in a duel for the lead with the useful Perce Rock.

In any event, J'Y Vole comes into this race off a nine month break. So she really should be at her best. And her best should be more than good enough to take this.