Catterick preview: Oldjoesaid weighted to strike

David Metcalf | October 27, 2015

Oldjoesaid caught the eye last time out and can take advantage of a drop in the weights to land the 5f handicap on today’s card at Catterick (16.20).

The Paul Midgley trained 11-year-old is a difficult sort to catch right and is on a long loising run having not scored since landing a class 5 contest at Beverley 14 months ago by a short-head off a mark of 73.

However, the gelding has run well in defeat on several occasions this season and is now able to race in this class 6 contest off a rating of just 60. That is a career-low and gives the veteran major claims from a handicapping perspective.

Oldjoesaid also comes into the contest on the back of a solid 1 1/4 length fourth of 12 at Beverley when poorly drawn, and it was an effort which suggested his time was near.

Another plus is that the son of Royal Applause has course and distance winning form his name, and with Paul Mulrennan in the saddle everything points to a huge run.

Properus can prosper

In the 7f handicap (14.15), Properus looks weighted to go well at a big price on his first start for trainer Keith Dalgleish.

The colt ran well on his first two starts as a juvenile when trained by Kevin Ryan. before opening his account in good style when beating Sir Domimo by 1 3/4 lengths at Redcar.

Properus was allotted an opening handicap mark of 83 on the back of that success and, after joining William Haggas, put in an improved performance off it when chasing home Salt Island at Newmarket on his seasonal reappearance.

After being held-up off the pace, Properus made headway a furlong from home and stayed on nicely without being unduly knocked about to snatch second in the shadow of the post.

Although no match for the easy 3 1/4 length winner, Salt island is a useful sort now rated 109 and Properus finished 1 1/2 length in front of the fourth home Magical Memory who is now rated 115 having gone on to win three times since and finish an excellent third in the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock.

That is strong form and suggests that Properus should be very competitive in this class 4 contest off a mark of 84 on his first start for a shrewd outfit.

Selections:

12.40: Roll On Rory
13.10: Latenightrequest
13.40: Straightothepoint
14.15: Properus (NB)
14.50: Grams And Ounces
15.20: Virnon
15.50: Perfect Words
16.20: Oldjoesaid (NAP)

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