Huntingdon preview: Tara Flow to land hat-trick
Published:
David Metcalf | January 6, 2016
Tara Flow scored in terrific style last time out and can make light of a 7lb penalty to follow-up in the 2m handicap hurdle on today’s card at Huntingdon (14.40).
The mare won her sole start in a Irish bumper last March when beating the now 135-rated last Encounter by 1 1/2 lengths, and after joining trainer Venetia Williams came good at the second time of asking over hurdles when scoring easily by 13 lengths at Uttoxeter.
Tara Flow was allotted an opening handy mark of 114 on the back of that success and made a mockery of it when bolting up at Leicester nine days ago.
After travelling powerfully on the heels of the leaders, the six-year-old took up the running three from home to draw clear in effortless fashion and score by 12 lengths.
It was a performance which suggested Tara Flow was well-ahead of the assessor, and a 7lb penalty is unlikely to be enough to prevent the daughter of Kafy Tara going in again.
To me, Tara Flow has the potential to make up into at least a mid 130s performer, so off a mark of 121 she looks thrown-in at the weights in this class 3 contest given her unexposed and progressive profile.
Value At Risk to make amends
Value At Risk got no further than the second on debut over fences at Newbury back in November, but remains an exciting prospect and can make amends in the 2m 7f novices chase (14.10).
The gelding was not far off the best bumper horses in 2013/14 when trained in Ireland by Philip Fenton, with his runs including an excellent 2 3/4 length third to Shaneshill in a Grade 1 contest at the Punchestown Festival.
The seven-year-old subsequently joined Dan Skelton and looked a hurdler with enormous potential when scoring by 22 lengths on hurdles debut at Newbury for his new handler at Newbury.
Value At Risk was then far from disgraced when a 3/4 length runner-up to Ordo Ab Chao in a Grade 2 contest at Cheltenham and rounded last season off with a fine fifth of 19 to Martello Tower in the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Hurdle at the Festival.
Judge on those efforts the son of Kayf Tara has the potential to make up into a high class chaser, and granted a clear round he can take this en route to better things.
Selections
12.40: Potters Legend
13.10: Travertine
13.40: Alizee Javilex
14.10: Value At Risk (NB)
14.40: Tara Flow (NAP)
15.10: Tanner Hill
15.40: Kavanaghs Corner
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