Towcester preview: Course specialist Cosway has the right Spirit

Cosway Spirit has a terrific record at Towcester and can further enhance it with victory in the 3m handicap chase on this evening’s six-race card (19.00).

The Ben Pauling trained gelding has won three of his five starts over course and distance, and was particularly impressive in the last of those when making all to win unchallenged by 18 lengths.

The eight-year-old got hit with a 14lb rise for that runaway success, but has since run very well to be second twice of a revised rating of 100.

Cosway Sprit went down fighting and was beaten just 1/2 a length and 2 1/4 lengths in those runs, suggesting that his current mark should not be beyond him.

The return to this venue is certainly in Cosway Spirit’s favour, and another plus that the son of Shantou once agin has the services of David Bass in the saddle who has partnered him to two of his three career successes.

Susie Sheep shaped really well when runner-up last time out and can go one better to land the spoils in the 2m 5f maiden hurdle (18.30).

The mare stayed on nicely to be beaten 2 3/4 lengths by Altess De Guye in a 2m 6f contest at Huntingdon, and the form has a decent look to it the the contest of this contest.

That was also just Susie Sheep’s second run over the obstacles, and the David Pipe trained five-year-old remains unexposed and open to further progression.

Another plus is that Pipe has a strike rate of 30% with his runners at the track in the past 12 months, and with Tom Scudamore in the saddle Susie Sheep can prove too strong for the favourite What A Jewel who has become very costly to follow and so far failed to live up to expectations.

Scudamore looks to have leading claims of compelting a double aboard Rockmount River in the 2m 1f novices’ handicap chase (20.00).

The David Bridgewater trained gelding showed a decent level of form when runner-up twice in five starts over hurdles, and offered plenty to work on when fifth on chasing debut at Stratford last month.

Rockmount River chased the leaders and held every chance approaching the last before stumbling on landing and weakening out of contention on the run-in.

The six-year-old is sure to strip much fitter for the outing, his first for 234 days, and this looks a weak contest in which Rockmount River will prove hard to beat if building on that effort.

Selections:

18.00: Dainty Diva

18.30: Susie Sheep (NB)

19.00: Cosway Spirit (NAP)

19.30: Prince Pippin

20.00: Rockmount River

20.30: Divine Spear