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If Ffos Las should prove able to stage the first jump racing in Britain since Wednesday [see update below], conditions will surely prove extremely testing, since the going was already heavy and will be heavier once frost has melted into it. The West Wales National may therefore turn into an unattractive slog but Rey Nacarado has as good a chance of coping as any.
The seven-year-old, whose name is Spanish for pearly king, slogged through the mud to win the Mandarin at Newbury on New Year's Eve but, even on his new mark, he gets in here below 11st. On his previous outing, he was outbattled only by Giles Cross, who then put up a sensational front-running display in the Welsh National itself before tiring into second.
From the in-form yard of Charlie Longsdon (four winners from his last 10 runners), Rey Nacarado (3.20) may have too much quality for Our Island, who could nonetheless cope better than when a distant sixth in the Chepstow equivalent. Mohayer should also handle the conditions well but proved little with his most recent victory here in December.
Ffos Las 2.10 Dai Walters, owner of both the racecourse and Oscar Whisky, doesn't just want to win the Welsh Champion Hurdle. His other runners on the card include Mountainous, who is unbeaten in two handicaps, both on very soggy ground at this course.
Lingfield 2.30 Having failed to win since he was a juvenile, Diamond Vine has hit form with his last two starts over this course and distance and can make it two wins in a row despite a 3lb rise.
Ffos Las 2.45 As with last year's race, Oscar Whisky looks about a stone ahead of all his rivals. Outside the Cheltenham Festival, his only defeat came when he fell at Ascot and the hurdles are probably the biggest danger.
Lingfield 3.00 Blinkers have produced serious improvement in Prince Of Burma, who seems well up to the hat-trick after pulling two and a half lengths clear on his most recent run.
Lingfield 3.35 So long as Status Symbol sets the decent pace that he needs, Art Scholar is up to defying the extra 6lb he earned when winning at Kempton last time. Exemplary's recent win came in a claimer for which he was sent off at 2-7, whereas this will be much harder.
Update
Unfortunately, Saturday will be Britain's third consecutive day without jump racing, officials at Ffos Las having abandoned the Welsh Champion Hurdle card shortly before 8am. Other race-meetings at Sandown and Wetherby had been called off a full day in advance.
A 9am inspection had been arranged at Ffos Las but the clerk of the course, Tim Long, said there had been no need to wait that long before making his decision. "We got down to -1C overnight and it is zero at the moment, but there is a fierce wind chill and we are actually freezing now.
For the full story, click here.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/feb/04/talking-horses-racing-blog
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