Kin can take National glory
The progressive Kinburn is fancied to compensate his supporters for two recent near-misses by powering to victory in the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow.
Already a winner over three miles in heavy ground, Kinburn confirmed stamina was his forte when finishing a close second to Naunton Brook in last month’s Northumberland National at Hexham – a four-mile slog through the mud which tests mind and body to the limit.
Subsequent events have strongly suggested Howard Johnson’s charge did remarkably well that day, as he was conceding 16lb to a more experienced rival, one who went on to defy a 6lb hike in the weights at Exeter almost a fortnight ago.
Now 10lb better off with Naunton Brook, Kinburn has an obvious chance of reversing Hexham form and that could be enough to see him regain winning ways in a daunting race which might prove too much for many of the other eighteen runners.
The Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton can go to French raider Foreman.
The Monsun gelding has an outstanding strike-rate over hurdles and has made a promising start to his chasing career.
Foreman gained his first success in a Grade Two event at Lingfield before being given too much to do in the Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival, running on late to finish third to Voy Por Ustedes.
Connections did not make the same mistake again in Grade One company at Aintree, when he raced up with the action before taking it up after the last to win by a length from Voy Por Ustedes, who is one of his rivals again here.
The French challenger is open to plenty of further improvement and looks well weighted – for the first time he doesn’t have to give weight to Voy Por Ustedes.
The lightly-raced Armaguedon is developing into a nice chaser and could be the answer to the skybet.com Castleford Handicap Chase at Wetherby.
His record is most impressive, with two wins and two places in five runs in bumpers, a win and a second over timber and a two out of four record over the bigger obstacles.
He looked a possible winner until falling in front at the sixth on his debut over two miles at Ayr and found two and a half miles a trip too far at the same track.
In between, he was a battling winner at Newcastle before landing a two-mile contest at Ayr last month, when he destroyed his field to score by 13 lengths easing up.
Len Lungo’s charge takes on his toughest task to date here but he is obviously a progressive sort who should be good enough to land this.
