2.45 Catterick
Carmela Maria 14/1
Despite racing from 6lb out of the handicap off an effective mark of 99 and coming back off a woeful run at Sedgefield, I quite fancy the chances of Mike Sowesby's 8 year old now returned to her favourite venue where she has a tremendous record over today's C+D of 1-1-3-1-F. I tipped her up at a big price back in December when she was scoring in the same event for the 2nd year running off the same mark of 85 and it came as absolutely no surprise to me that she won well as it was clear that connections had been targeting that Class 4 event for quite a while. She did so in good style, pulling away after the last to score by 5L in a weak enough event despite not travelling overly well for a large part of the journey. 10 days later at the end of December she tried to repeat history for the 2nd time in consecutive years when sent off the 100/30 favourite under a 7lb penalty and she travelled an awful lot better than she did for her latest victory and there is no doubt in my mind she was going to take a hell of a beating that day before falling at 4 out. It was a shame to see her go down but luckily she didn't seem to do any lasting damage. Her last start came at Sedgefield on the 11th of January where she finished a well beaten 8th but that is of absolutely no concern to me as she is a completely different horse at Catterick - as suggested by her 0-22 record away from the track.
Although its going to take a career best to win today as she is (effectively) 9lb above her last winning mark, I certainly think she's up to defying it. Back in December 2011 she scored by a comfortable 7L (27L clear of the 3rd) from a horse who scored on his only subsequent outing off a 5lb higher mark and perhaps even more telling was her 1L defeat over this C+D last February off a mark of 102. Under today's rider and regular partner 7lb claimer Edmond Linehan, she was given a patient ride and was worked very nicely into the race and looked to hold every chance going over the last but couldn't get there in time as she had to settle for a narrowly beaten 3rd. The form of that race has worked out nicely with the winner Howizee, who probably one a shade cosily, winning 2 starts later off a 2lb higher mark impressively as well as getting beaten a head off a 19lb higher mark 3 starts later and he is 22lb higher than his success that day. Despite being 6lb out of the handicap, she races off an absolutely lovely racing weight of 9-7 when factoring in Ed Linehan's claim and I think its also quite significant that two of her wins came when carrying less than 10 stone and she is clearly a horse who goes well with little weight on her back. This is definitely her toughest test to date as she steps into a Class 3 handicap at the track for the first time but based on her comprehensive victory off a 9lb lower mark and narrow defeat off a 3lb higher mark at the track I definitely feel she's weighted to make her presence felt. Looking through the field, I also think it could be significant that only one of her opponents has ever ran at Catterick's undulating track (well beaten) and she could easily be the best suited horse in the field to the track where I think she is probably 2 stone better than any other venue. With the testing conditions suiting her down to the ground at a track where she has never been beaten more than a length in her completed starts in handicaps, I'm confident of a big showing from this admirable mare on what is her trainer and jockeys only engagements of the day.