Hello, team. One who I think has been given a real chance tomorrow by the old boy handicapper is Mr Henderson’s ERICHT who runs in the €94,000 Guinness Handicap Chase across the water at Punchestown (6.40).
A 6 time winner this one has proved largely disappointing since running away with the ‘Scottish Future Champions Novices' Chase’ back in February ’14. Ericht looked really, really good that day and if you’d had stood on the steps of the Musselburgh stands, at that point in his career, and said that in less than 15 months he’d be running off a perch of 129 then you’d have been carted off by the ‘men in white coats’. In fairness to the horse he has been highly tried since then and he did put up a very good run at Cheltenham, in October, when finishing just over a handful of lengths behind Johns Spirit and Persian Snow but given the regard that he has always been held and the quality of the Musselburgh performance you have to say he has proved a bit of a let down since then. Although I’d forgive him his run last time, at the Festival, as the old boy patently failed to stay 26 furlongs.
However, as I say he’s been lowered by the assessor and off 129 I can not see how Ericht isn’t going to figure in this heat as I think he is way, way better than such a mark. Is surely worthy of an each-way tickle and current quotes re tomorrow are 20/1.
Good luck to him and good luck to you.