3.55 Wetherby
Cloudy Too 9/1
I'm quite interested in Sue Smith's 7 year old on just his 2nd start in handicaps over fences for whom Timmy Murphy is a very eye catching booking as he is having his first ride for the trainer, especially given his regular pilot Jonathan England is at the track. After showing some good form by winning a Novice Hurdle in impressive style and after a summer break, Sue Smith started the then 5 year old's chasing career at the end of 2011 where he failed to complete in 3 starts where poor jumping was a huge characteristic of his races and I think in hindsight he was probably sent over the larger obstacles a year too soon. He reverted back to hurdles for the rest of the season and after a couple of good efforts off marks of 122 he stepped up on those efforts in a big way when emphatically scoring by an eased down 12L off a mark of 121 which saw the handicapper up him a stone to a mark of 135 in March 2012. He had one more start off that mark over hurdles in April before he was off for the summer and sent back over fences where he made an excellent return to chasing by scoring by a going away 2.25L from his stablemate Vintage Star in a Beginners Chase over 2m4f at Carlisle. He jumped well throughout in the testing conditions and after being slightly outpaced his stamina kicked in as he forged clear in the run in. That looks very good form with the runner up subsequently blitzing a 5 runner field by a heavily eased 28L which has earned him a mark of 137 whilst the 16L beaten 3rd has gone close off a mark of 120 subsequently. Under a penalty, Cloudy Too was stepped up into a really hot looking Novice Chase over 3m at Doncaster where I don't think he was suited by making the running and I think he burned himself out trying to go with a couple of very talented horses in the shape of Rocky Creek and Mozoltov as he finished a nearly 20L beaten 4th but I don't think he lost much in defeat.
Cloudy Too's last start came on his handicap debut off his current mark of 129 in the North Yorkshire Grand National over nearly 10f than tomorrow's trip of an extended 2m4f where he was supported late on into a 10/1 chance. After settling in the rear of the field, he had just started to make some progress into midfield before I think he over-jumped the 10th flight as both horse and rider hit the deck. Luckily, he got up from the fall and given he's out less than a month later the mishap clearly hasn't left lasting damage. Although he's stepped significantly back in trip, he proved his effectiveness over it when scoring for the first time over fences and although I feel he'll be better over further the trip isn't much of a concern to me in these testing conditions. As stated, I find the booking of Timmy Murphy fascinating on what will be his first start for the trainer and I think he looks tailor made for Cloudy Too who should benefit from Murphy's hold up style of riding as he waits around for nearly 3 hours for this engagement. Based on what he has achieved over hurdles and fences to date, I certainly think he is up to defying a mark of 129 and I'm hoping they go a good clip in the conditions as a slog will suit him down to the ground. Although the trainer has a seemingly more fancied runner in the shape of Gansey in the race, I'm quite confident of a big showing from this unexposed 7 year old and if none the worse for his latest fall and if his jumping holds up I think he's going to be bang there at the finish and hopefully victorious at a nice price.
