Wetherby hosts the Grade 2 Towton Novices’ Chase on Saturday, where seven go to post and the ground is soft.
Native River looked a bit unlucky at Kempton when third behind Tea For Three in Grade 1 company at Christmas, as he jumped left throughout and never got into a rhythm.
He was staying on after the last and the return to a left-handed track like Wetherby is expected to see him return to the form of his Grade 2 win at Newbury in November, where he ground down French champion hurdler Un Temps Pour Tout.
On his best form, there’s not much between him and the favourite, Blaklion, so 7/2 is a nice price to go to war with.
Receiving 7lbs from the two named horses, Definitely Red looks a threat after running well behind the sharp-jumping Black Hercules at Warwick, though he’s turned around quite fast for a stayer and this would be his third three-mile chase on slow ground in little over a month, so he might not be at his best when he probably needs to be.
1pt win Native River @7/2, Wetherby 14:45
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