Don’t Mind If I Do is not one to miss at Warwick

November 19

The going at Warwick on Thursday is bound to be softer than it will be on the Midlands course tomorrow as the ground will have been opened up after action there on day one.

However, besides being delighted the rain has come in time for Helnwein, who runs there on Wednesday, like every other jumps trainer, Alan has been praying for this prolonged spell to end, so you won’t get any complaints on underfoot conditions from Barbury.

First up on Thursday is the highly-rated Don’t Mind If I Do in the maiden hurdle. He was a promising second to Regent’s Stroll in the Newbury sales bumper last March, and Paul Nicholls clearly thinks the world of that winner as he went to £660,000 to retain him at Goffs Sales in July

“I think a lot of Don’t Mind If I Do,” confessed Alan, and I saw Regent’s Stroll work really impressively at Newbury’s gallops morning yesterday, so all the signs are that Don’t Mind If I Do bumped into an above-average youngster first time out, And remember Regent’s Stroll had the edge in experience that day, having already won on his debut at Ascot,

Next up from our Warwick quartet is Hit For Sixty, who maker her jumping debut in the mares novice hurdle. Alan said:”Hit For Sixty, has not shown me too much at home and disappointed on her debut in an Ascot bumper. She has had a good break and, hopefully, she will do better over hurdles.”

We run two in the mares open bumper and summing up their chances, Alan added:”We’ve always liked Charisma Cat, who is one of the home-breds of the Wakey-Cohen family and is by Nathaniel, which is very exciting.

“She won well at Southwell in the summer, but she came back in late from her break so is only just ready to start back. But we do think that she is above average. The other is Annie Hathaway, who was backward last season but is now starting to show me something at home.”

Paradias, who won at Goodwood and was also second at Epsom last summer, ran much better than his finishing position suggests in the November Handicap at Doncaster, and he makes his debut on the all-weather at Southwell on Thursday.

Alan said:”Paradias came from a long way back at Doncaster and was not beaten that far at the line, and if he takes to an all-weather surface it will increase our options.”