Grandeur d’Ame in with a definite shout at Warwick on Saturday

February 5

Frustrated by the never-ending testing ground conditions we have encountered since the turn of the year, Alan envisages another quiet week-end, and, unusually for Barbury, we have no runners at Newbury’s big meeting on Saturday.

However, Alan has declared two at Warwick, one of his favourite tracks, and Grandeur d’Ame has form in soft ground so could well be a major player in the veterans chase.

You won’t find many better jumpers of a fence than Grandeur d’Ame, whose six wins and the same number of places have earned his owners more than £100,000.

It might be 16 months since Grandeur d’Ame graced the winner’s enclosure, but during that time the 10-year-old has been short-headed at Cheltenham and also finished an honourable third when returning to Prestbury Park last month when the ground would have been quicker than he prefers.

The handicapper generously opted to drop Grandeur d’Ame 2lb after that solid run, so he now runs off 132, the lowest mark he has been on since he won his last race, at Chepstow.

Our other Warwick runner is Believeitanducan, who has been a credit to his enthusiastic syndicate, called the Owners Group 140. Since he joined Alan more than 14 months ago, Believitanducan has run seven races for his new owners, winning three and finishing second twice, and the two occasions he did not manage to reach the frame were in a Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham and a hot handicap hurdle at Kempton last Boxing Day. He looks to have definite each-way claims again at Warwick.