We are looking forward to Don’t Mind If I Do’s return at Wetherby on Saturday

October 30

Our only Saturday runner this week is Don’t Mind If I Do, one of our most exciting novices last season and who makes his handicap debut up at Wetherby.

This will be Don’t Mind If I Do’s first race for nine months, so he is bound to be rusty after such a long absence, but he was a big strong horse last year and one Alan always thought was above-average, and because of his size he can only improve for being put away after getting stuck in the mud at Wincanton on his final run at the end of January.

Right from the start, Alan has purposely crept away quietly with Don’t Mind If I Do, and he had only the one run in the sales race bumper at Newbury in his first season.

However, it was a race in which Don’t Mind If I Do showed immense promise, chasing home Regent’s Stroll, who went on to be beaten only half a length in the Grade 1 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree last April.

Don’t Mind if I Do, who is related to a fistful of hurdle winners, bumped into a smart horse of Olly Murphy’s (Castle Ivers) on his jumping debut at Warwick, and then, despite looking inexperienced, he outclassed the opposition to win his maiden hurdle at Wincanton.

He looks to have been given a fair mark for his first handicap, so, even though he ought to improve plenty for this comeback, he should still be a major player.