Only 4 runners but competitive race and none of the 4 can be completely ruled out. Taken a small chance on WILLIAM OF ORANGE (9/2), who has come to chasing at a late stage in his career, and to be honest he does need to improve on what he has shown in first two starts over fences (he was lucky to win last time). But he won a class 3 handicap over hurdles here from 2 lbs higher mark this time last year, and I am hoping he can show similar ability over fences, it’s too soon to say that he can’t. Wears a visor for first time, McCain’s runners wearing a first time visor usually do well (4 from 16 in first time visor in handicaps, +10 LSP). McCain has a good record on this card too (but 0 from 2 in this race), 7 winners from 18 (+6 LSP) in last 5 seasons, 3 from 5 last year (the two that lost weren’t ridden by Brian Hughes), 0 from 4 (2017), 2 from 3 (2016), 1 from 2 (2015), 1 from 4 (2014).
I think that that horse W of O has had its day. Sometimes they fall out of love with the game. We all missed the fairly easy Johnson double, not often you get a 6/1 , 4/1 chance on the Champ in such average fields with dodgy hotpots. Imagine if this had been McCoy up there, they'd probably have been 5/2 and evens. Just saying.
Yes you maybe right about William of Orange. And yes a nice double for Johnson, he has 3 rides at Southwell this evening including a couple of odds on shots for Elliott.