You Can Make It Pay With Singlefarm

Paul Ferguson likes the look of Tom George’s hope at Newbury

- Paul Ferguson

Runner-up at both the Cheltenham Festival and at October’s Showcase Meeting, SINGLE FARM PAYMENT is fancied to finally land his big prize at Newbury on December 2.

Tom George’s seven-year-old made a pleasing start to his chasing career last term and progressed steadily throughout the season, winning with plenty in hand at Cheltenham last December. Brought down when well supported for a valuable novices’ handicap at the same track on trials day, he was beaten a short-head by Un Temps Pour Tout at the festival, form that has been advertised this season by the fifth Go Conquer.

He moved like the best horse in the race on his recent reappearance and, as he seemed to need his first outing last term, it is hoped that he is spot on for this assignment in the Ladbrokes Trophy.

The market is headed by the Willie Mullins-trained Total Recall who bolted up on his debut for the stable in Limerick’s Munster National, form that was franked by the recent success of Alpha des Obeaux, whilst Phil’s Magic (18 lengths third) wasn’t far away at Cheltenham’s November meeting. He races off 18lbs higher at Newbury, but he is completely unexposed as a staying chaser and the eight-year-old warrants plenty of respect.

The other one towards the head of the market is Harry Fry’s American who looks absolutely tailor-made for a race of this nature, or possibly the Welsh National over Christmas. Unbeaten in three starts over the larger obstacles, he gave Rock The Kasbah 6lbs at Uttoxeter when last sighted in March and that rival made a winning reappearance off the same mark at Chepstow during October. He relishes soft ground and hails from an in-form yard – at the time of writing in any case – but I just have a slight reservation about his official rating. Despite that most recent piece of form reading well, I can’t help but feel a mark of 157 is high enough.