Wednesday Horse Racing Tips: Two recent winners look worth following

Mark Bradstock will be forever known for his success with half-brothers Coneygree, who won the 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup, and Carruthers, who plundered the Hennessey at Newbury back in 2011.

Bradstock, who heads up a family-run yard in Oxfordshire, has searched for his next jumping superstar over the last few years without success and has consequently struck at just a 6% strike-rate with his runners in the United Kingdom. However, he might now have the new jewel in his crown in Mr Vango.

A son of Ocovango, who finished fifth in the 2013 Epsom Derby for Andre Fabre, Mr Vango made an impressive start to racing life with a 25-length success in a Horseheath point-to-point for trainer Chris Barber back in February. The form of that contest isn’t great (the runner-up has been beaten three times under rules for Dan Skelton) and only three of the 12 runners finished, but you can only beat what’s in front of you and he did it with ease.

Mr Vango then moved to the Bradstocks and was pitched into a 3m½f maiden hurdle at Haydock for his rules debut. The scopey gelding was immediately sent to the front with rider Jack Tudor being careful to avoid a tactical affair given the small field, and he jumped accurately from the outset. 

However, the writing looked to be on the wall as the well-backed Inis Oirr loomed large on Mr Vango’s flank and that rival kicked clear after winging the third-last hurdle. Bradstock’s horses never go down without a fight, though, and Mr Vango battled back tenaciously to wear down his opponent and plunder the prize by a neck. The pair finished 32 lengths clear of two promising contenders.

Stamina looks to be this horse’s forte and he will undoubtedly improve over fences next season, but he seems to possess enough talent to play a major role in the Hereford Racehorse Ownership Club Novices' Hurdle (1.45 Hereford) on Wednesday. 

Phantom Getaway, who is the horse to beat given he boasts a mark of 129, and the hat-trick-seeking Grove Road will provide stern challenges, but I’ll stick with Mr Vango in the hope that he will appreciate the stronger gallop in this bigger-field contest.

There are some similarly promising performers set to go to post down at Taunton. Perhaps the best of them is Parramount, who will look to make it two wins from three starts over timber in the Stables Business Park Handicap Hurdle (2.53).

Snow Leopardess (right): a half-brother to Parramount, who has a great chance on Wednesday

Much like the Bradstocks, the Fox-Pitt’s (owners of Parramount) are known for getting their horses to jump with fluency and this six-year-old is no exception. He’s certainly bred to jump well given he’s a half-brother to 2021 Becher winner Snow Leopardess.

Parramount showed ability in bumpers before suffering a setback that caused him to miss last season. He returned from a 541-day break with a rust-shedding third at Stratford in October, and duly went two places better last month at Hereford. Ridden with purpose, Parramount jumped beautifully, kicked down the hill and drew 10 lengths clear of a rival who hacked up by 22 lengths on his next start, albeit in a much weaker race.

I love the way this horse goes about his business - a high cruising speed and accurate jumping is the perfect cocktail for a relentless two-mile hurdler - and he must have a huge shout of winning off a mark of 115 on handicap debut - he’s already achieved a peak RPR of 120.

Beau Balko is next in the market for Paul Nicholls after similarly getting off the mark over hurdles at Hereford, but he didn’t win with the authority I expected and now has to give 1lb to a smarter rival. Norley could be the main danger after showing improvement following a wind op, though this is his toughest task to date.

Wednesday Horse Racing Tips

Mr Vango (1.45 Hereford) @ 4.7
Parramount (2.53 Taunton) @ 3.5