Rowland Meyrick Tips: Scope Has Some Room For Improvement

Although there are bigger fish to fry for racing fans elsewhere over the festive period, Wetherby's big festive dance each season is the Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase. We have scoured the potential runners and given our idea of the winner...

Alright, this is not quite the unbelievable match up of the Christmas Hurdle or the high class puzzle offered up by the King George at Kempton, but I do think there is value in the Rowland Meyrick this season. The place to start in terms of a potential storyline has to be with Mr Incredible, the former Henry De Bromhead and then Willie Mullins staying chaser who now resides with Sandy Thomson. Moving from Henry to Willie seemed to do half the job in ironing out his quirks, with the horse at Closutton at least consenting to start his races before running sometimes with credit and sometimes not so well.

He is no spring chicken now at eight but is certainly not a spent force and although since he has failed to complete three times, back in March he put in a fine effort for second off top weight in the Midlands National at Uttoxeter. The reason he has again been switched is James Manclark and his wife Patricia brokered a deal to bring him to Sandy Thomson's yard in the hope they can finally have a Grand National runner in their silks, which is not a fanciful idea given this horse has already run in the Aintree showpiece twice, unseating his rider both times.

Thomson has had this race circled for a while for the first run for Mr Incredible, and of course this yard have had success with ex Closutton thinkers in the past - notably Yorkhill. My suspicion is he won't be fully wound up for this contest and could perhaps run with promise before petering out, but it would not be a surprise were Thomson to have somehow found the keys to him and if he has, he is well handicapped in here. He will have supporters at a massive price, but I just cannot trust him.

At much shorter odds and with a much more consistent profile is Sine Nomine, the Hunter Chase hero from last season's Cheltenham Festival. She tipped up when running well on her comeback at Market Rasen and connections seem bullish that the fall has done her no harm and she will come on for that run, and we know what we are getting with this tough as old boots mare. She is expected to run well, but I'd fancy there is something in here with a bit more talent that could go past her.

Cruz Control heads the market for Tom Lacey and has obvious claims on the back of winning a valuable Aintree handicap last season. He has also won over this course and distance before and while his comeback run when seventh over hurdles hardly inspired confidence, one suspects that was merely a pipe opener for this. He has 11st4 to contend with and Tahmuras for Paul Nicholls has 11st7 but along with Tom Lacey's favourite will be expectant of a bold showing.  He ran a really poor race in the Graduation Chase at Haydock on his first showing this campaign, but the yard were not in the best of form and notably plenty of Ditcheat runners have been kicking on for their first run this season, so he's not one to rule out. In fact, I rate him the main danger to my pick.

The selection is SOME SCOPE, a horse I was with in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle last time out and who briefly excited me in that race before his effort petered out and he scraped fourth. Each-way money for most, but I was still a bit disappointed as for a long way in the race he looked to be travelling with confidence. He again has a real featherweight on his back today, which could be crucial on what still may yet be soft ground in Yorkshire, and more importantly he has claimer of the moment Callum Pritchard on his back taking off another seven pounds.

This jockey has sprung into the consciousness of racing fans recently with some cool rides that bely his tender experience and years and I think he could be just the ticket to get a bit more out of Some Scope in a race like this. He is still only six and could well be improving, so although his price has shortened somewhat in the last few hours I'm still happy to take any remaining 7/2 about Some Scope claiming Wetherby's big Boxing Day pot.