RACING: Possible Cheltenham Festival contender No Need For Alarm looks the best bet of the day when she contests the £25,000 Plumpton Bonus Novices' Chase today.
Paul Nicholls's charge has shown continuous improvement since her introduction to fences and made it three victories out of three in completed chases when routing a small field at Chepstow last week. A combination of accurate jumping and boundless stamina ensured she came home 14 lengths ahead of her nearest challenger, Gimmick.
No Need For Alarm tripped up when odds on and a length up on Native Scout at Uttoxeter in December. Opinions were divided as to whether or not the Romany Rye mare would have held on but she was definitely in with a shout prior to capsizing.
The bottom line is that No Need For Alarm is still improving and if she is to have any chance at the Festival she should take this two mile, one furlong event in style.
At Hereford, Hakim can get backers off to a good start by landing the opening Tote Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle.
John Spearing's charge produced his best effort of the season on his last appearance, when running Ei Ei to eight lengths at Southwell last month.
Although the winner was easing up close home, Hakim had made smooth progress down the back straight and looked like delivering a strong challenge before blundering through the second-last flight.
Mughas is being touted as a possible "dark horse" for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Festival. Alan King's charge beat a decent field of novices at Warwick last month although he may have benefited from the final-flight fall of Saratov and looks to have the measure of his rivals in the Joe The Cap From Carshalton Memorial Juvenile Novices' Hurdle.
