Crop Walker could be potentially chucked in the handicap at Doncaster this afternoon (4.15) and is worth chancing after a long absence.
The lightly raced eight-year-old only had four starts under rules and has obviously been a very difficult horse to train. He has been off the course for 439 days, but shaped with tremendous promise on his last appearance where he finished third of 21 to the very highly rated and exciting Kangaroo Court.
The gelding was held up at the rear of the field that day before making steady eye-catching progress the from home and staying on nicely at the finish without ever threatening the runaway winner.
He was eventually beaten 21 lengths, but ran far better than that distance indicates, and it’s worth remembering that the winner went on to finish runner-up to current Word Hurdle second favourite Karabak at Ascot before contesting the Supreme Novice Hurdle at last year’s Festival.
Those performances earned Kangaroo Court a rating of 135, so off a mark of just 109 Crop Walker could be thrown in on his handicap debut.
If ready to go and back to anything like the form he showed at Doncaster he could easily outclass this field.
Of course we are taking a chance on his fitness, but at 12-1 I think it's a risk worth taking.
Recommended bet: 2pts each-way Crop Walker (12-1 generally available)
