Key Points
- My Day 3 betting tip should relish this test of stamina
- He is by far the least exposed horse and open to the most improvement
- Whilst versatile ground wise, I think these are his ideal conditions
For the third time this week, we head back up to Perth for the final day of their festival. My betting tip today is a horse who looks like he stays all day, and here he will tackle a marathon trip for the first time in the Highland National Handicap Chase over 3m 6f. He comes here in winning form, and I think he can stay on an upward curve now.
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Betting advice
- 14:05 Perth -
Mt Fugi Park
@ 5/1 (4 places) -
0.75pt each way
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Mt Fugi Park can give his rivals weight and a beating!
Mt Fugi Park was up at Carlisle last time out, but he travels even further north today, all the way up to Perth! He gave the impression at Carlisle that he was only just getting going at the line, so I think he’ll be really suited to marathon trips like this one. Today, we’ll find out!
Hopefully he can build on his success last time out and continue to progress with each race now that he’s got his head in front over fences. In this article, I’ll be explaining why I think he can do exactly that, so continue to read on.
I think he’ll love the stamina test of this marathon trip!
Everything about Mt Fugi Park screams stamina. Starting with his pedigree, he was sired by Walk In The Park and his Dam was sired by Presenting, so there is stamina on both sides of his family. Walk In The Park produced both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National winners this year - Inothewayurthinkin and Nick Rockett. Presenting isn’t overshadowed though, as he produced the mighty Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Denman, and Grangeclare West, who placed in this year’s Grand National. These are just a few examples, with both having a star-studded list of progeny.
Mt Fugi Park is a 3m Point-to-Point winner, so between that and his breeding, we always knew his game would be three miles and fences. The stamina element was evident on his debut, where he won a 2m 6f Maiden Hurdle at Ffos Las. They dropped him back in trip on his next start at Leicester, but on bottomless ground. Once again, his stamina came to the forefront and he won for a second time.
It was his latest run though where his stamina really came to the fore. A 3m 0.5f race at Carlisle, with a grueling hill to finish, and he looked to absolutely relish it, doing his best work towards the line as the others began to weaken. With the way he kept on that day, and taking account of the other factors, I think marathon trips will bring out the best in him, and he should love this 3m 6.5f trip today!
He is the least exposed over fences and therefore open to the most progress
This is a field of seasoned Chasers, and while they have loads of experience, they are very exposed, so we know exactly what they are capable of. If you take a horse like Amateur as an example, he is 12 years of age and has run 27 times over fences, so he is not suddenly going to show us something we haven’t already seen. Especially with 15 of his races being over trips of 3m 3f, or further.
Mt Fugi Park has only had three runs over fences, and just eight runs under Rules to date. As a result, he is by far the least exposed horse in this race. As well as being lightly-raced and unexposed over fences, he is completely unexposed over a marathon trip like this, as he’s never been beyond 3m 0.5f before. The downside is that he has to prove his stamina, whereas with the others we know it won’t be an issue. However, the huge positive is that there is untapped potential sitting there which means he could be well ahead of the handicapper.
Jonjo & AJ O’Neill know a marathon Chaser when they see one, as they train plenty of good ones such as Jackdaw’s Castle, Johnnywho, Collectors Item, Monbeg Genius and Fortunate Man just to name a few. During his time as a solo trainer, Jonjo even recorded a Grand National win with Don’t Push It and two Irish Grand National wins with Butlers Cabin and Shutthefrontdoor. So they know what it takes to win these marathon races and they clearly think Mt Fugi Park is suited to them.
Whilst he has won on heavy, I think he’s at his best on better ground
As mentioned, Mt Fugi Park won his second start over Hurdles on Heavy ground, so he clearly has versatility on his side. However, I think he’s better suited to better ground and the Good to Soft, Good in places, up at Perth should be ideal for him, as his other three wins all came on better ground. His Point To Point win was on Good, his Maiden Hurdle win was on Good to Soft and his latest win up at Carlisle was also on Good ground. His other performance of a similar level was a fourth place at Newbury in a Handicap Hurdle, and again that came on Good to Soft ground.
With him trying a marathon trip for the first time and also shouldering 11st 13lb, that it’s best to do it on better ground anyway. If he had this trip, a big weight and bottomless ground to contend with, it could all be too much for one so inexperienced. Whilst I wouldn’t rule out softer ground races for him in the future, I think it’s ideal that his first try is on better ground. He’ll have no excuses up at Perth, so hopefully he can put his best foot forward.
Can Mt Fugi Park show the old boys some new tricks?
I’m fully aboard the Mt Fugi Park today up at Perth. Between his pedigree, his Point-to-Point win, his performances under Rules to date and particularly the way he powered up the Carlisle hill after the final fence, everything screams that he’ll stay all day. But as well as having stamina, I think he just has that touch of class.
While some of these are always going to be 0-125 horses, or even look out of place at this level, he strikes me as the type that could go onto much bigger and better things. If he does prove himself here, which I believe he will, he could potentially be aimed at races like the Welsh Grand National, or the Midlands Grand National in due course.
Mt Fugi Park is only seven-years-old, with just eight runs under his belt, and with only three of those over fences. He has time on his side, and I think as time goes on he’ll progress up through the ranks. His yard holds him in very high regard, and whilst he’s enjoyed some success, he has been a bit of a head scratcher for them on the track. I think he’ll find his niche here with marathon trips and he’ll never look back. Whilst I’m confident of a very big run tomorrow, even if does get beaten, I wouldn’t give up on him, as I’m confident he’ll come good.
Given he does need to prove his stamina, he lacks experience and he only ran 16 days ago. For that reason alone, I’ve trimmed the stake down to 0.75pts each way to err on the side of caution, as it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
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