Bangor Preview: Mackerye End has major chance under McCoy

Trainer Jonjo O’Neill has hit form with a vengeance and Mackerye End looks weighted to provide him with another winner in the 3m handicap hurdle at Bangor today (3.25).

The gelding joined O’Neill after finishing runner-up in an Irish point at Dromahane and made a very promising start for his new handler when runner-up to The Tourad Man at Southwell.

This six-year-old kept on well from off the pace under considerate handling to go down by 1 3/4 lengths, and the winner is a useful sort who has gone on to land a competitive handicap of 123 and be placed in a hot class 2 contest off 132.

That is strong form in the context of this class 3 contest and makes Mackerye End’s opening mark of 125 look on the lenient side.

Mackerye End also comes into the race having built on that effort to readily beat Wyck Hill at Chepstow, with the pair pulling 28 lengths clear of the third.

With the prospect of plenty more to come, and AP McCoy in the saddle, Mackerye End is going to be extremely tough to beat.

Eastern Witness has shaped with plenty of promise in three starts over fences, and can take advantage of a drop in the weights to land the 2m 2f novices’ handicap chase (2.55).

The Venetia Williams trained gelding jumped well, and led until fading three from home over 3m 1f at this track on his debut over the larger obstacles when fifth to Bally Braes. Eastern Witness has since posted improved efforts to finish third at Chepstow and Ludlow.

Having started life off over fences on a mark of 94, the eight-year-old is now running off just 83, and that looks very exploitable given that he was rated as high as 99 over hurdles and placed off 94 in that sphere.