FFos Las Preview: Prima Porta looks a cut above

Prima Porta has some top class form to her name and looks a worthy favourite to take advantage of a drop in class to land the 2m 4f handicap hurdle at Ffos Las today (2.05).

The Evan Williams trained mare was last successful over hurdles when easily beating the useful Mickie by seven lengths of soft ground at Ludlow back in February 2013.

The eight-year-old backed that up with a cracking eight length sixth of 19 to the mighty Quevega in the Grade 2 Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival off an official rating of 130, and went on to finish an excellent 1 3/4 length runner-up to Cockney Sparrow in a Listed contest at Doncaster off 132.

Prima Porta also posted some solid efforts earlier in the year in decent contests, including when a keeping on 3 1/2 length fourth of seven to Glens Meoldy in a Listed hurdle at Warwick when rated 136.

That is top class form and the daughter of American Post now gets into this much lower grade class 3 contest off a mark of just 128.

That makes Prima Porta look incredibly well-treated on the pick of her form, and she comes into the contest on the back of a promising not knocked about fourth to Cup Final in a decent class 2 contest at Sandown off 2lb higher.

If she can build on that effort, Prima Porta is going to take the world of beating in what is the easiest race she has tackled for a long time.

Trainer Richard Lee showed he had his team in good nick when banging in a treble at Warwick last week and Goodtoknow looks to hold leading claims of providing him with another winner in the extended 3m 1f handicap chase (2.40).

The gelding showed progressive form over fences last season, being narrowly beaten when runner-up in two handicaps at Wetherby before easily opening his account over the larger obstacles with a 10 length success on heavy ground at Bangor off a mark of 111.

Goodtoknow was then clearly amiss when pulled-up next time out at Chepstow, and quickly put that effort behind him when a fine neck third to Evarard at Wetherby when last seen in action back in April.

The handicapper has since dropped Goodtoknow 2lb to 120, and that gives him an obvious chance in this class 3 contest if primed to go after 246 days on the sidelines.