Leicester Preview: Carli King ready to rule

Carli King ran a cracker when runner-up on seasonal reappearance and can go one better to land a third success at Leicester in the 2m 7f handicap chase there today (2.10).

The Caroline Bailey trained gelding showed progressive form over fences last season, winning a class 5 contest at this venue by 10 lengths off a mark of 98 before going on to land a class 4 contest over this afternoon’s trip off 105.

The eight-year-old then ran below par at Haydock and Towcester, but may well have been feeling the effects of a hard season and put in a highly encouraging effort at Doncaster last month after a 222 day break.

Carli King attempted to make all before going down by 3 1/4 lengths to an unexposed sort in Guiding George, and the pair pulled 18 lengths clear of the third home.

That gives the form a solid look, and it was an effort which suggested the son of Witness Box would be up to winning races of a mark of 110.

Carli King is entitled to come on significantly for that outing, and with the in-form Richard Johnson in the saddle looks the one they all have to beat.

Rhapando shaped with plenty of promise on chasing debut and could be on a potentially handy mark in the 2m 4f novices’ handicap chase (1.10).

The Paul Webber trained gelding looked a work in progress last season when shaping well in three runs over hurdles in decent contests.

They included a 17 1/2 length fourth to subsequent Supreme Novices’ Hurdle third and now 154-rated Vaniteux at Sandown, and that is very strong form.

The five-year-old shaped as if needing the run on seasonal reappearance when well-held in a handicap hurdle at Sandown, and connections then decided to switch his attentions to the larger obstacles.

Rhapando was well-backed in a novices’ handicap chase at Doncaster and in the process of running a huge race when coming to grief at the last.

The son of Hernando would have finished in the frame, and the winner Saints And Sinners has since gone on to follow-up with an easy success in a class 3 contest off a mark of 120.