Towcester preview: Conas Taoi weighted to follow-up

Conas Taoi scored in good style last time out and looks weighted to follow-up in the 3m handicap chase on today’s six-race card at Towcester (14.55).

The Paul Morgan trained gelding justified strong support to open his account over fences when staying on strongly to score by a head at Worcester back in June, and backed that up with a solid fourth of 11 at Newton Abbott.

Conas Taoi then got back to winning ways nine days ago when making all to land a 3m 2f handicap chase at Newton Abbott by 1/2 a length off a mark of 91 when fitted with the cheekpieces for the first time.

The six-year-old appeared to appreciate the new headgear, racing with far more zest and finding plenty when challenged to score with more in hand than the winning margin suggests.

Conas Taoi is due to go up 5lb for that success, so it’s no surprise to see connections turn him out quickly off an unchanged mark before his revised rating kicks in.

The son of Exit To Nowhere also remains unexposed and open to stacks more improvement after just seven starts under rules, and granted a clear round Conas Taoi is going to be very tough to beat in the hands of Tom O’Brien.

In the 2m novices’ chase (16.00), Thomas Crapper can take advantage of a drop in class to open his account over the larger obstacles.

The Robin Dickin trained eight-year-old was a useful hurdler who ran some really solid races to make the frame in four of his eight starts over fences last season.

Those runs included a cracking one length second of 20 to Irish cavalier in a hot class 1 handicap at the Cheltenham Festival and a fine short-head second to Puffin Billy in a class 3 contest at Ascot.

Thomas Crapper was also far from disgraced when last seen in action and finishing seventh of 17 to Blood Cotil in a competitive handicap at the Punchestown Festival.