Wetherby Preview: Dunowen Point handicapped to deliver

Dunowen Point has dropped to a dangerous mark and can take advantage to provide trainer Donald McCain with a much welcomed winner in the feature 2m handicap chase at Wetherby today (1.50).

The gelding was a prolific winner in the past but has now gone 12 starts without tasting success.

However, that has resulted in the eight-year-old dropping markedly in the weights and he now gets into this class 3 contest off a career-low chase mark of 120.

That is 10lb lower than when Dunowen Point registered his last success in a class 2 contest over course and distance back in January 2013.

It gives the son of Old Vic major claims at the weights, especially as he went on to finish runner-up at this venue off 134 after that success and a cracking fourth of 29 to Triolo D’alene in the class 1 Topham Chase at Aintree off 138.

That is very strong form in the context of this contest, and Dunowen Point should now be spot on to do himself justice after finishing fourth at Aintree on seasonal reappearance last month in a hotter contest than this.

It’s also interesting that Dunowen Point is the first runner for McCain in 11 days.

The Cheshire-based handler has been badly out of form this season, but it would be no surprise to see him start banging in the winners after a break if he has found what has been troubling his team.

Elswhere on the card, trainer David Pipe has major claims of landing a double with Too Generous and Smiles For Miles.

Too Generous won four of her first five starts in bumpers/novice hurdles in 2012/13 and ran some solid races to be placed in class 4 handicaps last season.

The six-year-old mare now drops down significantly in class into claiming company for the first time, and that is going to make Too Generous hard to beat on the pick of her form.

Smiles For Miles bolted up on chasing debut at Chepstow last week and is impossible to oppose under a 6lb penalty in the 2m 6f handicap chase (3.00).