Angers holds its second National Hunt meeting of 2021 and the opening AQPS bumper (9.50am) looks a belter. 2019 AQPS Gr.3 winner Giga Star makes her eagerly-awaited comeback from just over a year on the sidelines, but we’ll take her on today with Huflower, who looks a talented individual in his own right and is receiving plenty of weight from the filly.
Fourth at Senonnes on debut, Huflower ran an incredible race on his second start; completely missing the break, he made up a huge amount of ground in the straight to finish a close second. Off the mark at the third attempt, when again showing a smart turn of foot to get up close home, he looks capable of gaining black type in this sphere and looks overpriced this morning at 15/2.
9.50am Le Lion d’Angers – 1pt each-way Huflower @ 15/2 (Skybet, 7-1 elsewhere)
Trainer Laurent Viel was on the scoresheet at the provincial track a week ago and has strong claims of adding another success today with Aedesia.
The daughter of Turgeon has her third run over fences in what looks a weak affair and she has more than enough form in the book to suggest she can shed her maiden tag this afternoon. Her summer form behind the likes of Le Listrac and Fortune’s Melody reads really well in the context of this race and she showed plenty on her first couple of outings over the winter season in Cagnes, before a below-par effort behind Adonis Hurdle-bound Margarets Legacy there when last seen on Christmas Day.
However, a Listed entry at the same track in January suggests she came out of that race well and connections have given her plenty of time to get over those exertions. Her capable conditional rider claims a valuable 9lbs and she looks an excellent each-way proposition here.
10.20am Le Lion d’Angers – 1pt each-way Aedesia @ 6-1 (All firms)
