Turner's Earners: Hot to make rivals toil in Betfred test

HOT WELD (Sandown, 3.20) proved he is a different proposition when spring is in the air when, well backed, he defied a string of unimpressive form figures to win the Scottish National at Ayr last weekend.

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Disputing the lead throughout and jumping with gusto, the selection, who also won last season's National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival extended the fantastic run enjoyed by chasers trained by Ferdy Murphy in the last two months.

Murphy has enjoyed further success at the Punchestown Festival this week with Another Promise, while stablemate and fellow novice Aces Four was leading when he crashed out at the last in another race.

Running just a week after his Ayr exertions obviously leaves certain question marks over Hot Weld, who is available at 8-1.

But Murphy seems confident the effort has not left its mark and the fact that he must run from out of the handicap is not as relevant with the handicapper due to raise him by more in future.

Having won over further, I expect Hot Weld and jockey Graham Lee to test the stamina reserves of main rivals Alderburn, Cornish Sett and Reveillez as he tries to become the first horse to win the Scottish National and the Betfred Gold Cup in the same season.

Two Group events are the highlights of Flat racing on the mixed card at the Esher track and the best bet of the day looks to be on the level in the shape of CHORISTAR (Leicester, nap, 4.35).

He soon made amends for a luckless run at Warwick with victory at Beverley and can follow up.

The third there Torrens has won since, while his Warwick conqueror Apex has boosted the form by scoring again.

Mark Johnston's stayer PEPPERTREE LANE (Ripon, nb, 5.50) should be sharper for a recent outing and can take advantage of the weight he receives from the rest.

HALLA SAN (Ripon, 3.40) won in a fast time on his reappearance and can take the feature handicap at the Yorkshire course.

Lay of the day looks to be Orchard Supreme (Sandown, 4.55) who is well treated on his allweather form, but may not be as good on turf.

ROBIN'S PRINCIPAL BETS

Hot Weld -(Sandown, 3.20) 8-1 (Coral)

Choristar - (Leicester, nap, 4.35)

Peppertree Lane - (Ripon, nb, 5.50)

ROBIN'S LAY - Orchard Supreme (Sandown, 4.55)

GIMCRACK'S DOUBLE: Dempsey (Sandown, nap, 2.40) and Vortex (Leicester, 4.05)

CAPTAIN HEATH'S NAP: Dempsey (Sandown, 2.40)

FORMCAST SPECIAL BET: Rainbow Tree (Market Rasen, 2.35)

THE WIZARD: Burntoakboy (Ripon, 3.40)

WORK WHISPER: Ravarino (Wolverhampton, 8.25)

BURNT FINGERS: Sinead Of Aglish (Ripon, 4.40)

SANDOWN

Robin Goodfellow

2.10 Dusky Lord

2.40 Dempsey

3.20 Hot Weld

3.55 Jeremy

4.25 Al Tharib

4.55 Humungous

5.30 Bomber Command

Gimcrack

2.10 Dusky Lord

2.40 DEMPSEY (nap)

3.20 Reveillez

3.55 Jeremy

4.25 Chariots Of Fire

4.55 Prince Of Thebes

5.30 Everest

RIPON

Robin Goodfellow

2.30 Ponty Rossa

3.05 Melalchrist

3.40 Halla San

4.10 Faversham

4.40 Sinead of Aglish

5.15 Muqadam

5.50 Peppertree Lane (nb)

Gimcrack

2.30 Northern Fling

3.05 Melalchrist

3.40 Burntoakboy

4.10 Irish Relative

4.40 Bella Natasha

5.15 Latanazul

5.50 Peppertree Lane

MARKET RASEN

Robin Goodfellow

1.30 Three Ships

2.00 Self Respect

2.35 Rainbow Tree

3.10 Honest Endeavour

3.45 Talarive

4.15 Insurgent

4.45 Dream Garden

Gimcrack

1.30 Beau Largesse

2.00 Self Respect

2.35 Rainbow Tree

3.10 Honest Endeavour

3.45 Southern Bazaar

4.15 Major Blade

4.45 Issaquah

LEICESTER

Robin Goodfellow

2.20 Legendary Guest

2.55 Perfect Story

3.30 Gull Wing

4.05 Balthazaar's Gift

4.35 CHORISTAR (nap)

5.05 Many Volumes

5.35 Tetouan

Gimcrack

2.20 Legendary Guest

2.55 Pieter Brueghel

3.30 Soldiers Quest

4.05 Vortex (nb)

4.35 Can Can Star

5.05 Cedar Mountain

5.35 Feeling Wonderful

HAYDOCK

Robin Goodfellow

5.45 Eastern Romance

6.15 Morinqua

6.45 Major Magpie

7.15 Greek Well

7.45 Paymaster General

8.15 Dig Gold

Gimcrack

5.45 Janina

6.15 Mandurah

6.45 Major Magpie

7.15 Cripsey Brook

7.45 Best Selection

8.15 Dig Gold

WOLVERHAMPTON

Robin Goodfellow

7.00 Winthorpe

7.30 Paradise Walk

7.55 Windy Prospect

8.25 Ravarino

8.55 Ioweyou

9.20 Buscador

Gimcrack

7.00 Another Genepi

7.30 Nicomedia

7.55 Windy Prospect

8.25 Voice

8.55 Head To Head

9.20 Apache Fort