Scrumpy Boy – 2.14 Newton Abbott – 2m 5F Handicap Chase - 66/1 Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook, BetVictor – 1 Point Each Way.
The 10-year-old Scrumpy Boy has lost a large chunk of his career with an injury that kept him off the track for almost three and a half years.
Before the injury, he was starting to find his feet, albeit in the lower classes of racing, and was running consistently well in chases over 2 miles 4F on fast summer ground off marks between 75 to 80. He hadn’t won but was knocking at the door.
Scrumpy Boy has been on a recovery mission this season and his form has gradually improved with fitness, which has seen him run in two hurdles and two chases.
Before his injury connections made him wear a tongue-tie for his best runs, but this has been missing for his four return efforts. I, therefore, find it fascinating that the tongue tie is reapplied today along with first-time cheekpieces.
Despite them being rehabilitation runs he has still postmarked 73 & 75 in two of his races this season, so considering he runs off 73 today, with Harry Kimber taking off 7lb, netting his mark to just 66, he must have a chance of getting involved here.
I liked that connections sent off in the lead for his second run back, as Newton Abbott is well suited to front running/prominent tactics and I would love to see him up there from the start.
I think Scrumpy Boy has a good chance in this, although I’m worried about Master Mikey Dee who looks potentially progressive over fences, especially now he is sent up in trip.
However Mikey is 3/1 and Scrumpy Boy 66/1, so I’m happy to go 1 point each way on Scrumpy Boy.
He is still value at 20/1.