Coeur de Lion looks ahead of his mark and worth a punt in the Cesarewitch Trial at Newmarket today (3.10).
Alan King’s trained gelding developed into a very smart juvenile hurdler last season, winning twice and finishing a fine seventh of 15 to Defi Du Seuil in the Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival to be rated 144.
Coeur de Lion has had just one start since, when opening his account on the level in good style when landing a 2m handicap at Nottingham back in May.
The four year-old took up the running approaching the final furlong and forged clear to easily beat McCools Gold by three lengths off a mark of 73.
A 6lb rise for that impressive success looks lenient, and a revised rating of 79 looks very exploitable in relation to his jumps mark.
Coeur de Lion has not been seen since and that suggests connections have kept him fresh for this en route to a crack at the big race itself.
Off a featherweight of just 8st, and with Hollie Doyle in the saddle taking off another 3lb with her claim, he looks weighted to take all the beating.
Daily Sport rceommended bet: 2pts each-way Couer de Lion (5/1 generally avalaible – use BOG firms)