Utility is strongly fancied at 3/1 to land the spoils in the 4.10 at Worcester today.
Jonjo O’Neill’s five-year-old looked a very smart prospect when cruising clear to score by 11 lengths on debut in a bumper at Uttoxeter 18 months ago.
He was sent off just 4/1 for the Champion Bumper at Aintree on the back of that runaway success, but trailed in a tailed-off 14th of 17 to Bacardy’s and was clearly amiss.
Utility was then off the track for 178 days before shaping with bags of promise on hurdles debut at Southwell when a very tenderly handled fourth before being ridden prominently and readily beating Mister Big by 1 1/2 lengths in a competitive 13-runner maiden hurdle at Chepstow with more in hand than the winning margin suggests.
He was allotted an opening handicap mark of 118 on the back of that victory but failed to shine on handicap debut at Sandown when sent off a heavily backed 5/4 favourite and trailing in eighth.
Utility also ran below expectations next time up at Ludlow but was going well and looked set to score last time out at Kempton when comming to grief at the last.
Although now up 3lb a revised rating of 117 could still seriously underestimate Utility’s ability.
Daily Sport recommended bet: 4pts win Utility (3/1 generally available – use BOG firms)