Placepot Pointers: Keep an eye on Brian Hughes' rides at Catterick on Thursday

The North Yorkshire Grand National is not only the feature of the day at Catterick, but it is also the fourth leg of Thursday’s Tote Placepot.

If you’re intending to tackle the six-leg bet this afternoon, remember that with Tote’s Placepot Insurance offer, we’ll give you your money back up to £10 if you are eliminated in the first leg. T&Cs apply.

To help you get through not just the first leg, but all six races you need to win a share of the pool, read on for our Placepot Pointers.

It’s currently soft underfoot conditions at Catterick but with rain forecast overnight and into Thursday, things could get testing, so you’ll need horses who handle give in the ground, and possibly stay that little bit further.

He’s Champion Jockey for a reason and Brian Hughes has started 2021 in smart fashion with 13 of his 22 rides this year winning or placing. Getting the leg up on five horses within the six Placepot legs on Thursday, he looks to have a good opportunity to improve that record further.

PUNCTUATION (Leg 1 12:40) was a smart flat horse for the Queen and Andrew Balding and makes his hurdling debut in the opener, while BARRICHELLO (Leg 3 - 13:40) has placed in all three of his novice hurdle events so far.

SHERIFF GARRETT (Leg 4 - 14:10) and BRIAN BORHANA (Leg 5 - 14:40) will need to bounce back under Hughes, but FAME AND HOPE (Leg 6 - 15:10) looks to be well and truly on the up and will be popular in the final leg of the Placepot.

He probably won’t go off favourite, but in a weak novices’ handicap chase, TIMELY GIFT will be hard to force out of the frame in Leg 2 (13:10).

He was twice a winner over hurdles last term and made a pleasing return after having a wind op last time out. His capable jumping display on chasing debut could only get him so far, finishing second to a well-handicapped rival who went on to hack up again next time.

It’s hard to foresee anything in this field as being as well treated as that one, and with Tim Vaughan’s horse dropped a couple of pounds in the weights, he looks ‘Placepot Banker’ material.

Rated 89 at his best on the flat, Punctuation could be a smart hurdling recruit if taking to the jumping game. He looks likely to top the betting for the opener, but there are a number of dangers lurking further down the field.

WISE EAGLE jumped with promise and kept on well in the latter stages to take second behind a potentially smart over course and distance last time out. While there’s the possibility he could bump into one or even two that are destined for good things here, he showed enough on his stable debut to warrant a spot in the Placepot.

Another making his hurdling debut is SALAMANCA SCHOOL who made little impact in handicaps on the flat after a few good runs in novice company, but did chase home Elham Valley on his final start on the level. That one has developed into a very useful hurdler, so if upholding the form, Warren Greatrex’s new recruit could possess a bit of ability himself. He’s a brother to Sofia’s Rock who is rated 140 over hurdles, so is a danger here if inheriting the family prowess.

The betting for the fourth leg of the day (14:10) looks likely to be topped by two last time out winners, but prior to those victories, they were hardly reliable, so expecting either to follow up could be dangerous.

Two for our perm to take on the favourites with are SOME CAN SING and SHERIFF GARRETT. The latter has the assistance of Brian Hughes and although he needs to bounce back to the form of two years ago, hasn’t been completely hopeless this term. He was only a head behind Loughermore - one of those two last-time-out winners - two starts back and meets that one on 3lb better terms, so could be in the mix at a price.

SOME CAN SING makes his first start for Stuart Edmunds since arriving from Ireland. He looked to be on the up since switching to hurdles last turn, culminating in a third at Fairyhouse in a race that’s working out OK. If his new handler can eke out some improvement, he’s a player.

Leg 1: Punctuation, Wise Eagle, Salamanca School

Leg 2: Timely Gift

Leg 3: Barrichello

Leg 4: Some Can Sing, Sheriff Garrett

Leg 5: Le Breuil, Brian Borhana

Leg 6: Fame And Hope, Gold Runner