Warwick Tips: Act Of Authority can boss it for Murphy

There are five midweek meetings set to go ahead across Britain and Ireland on Wednesday, including the National Hunt offering at Warwick.

Conditions are forecast as ‘Heavy, soft in places’ for the card, which runs from 12:25-15:50, and we’ve picked out a trio to follow on the afternoon from Warwick.

They include Act Of Authority for Olly Murphy and Sean Bowen as the gelding takes a drop in class looking to grab his second hurdles win of the term.

13:30 Warwick – Act Of Authority @ 4/6

The Denis O’Connell Memorial ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle is race three on Warwick’s card on Wednesday and it should offer a good chance for Olly Murphy and Sean Bowen to team up successfully with Act Of Authority.

The son of Authorized won his Irish point in March 2022 and started out under rules with runner-up finishes at Musselburgh and Taunton in the early part of this year.

He was well touted for his hurdles bow at Bangor (2m½f, soft) in October and he defied a 216-day absence to score in pleasing fashion, leaving his rivals strung out in behind.

In his only run since he was sixth in a Grade 2 novice at Cheltenham last month, moving well for a long way, but lacking fluency at the second last and weakening from there. The winner went close in the Greatwood back at Cheltenham on Sunday.

Act Of Authority, along with Jonjo O’Neill’s C&D winner Soldierofthestorm, has a penalty to carry now, but this is a significant class drop and he can bag the prize based on that previous Bangor success.

14:40 Warwick – Marsh Wren @ 8/1

The Duncan Smith Over The Hill Birthday Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Chase looks a competitive little affair, with the likes of Lagonda, Kraqueline and Moviddy all respected, but Marsh Wren might be good enough to make a winning bow over fences for Stuart Edmunds and Ciaran Gethings.

The mare won her bumper at the first time of asking at Southwell in March 2021 and has gone on to enjoy decent success over timber, scoring four wins and a second from her eight attempts over hurdles.

Her wins last season at Exeter (2m2½f) and Uttoxeter (2m4f) both came on heavy ground and getting her toe in the ground appears to be a key factor for her, so the forecast conditions here will be optimal.

15:15 Warwick – Jimmy The Digger @ 5/2

The feature race on the Warwick card is the John Sumner Memorial Veterans’ Handicap Chase over three miles with a field of six engaged.

Top-weight Aye Right was only narrowly denied in this sphere at Chepstow last month and that form has been franked by the winner scoring again since at Sandown.

He only narrowly failed in giving away a chunk of weight that day and will have to try it again now with Henry Daly’s Jimmy The Digger feared.

He was shaping with lots of promise at Aintree last month in a similar event to this one when he was unfortunate to part company with Alice Stevens.

With his rider’s 5lb claim, they are in here carrying just 10st and that could be telling if they can get around intact this time.

Find more Horse Racing Tips here at Betfred Insights