WE HAVE had just three runners in the last week and we very nearly had a winner from debutant Masterius.

He was close to making a winning stable debut in the bumper at Market Rasen on Friday, losing out only by a head bob on the line. Our four-year-old was a new recruit from the sales at Doncaster and despite being a bit green in the preliminaries, he showed a great attitude.

Mancero was disappointing on the same day and couldn’t follow up his Worcester win. He looked in a bit of trouble when badly hampered by a faller and so Jack Tudor wisely pulled him up. Jack felt the track didn’t suit and we will return to a more galloping one next time. Similar comments apply to Ocean Heights who was third at Stratford. He hit a flat spot at a crucial time before staying on well up the straight; we will step him up in trip next time.

Our first runners of this week will be at Newton Abbot on Tuesday evening and Affection will make her hurdling debut in the juvenile contest. She is not very big but has a big heart and a good attitude and she ran well on stable debut to be third at Salisbury on the flat a couple of weeks ago.

Walkin Out will make her stable debut for us in the handicap chase over 2m5f. The mare has won 13 point to points and a hunter chase and we are delighted to have her to run this summer over fences. A handicap mark of 100 looks fair and she should go well.

Final Entry returns to the track after finishing third over course and distance last time out. He perhaps didn’t try as hard as he could of last time and while this race represents a step up in grade, we have changed the headgear and if he puts his best foot forwards he does have the ability to run well.

On Wednesday, we have runners at Worcester and Thetype Istitle will make her rules debut in the bumper. She is a relatively recent recruit from the Irish point to point ranks where she has run three times and finished third last time out.

Show Your Hand makes his hurdling debut in the novice event. He has finished runner up, narrowly beaten in his last two runs in bumpers and deserves to get his first victory. He schools well at home and will like the track and conditions.

Best Night, Captain Boudet and October Hill all have entries and could run. Best Night finished a good second to the in-form multiple winner Beorma last time while Captain Boudet reverts to hurdles and drops down in trip from his stable debut when he didn’t seem to see out the three mile trip as well as we hoped.

Looking further ahead to the weekend we have entries at Uttoxeter on Sunday. Grand Clermont has run very well in his last two starts and holds an entry in the feature Summer Cup chase.

American Sniper has an entry in the three-mile handicap hurdle. He returned to form and won at Newton Abbot on his latest start and the handicapper wasn’t too unkind so hopefully he is still handicapped well enough to run a big race.

Dave Pipe was talking to Richard Walsh