Value Racing Club's latest purchase

Hot on the heels of their across the card double earlier in the week, Value Racing Club were active at the Tattersalls February Sales on Friday. The former Andrew Balding trained three year old Logistical was acquired for 20,000gns and is a juvenile hurdle prospect for next season. The son of Dandy Man cost €92,000 as a foal and raced a handful of times on the level for the Kingsclere yard earning an official rating of 69. Only beaten a length over twelve furlongs at Kempton in January, he wasn't disgraced at Wolverhampton last time. I contacted his previous owner's racing manager Joe Foley of Clipper Logistics who described him as a 'gorgeous big horse who will improve once strengthened up and will stay two miles.' Logistical will join Tom Lacey and racing manager James Couldwell is already eyeing a juvenile hurdle at Aintree in late spring/early summer. With shares available, please head to the Value Racing Club website if you wish to get involved.

Jonjo O'Neill had an excellent afternoon at Chepstow on Friday sending out a treble. Monbeg Genius is developing into a progressive young chaser and he completed the hat-trick in the novices' handicap chase over three miles off a mark of 132. Prominent throughout, he pulled away after the third last and was value for more than the winning margin of a length and a quarter. The Shantou gelding is unbeaten in three starts at the track and there is every possibility he will develop into a Welsh National contender one day. The seven year old has only raced nine times during his career and ought to continue to improve.

Inca De Lafayette ran better than his finishing position of sixth suggests in the two miles three handicap hurdle at the Welsh track. Paul Nicholls' ex-French gelding was returning from a break of 302 days and racing beyond two miles for the first time. The Gris De Gris gelding was patiently ridden by Harry Cobden before creeping into contention turning for home. Holding every chance after the third last, he began to fade leaving the impression he either needed the outing or failed to stay. Rated 113, it was only his third run over obstacles and is handicapped to win more races. Look out for him in a two miles handicap hurdle next time.

In terms of the Top 40 Prospects in One Jump Ahead, there hasn't been much to cheer about in recent weeks. However, I was pleased to see the horses featured on page 45 is entered next week because he needs to have one more run in order to qualify for the handicaps at Cheltenham next month.

There is still time to order a copy of the February Update. Please head to the Publications section of the site to secure your copy. I am working for Racing TV at Wetherby on Saturday and Carlisle on Monday and will therefore update the Diary shortly. From next week onwards, I will start working on Ahead On The Flat and already have some exciting news regarding the Talking Trainers section. All will be revealed in the coming weeks.