LOOKING SHIPSHAPE

Climb on board a French revolution

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THE last time FRENCH SHIP (1.40) departed his dock, he bolted up by nearly four lengths from 19 rivals at Cheltenham in October when racing off a perch of 128.

Not surprisingly the assessor was impressed and hiked the Philip Hobbs and Johnson White improver to a ledge of 136.

But he still looks ahead of his mark, so the five-year-old will carry my hard-earned in the Join Coral Bet £10 Get £50 Handicap Hurdle over two and a half miles at Newbury. Harry Cobden is a rare jockey booking for the veteran Minehead trainer.

The most fascinating race of the season so far is the BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle over two miles at Newcastle.