Highlight of the day’s arcing for me was the listed race for stayers at Nottingham where Michael Bell’s filly Gull Wing just got up to beat the giant Shipmaster after a fair old tussle between the pair.
Over the next few days of course we have some high class racing over the sticks at Aintree culminating in the Grand National on Saturday. In the 2.00 Inglis Drever is obviously the one to beat if he can translate his Cheltenham form to Aintree. On form he has to be the likely winner but he will start at cramped odds. Blazing Bailey has had to give best to Inglis Drever several times over the last few seasons. He wears first time blinkers but there does not seem to be any good reason why he should reverse the form with his old rival. Of each way interest are Millenium Royl and the Coral Cup runner up Kicks for Free.
The 2.35 does not look a great betting medium. Clearly Kauto Star should win, he is facing horses he has beaten many times before. He had a hard race at Cheltenham though and anyway didn’t really shine in the Gold Cup. Like the first race, this is not one to get too heavily involved in from a betting aspect.
Celestial Halo was an impressive winner at Cheltenham I can see him adding to that success in the 3.10.
In the 4.20 dual course and distance winner Lennon can open his account for the season albeit rather belatedly at the expense of Andreas and Bambi L’Orme.
Francheok has done little wrong this season and should be suited by the step up in trip in the 4.55 as he was a stayer on the flat. Whiteoak has only been out of the first 3 once on her career. She won the mares only hurdle at Cheltenham and gets a handy weight allowance here. She is worth considering while I expect Lightning Strike to run well at a bigger price. Franchoek is the selection though.
Junior ran a cracker in the Coral Cup and he is my selection in the 5.30 where Tot O’Whisky who was 3rd in a hot race at Sandown on his last start the other one I fancy.
On the flat at Leicester Quiet Elegance, a half sister to Reverence, runs in the 3.20. She won her only start as a 2 year old in a Nottingham maiden. In the 4.30 Peter Chapple-Hyam gives a debut to a very interesting newcomer in Empowered who is a half brother to Authorized.
At Taunton Wild Tonto looks over priced in the 4.40.
ahorse 