One winner from 3 selections this afternoon so the weeks decent strike arte continues.
There are 3 jumps meetings tomorrow and hopefully all will go ahead in spite of the frost that is predicted.
Starting at Ascot Nicky Henderson’s Mad Max makes his belated appearance having injured himself before his scheduled debut when head butting his horse box! He won both his bumpers last season, the second of which was a strong looking event at Newbury. Nicky Henderson has said that he has never trained a bigger horse and the future for Mad Max will no doubt be as a staying chaser. The Henderson team could hardly be in better form and it would be no surprise if Mad Max were to win tomorrow on his hurdling debut in the 12.55. If he is going to start at odds on though he is hardly going to be a value bet.
Five of the 9 runners in the 2.05 come into the race on the back of a win so it looks quite a hot little contest. The two I like are Bakbenscher and Shoreacres. Bakbenscher won 2 of his 3 bumpers last season but had to work hard to win on his hurdles bow at Stratford. He is well regarded by his trainer Alan King and is quite probably better than he looked that day. Shoreacres also has solid bumper form, having finished 4th in the Cheltenham Festival bumper. He won well first time over hurdles beating a well regarded runner from Nicky Henderson’s yard by 10 lengths. These are my two against the field with Shoreacres the narrow pick if I have to nominate one horse.
Soleil Fix, who runs in the 2.40, is a real fun horse. He is always ridden by his owner and has won 4 races. I think he will add to his tally at some stage of the season, possibly at Fontwell the scene of all his wins so far. I will give him a miss tomorrow.
In the 3.15 Mokum will have both track and ground in his favour and could go well at a nice price. Another that should appreciate the good going is the consistent Cornas. He is my selection in the 3.50.
Fistral Beach is apparently quite high in the novice hurdle pecking order at the Paul Nicholls yard and he can make a winning start to his campaign over timber in the 1.05 at Exeter.
There are some promising novice chasers in the 1.40. Wichita Lineman got off the mark over fences at the first time of asking at Chepstow last month. He was rated 156 over hurdles and is clearly potentially useful. Lodge Lane has won 5 of his 7 starts and now sets out on a career over fences. He looks an exciting prospect. Pancake represents the stable that has won this race for the last couple of seasons. Pancake has more experience over fences than Wichita Lineman and is a serious contender. I am going to work on the basis that Lodge Lane will need the run and given soft ground Pancake may be the value bet.
Buck the Legend remains a maiden after 12 races which is a bit of a worry but he shaped with promise on his debut over fences at Chepstow and he looks interesting in the 2.50. Pistol Desbois won his last two starts over hurdles last season. He fell on his only previous effort over fences but was running a promising race at the time. He is lightly raced and looks the type to do well over fences. Buck the Legend and Pistol Desbois are my two fancies in this race.
A winning pointer in Ireland Putney Bridge won bumpers at Galway and Stratford last season. Trained by up and coming handler Tim Vaughan he should go well in the 12.15 at Kelso where the other one I like is Bogside Theatre. Trained by George Moore Bogside Theatre won twice on the flat but also ran well in defeat notably when 3rd in the Northumberland plate.
The ex Italian Signalman is another winner from the flat. He made an encouraging hurdles bow when beaten a neck at Newcastle. He can gain compensation in the 12.45.
My best bet at Newcastle is Naiad de Misselot in the 1.50. He won the Coral Cup last season over hurdles and was most impressive when going down to Rightway Star by a head at Haydock on his debut over fences.
Today’s pictures are courtesy of the artist Karen Davies. See links for more example of her work.
That is it for tonight.
ahorse 