Month: December 2009

My last 6 selection have yielded 3 winners and I am hopeful of another good day tomorrow. The covers are on at both Ascot and Uttoxeter as the winter weather begins to bite.

Express Leader won a bumper at Wincanton before finishing runner up to Shinrock Paddy at Cheltenham. Beaten a short head on his hurdles debut in January he runs in the 12.45 at Ascot tomorrow where he should appreciate both the trip and the ground. A points winner he will probably be going over fences sooner rather than alter but given a strong pace he could well collect tomorrow.

Bellvano was mightily impressive when winning at Newbury and should have no trouble following up in the 1.55. Dave’s Dream, like Bellvano is trained by Nicky Henderson and can give the trainer a quick double by landing the 2.30. He was a workmanlike winner on his chase debut at Huntingdon and will have learned from that. Little Josh could be the danger as he is proven on heavy ground.

Ernst Blofeld was a beaten favourite on his chase debut but was not disgraced in second and should go one better in the 1.45 at Uttoxeter where the giant Big Burrows looks the danger.

Qualypso D’Allier was vying for the lead when hampered, unseating his rider at the last fence at Towcester last month. He was well backed that day and is worth an interest in the 2.50.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Jane Dunn.

Selections for Thursday

Exeter 1.50 Diamond Brook

Exeter 3.20 Carole’s Legacy

Ludlow 2.40 Brenin Cwmtudu

 

Oscar Whisky has won a couple of bumpers at Newbury and returns to the Berkshire track for his hurdles debut in the 1.25 tomorrow. He is likely to be hard to beat.

Nicky Henderson trains Oscar Whisky and he also has the likely winner of the 3.10 in Candy Creek another dual bumper winner who has already scored over hurdles. In the same race Cuckoo Pen could run well at a bigger price. He is a half brother to Carruthers and was a promising runner up at Uttoxeter in a bumper back in May.

At Bangor Black Jack Blues, twice a winner in bumpers, once at this track, made a pleasing start over hurdles at Newbury and should go well in the 12.10.

Point to point and bumper winner Peddlers Cross is my idea of the winner in the 1.45 while Dansimar is my selection in the 2.20.

Today’s picture is by courtesy of the artist Lisa Miller.

 

Rigadin de Beauchene has plenty of stamina in his pedigree as his half brother won the Welsh National and the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup. He runs in the 1.00 at Folkestone tomorrow and may find the trip on the short side. He is one to keep an eye on though especially over longer distances.

The other horse that catches my eye is Vodka Brook who runs in the 3.00. He has shown enough over fences to indicate that he will win races. He is on the small side though and is set to carry 11 stone 12 which puts me off tipping him.

So, no selections tomorrow.

With the meeting at Ayr tomorrow abandoned the only remaining jumps fixture is at Plumpton.

There is an interesting novice chase at 1.35. Francoek and Numide were both decent hurdlers but as yet have not shown the aptitude for fences that their connections light have hoped for. Either could come good here and of course the Paul Nicholls runner Mahonia has to be respected but in search of some value my selection is Shoreacres. A winner of a bumper at Plumpton he was 7^th in the Supreme Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and his stable is in good form.

When AP McCoy rides for trainer Charlie Egerton it is usually worth noting and tomorrow McCoy is on recent Ludlow winner Abbeviallian in the 2.05.

Today’s picture is by courtesy of the artist Katy Sodeau.

 

Sunday selections

Hereford 1.10 Wishfull Thinking

Cork 1.10 Quel Esprit

Navan 12.20 Cousin Vinny

Of the 8 selections given in last night’s preview we had 5 winners and a couple of seconds. The winners included Time for Rupert at 16/1, Mill Side at 11/2 and Spirit River at 11/4.

There is some exciting racing scheduled for tomorrow particularly at Cheltenham where the main event is the Boylesports Gold Cup at 2.25. Trainers Nicholls and Henderson could hardly be in better form and they are responsible for my two main fancies in the 12.45. Inchidaly Rock is the Nicholls runner. Unbeaten in three Irish points he had useful form over hurdles lasts season winning at Exeter and Taunton before going down by a head to Time For Rupert (see above) at Aintree. He got off the mark over fences at the first time of asking at Exeter beating Hey Big Spender who has won since. Zemsky, trained by Nicky Henderson, has a similar profile. A dual point to point winner, he won over hurdles at Plumpton and Perth. He finished runner up to Awsome George on his chase bow at Ascot over a trip that did not make best use of his stamina. These two both look nice prospects and their experience in the point to point field will stand them in good stead. Choosing between them is difficult, made more so by the fact that Zemsky is getting 5 lbs from his rival. Despite that I will side with the Paul Nicholls runner. But only just.

SA Suffitt was an impressive winner at Haydock last month and with his stable in excellent form he should go well in the 1.15. A bit of a dark horse in this is Fred’s Benefit, and ex Irish gelding now with David Pipe. He is having his first run of the season but goes very well fresh and could run well at a big price.

Poquelin was runner up in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last month and off a mark only 1 lb higher he has to be a major contender for the big race at 2.25 over course and distance. The form of that run has been franked since as the 4^th has won over hurdles and Our Vic, who was 6^th has also since won. There are two others I quite like. Chapoturgeon, the other Paul Nicholls runner, was a faller in the Paddy Power but was a winner at the Festival over course and distance last season and should give his supporters a run for their money. Lastly, I wouldn’t rule out Atouchbetweenacara, another course and distance winner who is having his first run for trainer Tim Vaughan.

 

Celestial Halo looks a very short price in the 3.05 and I prefer to take a chance with Champion Hurdle winner Punjabi (pictured above). I also think that Medermit, who shouldered a big weight when 3^rd in the Greatwood Hurdle could get in the shake up. Zaynar is hard to oppose in the 3.40 after his impressive victory at Ascot last month. We know he handles Cheltenham having won the Triumph Hurdle there last season and he should extend his winning sequence, possibly at the expense of northern challenger Cape Tribulation.

At Doncaster there are a couple of interesting ex flat horses making their hurdles debut. Successful handicapper Dhaular Dhar runs in the 12.00 while the classy Cesare takes his chance in the 1.00. Neither has guaranteed stamina and both are best watched for the moment. Full Speed is a winner over 10 furlongs on the flat and he could be the one to give Cesare most to think about.

Cockney Trucker fell at the 3^rd fence on his chase debut at Ascot but he has since ran well enough over hurdles and is worth another chance back over fences in the 1.35. Dolessthanme, 3 times a winner over hurdles was 2^nd on his first try over fences at Carlisle and looks the main danger.

Wessex King ran consistently over hurdles last season and at around 12/1 looks fair value in the 2.45. That’s Rhythm is going the right way judged on his win at Bangor and he is my selection in the 3.20.

I am going for a couple of outsiders at Lingfield with High Jack (12.55) and Bench Warrant (2.00). At Fairyhouse my main hope is Clan Tara in the 2.15. This 7 year old was only beaten a head by Pandorama at Punchestown in October and that horse has since won a Grade 1 chase.

The photo of Punjabi is by kind permission of Kate Tann.

Be lucky!

The main meeting tomorrow is at Cheltenham where I am hoping that Spirit River can get me off to a winning start in the handicap hurdle at 12.40 Spirit River. A winner over hurdles in France he has the look of a chaser and I am sure that his future in the longer will be over fences. He showed enough promise when finishing well on his UK hurdles debut at Newbury to suggest he can give a good account of himself here where the track should suit him.

Time For Rupert had an impossible task when well beaten at Ascot last time but he is clearly well thought of by connections and the longer trip in the 3.00 tomorrow should play to his strengths.

Alan King picked out Lidar as his horse to follow in a pre season interview and with the stable starting to pick up he could represent a bit of value against a Paul Nicholls “sure thing.”

There is an early start up at Doncaster where the action gets under way at 11.50. Madame Mado Menorah and Bobby Ewing all look good prospects. Madame Mado is a half sister to the ill fated chaser Le Volfoni and clearly has talent if not the durability of the ex Paul Nicholls trained horse. Madame Mado is respected but I just favour Menorah who has the benefit of a recent run.

In the 12.50 Noble Alan should get his preferred underfoot conditions and should be difficult to beat. Mill Side is a sound jumper suited by decent ground and looks each way value in the 2.35.

My selections at Gowran Park are Alaivan (12.10) and Luska Lad (1.10).

Today’s picture is by courtesy of the artist Lisa Miller.

Not a successful afternoon on the tipping front today although I was pleased that Mr Strachan won. I had spent some time on that selection and it’s nice when those win.

Looking for some value in the 12.30 at Huntingdon tomorrow I looked at Tara Taylor. She ran well when 3^rd at Uttoxeter on her seasonal reappearance but was a beaten favourite on her next start. She was ridden by Tony McCoy on that occasion and well fancied but she is only quite small and had to carry a big weight. With a lighter weight tomorrow she looks each way value at 14/1.

The 1.00 looks to be between Miss Sarenne and Calusa Crystal. Given the form of the stable my preference is for Miss Sarenne.

You could make out a case for most of the runners in the Peterborough Chase at 2.00. Racing Demon has won this race twice before and Henrietta Knight has an awesome record in the event. The two I looked at though were Tartak and Herecomesthetruth. With the former having run disappointingly on his last couple of starts I will go for the Paul Nicholls runner who looks to be on the upgrade.

Accordeon was twice runner up in bumpers at Ludlow and went on to win over hurdles there. He returns to the Shropshire track tomorrow to make his debut over fences in the 1.10. He looks one to follow.

Ruby Walsh has some good rides at Taunton, notably Valentine Vic (1.20) and Recif de Thaix (1.50). In the 2.20 I fancy The Betchworth Kid formerly rated 104 on the flat he won on his hurdles debut at Plumpton.

Today’s picture is by kind permission of the artist Sarah Clegg.