Month: December 2009

Yesterday’s selection was a very disappointing beaten favourite bringing a nice little winning run to an abrupt end. I will try to do better with tonight’s preview.

The going at Hexham is likely to be on the testing side which will suit the grey Huka Lodge in the 1.50. His best form is on heavy ground and he also comes into this race in good form having won for his new trainer at Carlisle last month. He has won at Hexham before but he has also run badly there on a number of occasions. Gypsy George is another that likes bottomless ground and although he has not run for a long time he has won after a break in the past. Mr Strachan only ran once last season so presumably had a problem of some sort but he has had a wind operation since and I thought put in an encouraging performance when 3^rd last month behind Silver By Nature at Carlisle. He has won on heavy ground over hurdles. At the odds my two against the field are Mr Strachan and Gypsy George.

Sir Boreus Hawk had good form in bumpers but always looked a future chase. He ran 3 times over hurdles winning once and goes over fences for the first time in the 2.20 at Hexham. I think he is the sort that could do well in novice chases but I have a slight concern over the ground. A small wager perhaps.

In the 3.20 Patchoulie Conti is the each way selection. A big mare she is gradually improving over fences and should go well at a decent price.

I thought Pause and Clause ran a good race when 4^th to Diamond Harry the other week over 3 miles 1. Back over a shorter trip tomorrow he should go close in the 2.20 at Leicester. Finally, in the 3.10 Friendly King has dropped down to what looks a winnable handicap mark.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Alison Wilson.

 

It was a good day for the site on Sunday with 6 winners including Sandynow and Hollins, both at 13/2.

I am going to concentrate on just one race tomorrow, the 1.20 at Sedgefield. Ballybriggan won a bumper at the end of last season when trained by Victor Dartnall. He has since moved to John Quinn’s yard and finished runner up on his hurdles debut at Market Rasen last month. The form of that race was given a boost when the 4^th horse Edge of Town won at Wetherby on Saturday. The main danger could be Cool Mission who is another to have changed stables. He was placed twice in bumpers last season when with Alan Swinbank but has now moved to Donald McCain’s yard. He looks an interesting prospect but Ballybriggan has the benefit of a recent run and is the only selection of the day.

 

Knockara Beau has made a promising start to his career over fences and should be suited by the trip, track and underfoot conditions in the Kelso 12.50 tomorrow. The race is named after former Scottish National winner Paris Pike (pictured below).

Although he is a 9 year old Money Trix has very few miles on the clock. He is 3 from 3 at Kelso, will like the ground and can land the 1.20.

The Borders National over 4 miles at 2.20 could turn into a bit of a slog and I have to admit that my selection, Garleton, is trying the trip for the first time. However he is in form having won his last two starts and has been finishing his races strongly. His stable had a winner today which is encouraging.

Hollins made a promising hurdles debut when 3^rd at Hexham where he faded in the closing stages. Over a shorter trip tomorrow in the 2.50 he should go well.

The two to concentrate on in the Warwick 12.40 look to be Copper Bleu and Aigle D’Or. Copper Bleu shape as though he would come on for the run when 3^rd at Exeter and the winner of the race has since won again. Aigle D’Or represents a stable bang in form and with AP McCoy in the saddle has to command respect but my preference is for Copper Bleu.

Former winning Irish pointer Sandynow was 4^th at Ludlow over 4 miles on his hurdles debut on good ground. He won his point to point on heavy ground so hopefully will put up a bold show over 2 miles 5 in the 2.40.

At Punchestown Hugo De Vindecy has been knocking on the door and should gain a deserved win in the 12.35.

The Grade 1 Chase at 2.05 features the first and second from last season’s Power’s Gold Cup, Aran Concerto and Barker as well as Joncol who was second to Tranquil Sea giving that horse 9 lbs back in October. They will all handle the ground and I expect Aran Concerto and Joncol to contest the finish.

Lenabane, a half brother to Moscow Flyer, has been placed on both his starts over fences and with the benefit of that experience can hopefully get off the mark in the 2.35.

The picture of Paris Pike is by kind permission of the artist Jenny Lupton.

On the face of it Silverburn has little to recommend him other than the fact that he is Denman’s brother. He was pulled up on his last two starts and hasn’t won for getting on for two years. He has moved from Paul Nicholls’ stable and is now with Evan Williams and it may be that a change of scenery will do him good. He runs in the Sandown 12.55 tomorrow where he will at least have the going to suit him. He seems to like Sandown as his last two wins were both at the Esher track.

There is a field of only 4 runners for the Grade 2 chase at 1.55 where I fancy Crack Away Jack and Somersby to be the main contenders. The former was 4^th in the Champion Hurdle and, like Somersby has already won over fences. Somersby has the size and scope to make a decent chaser and at the current odds he looks to be the value.

The Tingle Creek does not make much appeal from a betting point of view. A good case could be made for 4 of the runners. I see that the newspaper tipsters overwhelmingly favour Twist Magic, presumably on the basis of his course form. Well Chief seems largely ignored despite beating Master Minded last time. Well Chief himself has an excellent record at Sandown and I am inclined to stick with him here. Forpadytheplasterer looks a big price as well but it’s Well Chief for me.

Tasheba is a horse I had high hopes for this season but he was disappointing on his seasonal reappearance when last in the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton. He carries top weight in the 3.00 at Sandown tomorrow but I am not convinced that he will be suited by the ground so I will keep a watching brief on this one.

One horse that will like the ground is the dour stayer Russian Trigger and he is my selection for the London National at 3.30.

A winner on the flat in Germany Sullumo was also a decent hurdler and did nothing wrong on his debut over fences at Uttoxeter last month. He has to give weight to most of his rivals in the Chepstow 1.05 but he can jump and he handles the ground.  In the same race Giles Cross looks a big price for a horse that looks sure to handle the conditions. 

The Begrudger represents Paul Nicholls in the 1.35. He is an Irish points winner and is related to Denman all of which indicates that chasing will be his game in the long term. He makes his hurdles debut for Paul Nicholls in the 1.35.

I thought that Lodge Lane ran well behind Money Trix on his last start. He handles give in the ground and has a very capable amateur jockey on board tomorrow in the 2.35.

I thought long and hard about Cashel Blue in the 3.05. He looks well handicapped and he is a course and distance winner. There is a doubt about his ability to handle really testing ground though which tempers my enthusiasm a little,

Trainer Alan Swinbank has an excellent record in bumpers and his Royal Riviera looks interesting in the Wetherby 2.10.

Former Champion Hurdle runner up Osana won on his chase debut and is fancied to follow that up with another win at Navan in the 1.00.

Today’s photograph is of Twist Magic and is included by kind permission of Kate Tann.

Just the one winner today, Bakbenscher at 5/2 although we also had a couple of seconds, at 5s and 3s.

Tomorrow sees the start of the Tingle Creek meeting at Sandown. The 2.00 looks a tricky puzzle to solve despite there being only 5 runners. Like Minded has the form and is trained by Paul Nicholls. A points winner on fast ground he then won an all weather bumper before finishing 4^th in the Aintree festival bumper, He got off the mark over hurdles last month on good ground. Now all of this hints at the possibility that he may not appreciate testing ground so he has a question mark against him. Manyriverstocross, rated 97 on the flat made a winning start to his hurdles career at Chepstow in good style but was then a beaten favourite at Ascot – more question marks! Vino Griego was even more disappointing in that Ascot race having previously shown decent form in bumpers. Frascati Park was runner up in the Persian War Novices Hurdle at Chepstow which looked a good effort at the time although the winner has since been beaten. A fascinating contest this and I am going to try Vino Griego at a big price. His bumper from was on soft and heavy ground and there are doubts about whether some of the others will handle the conditions.

Exeter selections; 12.30 Sona Sasta: 1.00 James De Vassy (danger Royal Charm): 1.35 Bensalem: 2.45 Time to Think: 3.20 Qualypso D’Allier.

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

Last night’s preview was again reasonably successful as the steady trickle of winners continues.

At Leicester tomorrow I will put up Pearlysteps each way as my first selection. This one has always looked the type to improve with experience and looks to be worth a small each way interest at around 7/1.

Donald McCain has his horses in good from and his newcomer from the flat Al Qeddaaf looks worth considering in the Market Rasen 12.55. A winner on the soft at Yarmouth over a mile he was also placed on the flat over 10 furlongs.

My selections at the other meetings are Right Suff (2.15) and Bakbenscher (2.45) at Wincanton and Sorceror (12.50) and Askthemaster (1.50) at Naas.

We seem to be on quite a respectable run at present with Shamwari Lodge the latest winner coming in at 2/1 having opened at 100/30. Call Me Mulligan ran a promising race in 4^th while I am afraid Hurlingham performed rather less well.

By far the best quality racing tomorrow is set to come from Fairyhouse so I am hoping that the weather will not intervene. One of the stars on show is Dunguib who runs in the 12.45. The Cheltenham Festival Bumper winner has actually finished first in all his races to date but does not have an unblemished record as he was disqualified after winning the Punchestown Champion bumper after failing a drugs test. He has already won twice over hurdles and looks the real deal. He is impossible to oppose although there are other decent horses in the race, notably Sweeps Hill and Some Present. The former “won” the race at Punchestown after the disqualification of Dunguib. He had earlier won a Leopardstown bumper and has already won a couple of times over hurdles. On his latest start he beat Some Present at Punchestown but that was a falsely run race and not a particularly reliable looking form guide. Some Present was impressive on his latest start when just unable to peg back Loosen My Load in a quality Grade 2 race at Cheltenham. A hot contest this but Dunguib will be expected to win.

There are some very nice prospects in the 1.20. Roberto Goldback is one for the short list. On his last start he was only beaten three parts of a length by the useful Osana at Navan. Pesoto comes into the race on the back of a win at Limerick on heavy ground and is another to consider. Pandorama will relish the testing ground. He is a grade 1 winner over hurdles and got his chasing career off to a winning start beating Clan Tara by a head at Punchestown despite not seeming to enjoy the configuration of the track. My narrow preference is for Pesoto.

In the 1.50 Shakersilz will enjoy the conditions and could go well at a price but Catch Me looks the most likely winner. A winner on his chase debut at Cork he then fell at the last when leading at Navan. A clear round should see him gain compensation here.

The two I like in the 3.25 are Prince of Milan and Arvika Ligeonniere. At the odds I will go for Prince of Milan each way.

We go from Ireland to Scotland now for a look at the card up at Ayr. The 12.20 features 3 promising types who all have something to prove after being beaten on their latest starts. Premier Sagas showed plenty of promise in bumpers but could only finish 5^th on his hurdles debut at Newcastle. Irish points winner Tara Royal was sent off 3/1 favourite on his hurdles debut at Chepstow but could only finish 9^th. Turbo Island on both his bumpers but was then 8^th on his hurdles debut, another beaten favourite. Turbo Island won both his bumpers at Ayr and that course form just sways me into tipping him ahead of Premier Sagas.

Skipper’s Brig has won 6 times in his career. Those wins were all in heavy ground. In fact he has never lost in heavy ground and has never won in anything else. Useful stat? Possibly – he runs in the 1.25.

The 1.55 does not look the strongest of races. Mister Marker who is related to Grand National winner Silver Birch could be the answer. Delightfully should appreciate the trip and could be worth an each way interest.

The unbeaten Alegralil has looked impressive when winning 2 bumpers and a novice hurdles and can maintain that unbeaten record in the 2.15 at Catterick. My other selection at the Yorkshire track is Mirage Dore in the 2.45 for new trainer Rose Dobbin.

They are also racing at Plumpton where the 1.00 looks quite a tricky little race. Aux Le Bahnn is a horse I have always liked. He won 3 times over hurdles last season but fences were always going to be his thing. The Sliotar was 4^th in the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival last season. He looks an out and out stayer and this trip could just be on the short side for him. Chariot Charger was a pleasing 2^nd over course and distance a couple of weeks ago and I will burden him with my selection.

Today’s pictures are courtesy of the artist Margaret Barrett.

Good luck!