Category: Horse racing

Quaddick Lake gave me another winner this afternoon so our good run continues.

Jumping takes centre stage over the next 3 days with the Grand National meeting at Aintree, probably my favourite meeting of the year.

Big Bucks will be odds on favourite to take the opener at 2.00 after his success in the World Hurdle. He has plenty going for him and is the clear form pic but sometimes Cheltenham form does not transfer itself to Aintree so we need to be a bit careful. Mighty Man is unbeaten at Aintree and probably poses the biggest threat.

Of the rest Duc de Regniere and Pettifour have both failed to build on early season successes. Of the pair I favour Duc de Regniere who missed Cheltenham and should appreciate both ground and track.

In the 2.35 Starluck will have his supporters as he looks to have conditions very much in his favour. He certainly has every chance but for my selection I am going for the Paul Nicholls trained Hebridean who has been aimed at this race for some time and will like the ground. One perhaps for a small each way interest is recent Plumpton winner first avenue who was a decent performer on the flat.

Denman (pictured below) captured the hearts of the racing public with his gallant 2nd in the Gold Cup. He seeks to ends his truncated season on a winning note in the 3.10. He acts on the ground OK although the track may be on the sharp side for him. The main danger may come from Exotic Dancer who has a consistent record at the track but I will stick with Denman.

In the 4.20 I will put forward a trio of possible. The grey Pasco wa a disappointment at Cheltenham but may not have been suited by the track. He should be more at home at Aintree and looks to have a chance. Oh Crick was a Cheltenham winner so certainly comes into this race in good form. He looks a progressive sort and is suited by good ground. The key to Killmackiloge seems to be to catch him fresh as he has won first time out for the last 3 seasons. He has had a rest now since winning at Wetherby in November and does look as though he has been aimed at this race.

Easy Cheltenham winner Chapoturgeon will like as not be a warm order in the 4.55. However he does not look great value stepped up in class and there are plenty more in with chances. Ouzbeck will love the ground and has been dropped 4 lbs by the assessor since his last run. Gauvain was a winner at Sandown a couple of runs ago and was far from disgraced when 6^th in the Arkle. Calgary Bay let his supporters down in the Arkle but should find the extra distance here to his liking. He is one to consider with the Champ on board. Tartak and Planer of Sound were 5^th and 3^rd respectively in the Arkle and these two would be my main fancies. I will give slight preference to Planet of Sound who has not done much wrong this season and goes well racing left handed.

8 out of the last 10 winners of the 5.30 have started at 10/1 are bigger so perhaps we should keep an eye on some of the outsiders. At 20/1 last year’s winner Auroras Encore could be of interest. He is 6 lbs higher this time round but is in good form having won at Carlisle on his last start. Otage de Brion is overpriced at 50/1. All his acreer wins have come on good ground. He reverts to hurdles here after some disappointing efforts over fences. Mumbles Head was 3^rd at Uttoxeter a couple of weeks ago when having his first run for nearly 2 years. He drops back in trip tomorrow though which may not be ideal.

Nearer the head of the market are the well fancied trio of Big Eared Fran, The Polomoche and Prince Taime. The latter was 3^rd in the Imperial Cup and has since won over the fixed brush hurdles at Haydock. Big Eared Fran won at Sandown on Imperial Cup day and was then 3^rd to Andytown at Cheltenham in the conditional jockey’s race. He will like the ground. This is a very tough race but for my selection I have decided to go with The Polomoche who was not suited by the tacky ground at Cheltenham but will have conditions more to his liking tomorrow.

At Taunton my only selection is Prairie Spirit in the 5.15. He was an impressive winner at Hereford last week and looks the one to be on.

On the all weather at Kempton I will go for Pearl of Manacor to bounce back from a recent defeat over course and distance in the 7.55 where he will wear a visor nfor the first time.

There are some interesting runners at Leicester where I am hopeful of a few winners.

Starting at the 2.10 the Brocklesby runner up Archers Road will be the one they all have to beat.

In the 3.55 King’s Destiny, a winner at Lingfield in December should be all the better for a step up in trip and I would be very hopeful about his chances.

In the 4.30 there are a couple that I like. Cherish the Moment and Favours Brave both went into my notebook when finishing 6^th on their only starts as juveniles.

Finally in the 5.05 Shemoli could go well at a big price.

Today’s pictures are by kind permission of the artist Lisa Miller.

 

With the flat season not yet in full swing and the jumpers waiting for Aintree there is not much to comment on tomorrow.  I will just put forward a couple of suggestions.

On the flat it might pay to follow Ben’s Dream in the Kempton 8.20. He ran 4 times as a juvenile, finishing runner up on his last two starts.

Over the jumps I will stick with the David Pipe trained Quaddick Lake to follow up his recent Taunton success in the 2.40 at Exeter.

Today’s picture is by kind permission of the artist Sally Martin (see links).

 

I have experienced the ups and downs of the tipping game over the weekend. After having a miserable time of it on Saturday there were winners aplenty this afternoon with Palace Moon (6/1) on the flat and Touch of Irish (5/6) , Classic Cut (5/2) and Nearby (6/1) over the sticks.

I just have the one selection tomorrow, Breakwater House each way in the Newcastle 3.10.

There is not much that appeals at Doncaster tomorrow, although Palace Moon did catch my eye in the 4.15. He didn’t appear as a juvenile but showed promise in all of his 3 runs last year as a 3 year old. He seems to have more scope than some of his more exposed rivals.

Touch of Irish makes his hurdles debut in the 2.10 at Kelso tomorrow. He ran 5 times in bumpers last season winning twice and running with credit in defeat at the Aintree and Punchestown festivals. He looks an interesting prospect.

Classic Cut has run well on his last two starts and the form of both races has worked out well. He looks the one they all have to beat in the 3.50.

Nearby was runner up at Taunton on his last start and should be suited by the quicker ground at Newton Abbot tomorrow in the 2.50.

At Leopardstown I will go for a bit of an outsider in the 2.30. Gleaming Silver was 2^nd on her only start last season from a poor draw and could be each way value at 12/1.

Intense Focus looks the likely winner of the 3.00 but look out for the other Jim Bolger runner Vocalised who will be winning before the end of the season.

In the 4.05 by selection is the course and distance winner Chintz.

Today’s picture is by kind permission of the artist Margaret Barrett.

As the new flat season kicks off tomorrow the logical place to begin tonight’s preview is with the Lincoln handicap which is the Doncaster 3.55. My long tern fancies for this, the first big handicap of the new season have been Charm School and Expresso Star, both trained by the in form John Gosden. I will stay faithful to those two although Expresso Star is not certain to run as he needs soft ground. The other one I would consider is Benandonner. He is potentially well drawn, acts of the track, is a distance winner and come from a stable that is in good heart.

Ex Southampton footballer Mick Channon has a few horses with names that are connected with the Hampshire town. He saddles Archer’s Road who takes his name from a street that was adjacent to the old Dell, in the Brocklesby at 2.10. This one has possibilities as does Could It Be Magic who comes from a stable that traditionally does well in this sort of race.

Michael Dods saddles a couple of horses in the 2.45, The Osteopath and Osteopathic Remedy, both believe it or not owned by an Osteopath! They both have each way chances but for my selection, again each way, I will take a chance with Jim Goldie’s Nanton who was runner up in the Cambridgeshire last season and has since dead heated for first place at Wolverhampton.

In the 3.20 my twp against the field are Inxile and Against the Grain, although the latter will only run if there is sufficient rain.

Classically, who runs in the 4.30 is a half brother to the 1,000 Guineas winner Speciosa. He made significant late progress when finishing 2^nd in a back end maiden at Newbury last season on his only start as a juvenile. He is one of my fancies in this race while I also like London Bridge who showed promise when runner up in the other division of that Newbury maiden.

Surprise Pension last ran on the flat when 2^nd at Catterick. He has since won over hurdles and may be on a handy mark. At around 8/1 he look value in the 5.40.

Lingfield stage a good jumps meeting. The card gets under way with a “national hunt” hurdle at 2.15 where I have a short list of 3. Tanks for That is lightly raced and had his well regarded stable companion Ravello Bay back in 3^rd when winning last time out at Sandown. Schindler’s Son, a winner at Uttoxeter in May, was 8^th in the Swinton Hurdle at Haydock subsequently and merits respect. Kangaroo Court was well beaten in the Supreme Novice at the festival but had decent form before that. Kangaroo Court may well start favourite here but Tanks for That is a potential improver and gets the selection.

In the 4.00 Lodge Lane is a horse I have always liked and I would normally support him but he has been pulled up on his last two starts and wears first time blinkers. I am a bit reluctant to take a short price about him in the circumstances. Quickbeam would be a possible alternative. He is not without risks as his jumping can be chancy buy he has completed on his last 4 starts and at 11/2 is perhaps better value than Lodge Lane.

The 4.35 sees the return to action of former Arkle and World Hurdle winner My Way de Solzen. He would probably have too many guns for his opponents here if back to his best but he has been well below par for a while now and I prefer the progressive Miss Mitch who beat Something Wells at Ascot on her last start and the runner up has franked the form since by winning at Cheltenham. Another to consider in this race at a bigger price would be the lightly raced Money Order who showed a lot of promise before encountering injury problems.

My selections at Uttoxeter are Putney Bridge (3.10) and Openditch (4.20).

Today’s pictures are by kind permission of the artist Jo Stockdale (see links).

 

Once again there were plenty of winners highlighted in last night’s preview so let’s see if we can continue the good run. Selections for tomorrow are as follows.

Ascot 2.55 Kealshore Boy

Fontwell 4.30 Carrickmines

Wolverhampton 8.50 Northern Bolt

One to look out for tonight at Wolverhampton is Khan Tengri in the 7.20.

The steady trickle of winners continued today thanks to Quaddick Lake (9/1) and Rockiteer. There are 3 UK jumps meetings tomorrow to go at with interesting runners at each of the venues.

Hello Moscow gave Tony McCoy his 2,999^th winner at Plumpton and the pair are reunited in the Towcester 3.55 where they have an each way chance at around 7/1.

I have been following Pterodactyl all season without success. I will stick with him in the 4.30 as he is sure to win if I desert him.

The well bred Cornerback won at Kelso earlier in the month and if in the same form in the Carlisle 2.25 will take all the beating.

Auroras Encore looks the form pick in the 3.00. I have a sneaking feeling that we haven’t yet seen the best of the fragile Breakwater House who could be worth a small saver in this race.

Open de L’Isle has been running quite well without winning. He is stepped up in trip in the 4.10 which should suit him. Marleybow has been given a chance by the handicapper and has the talent to pose a threat if he doesn’t waste his energy by pulling too hard in the early stages.

At Hereford I am quite interested in Prairie Spirit in the 2.35. He was a winner 5 times on the flat in France.

Paul Nicholls has his share of beaten favourites, with the 1/10 Conflictofinterest a case in point the other day. Rippling Ring, who makes his chase debut in the 3.45 was himself beaten when 8/15 at Aintree at the start of the season. It will be interesting to see how he fares on his chase debut in modest company but he is clearly not a betting proposition.

In the 5.35 Persian Gates has an each way squeak.

At Southwell The Tatling goes for his 15^th career win at the ripe old age of 12 in the 3.30. He goes well at the track and looks the one to beat.

My thanks to Kate Tann for the photo of Towcester racecourse.

The picture of the Tatling is by kind permission of the artist Lisa Miller (see links)

Small fields are the order of the day at Taunton tomorrow where the ground is likely to be on the fast side.

In the 3.00 I am inclined to oppose the Paul Nicholls trained favourite with either Rockiteer or Schindler’s Son. Rockiteer comes into the race on the back of a win at Huntingdon a few weeks ago. The runner up in that race was 3^rd behind First Avenue at Plumpton yesterday so the form looks solid enough. Schindler’s Son has not run since he was pulled up at Market Rasen in July. A winner at Uttoxeter last May he finished 8^th behind Blue Bajan in the very competitive Swinton Hurdle at Haydock. He has twice been pulled up when running on soft ground which makes me think the prevailing conditions at present should suit him.

Peter Pole hacked up at Southwell today and if running again in the 3.30 he will be hard to beat.

Both Winsley Hill’s wins have come on good to firm ground. She rarely runs a bad race and with the very capable Felix de Giles booked to ride she should go well in the 4.00.

David Pipe had a couple of winners yesterday which bodes well for his runners tomorrow. Both Quaddick Lake (4.30) and The Pious Prince (5.00) are worth careful consideration.

Today’s picture is by kind permission of the artist Trudy Redfern.

 

Peter Pole absolutely hacked up at Exeter on his UK debut and it seems unlikely that a 7 lbs penalty will stop him from going in again at Southwell tomorrow in the 2.15. Another horse to keep tabs on in this race is Paradise Regained who has impressed with his jumping and should have a race in him, if not tomorrow then at some stage before the end of the season.

 

Of the horses featured in last night’s preview Glencree ran with credit in second while Joker’s Legacy was a winner at long odds on.  Neither of the Irish selections ran.

Not much of interest tomorrow.  First Avenue should be up to winning over hurdles.  He goes in the Plumpton 2.30.

Today’s featured painting is by the artist Katy Sodeau (see links for more information about this artist.