Category: Racing diary

 

Plumpton

2.10 Goring Two

4.10 Double Handful

 

Kelso

12.50 The Weatherman

2.20 Freddie Brown

 

Kempton

12.30 Hurdles debutant Sadler’s Risk was rated 100 on the flat and is potentially a promising recruit to the winter game.

1.05 Menorah will be odds on here and should prevail. Kumbeshwar has shown promise over fences and could be seen as value but this is not a race that makes much appeal from a betting angle.

1.40 The lightly raced Captain Sunshine has shown plenty of promise in his two runs to date and should relish the extra distance here.

2.50 Act of Kalanisi, Featherbed Lane and Swincombe Flame make most appeal. At current odds Swincombe Flame looks the value at around 7/1.

3.20 Quotica de Payans disappointed at Newbury last time but is worth another chance.

Warwick

1.25 Four of these could be given a chance. Alfie Spinner would almost certainly prefer more testing ground but looks a good bet to get round and be involved at the finished. Golden Chieftain (jumping) and Frascati Park (trip) have questions to answer and Connak might be worth an each way saver at a bigger price.

2.30 Saffron de Cotte comes from a stable that is beginning to run into some form.

3.05 Ambion Wood is beginning to confirm the trainer’s high opinion of him and should go well but slight preference is for Highland Lodge from a stable with a good record in the race.

3.40 Strongbows Legend was well backed on his last start when a slightly unlucky faller. Sona Sasta was runner up to the subsequent Welsh National winner at Chepstow and is another to consider.

Wetherby selections; 12.40 Tarn Hows; 1.15 Mac Aeda (sdanger Bunclody); 3.30 Mallusk: 4.00 Doyly Carte.

Punchestown selection; 3.00 Allure of Illusion.

Turf trivia

Doyly Carte who runs in the 4.00 at Wetherby is a half sister to the Group 2 winner Dandino.

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

 

Huntingdon

1.50 Ericht was disappointing on his last start but is the form pick here on his previous form.

2.20 It is often worth taking on the odds on favourite in novice chases and I will go with Kauto Relko to cause an upset here.

Musselburgh

1.10 A tricky little race this. Degas Art has kept some good company over the years on the flat and over hurdles but his record over fences is none too good, Vosges has form figures of 1122 at the track and can’t be ignored. Bogside unseated 2 out on his chase debut at Sedgefield. A decent hurdler he could be a threat. Charminster has won a point to point, a bumper and a novice hurdle. Runner up on his chase bow he must stand a good chance of adding to his winning tally here.

Turf trivia

The British record for the longest priced winner is held by Equinoctial who won at Kelso in 1990 at the bumper odds of 250-1.

 

Catterick

1.15 Alexander Road is of some interest here. She is yet to recapture last season’s form but this longer trip should be in her favour. Her wins have come on testing ground however so I am not going to get too carried away with her chances.

3.15 Next to nowhere, Lucky Landing and Bishop’s Heir all make some appeal. Bishop’s Heir is the one with the strongest form but he is another with winning form on soft and heavy ground.

 

Selections for Thursday

Doncaster

1.05 Gores Island

1.40 Gottany O’s

2.50 General Ting

Ffos Las

3.00 Saint Luke

 

Leicester

1.10 Swaling is highly regarded by in form trainer Victor Dartnall and can make a winning hurdles debut. Tuscan Gold was a dual winner on the flat for Sir Mark Prescott. Now with Alan King he made a satisfactory start over hurdles when 4^th at Huntingdon and should be better for that experience. He looks the danger to the selection.

1.40 This is not a particularly strong race and it might pay to side with Moscow Chancer who has bits of form and is coming down the weights.

3.10 A winner over hurdles at Vichy Soir D’estruval was 3^rd on his chase debut and has the scope to win races over fences.

Turf trivia

The Mildmay course fences at Aintree used to be smaller versions of the Grand National obstacles. They were replaced by traditional birch fences in 1975.

 

Selections for Monday:

Hereford 2.10 Rangitoto

Hereford 2.40 Darlan

 

Selections for Sunday;

Hereford 2.00 Chartreux; 2.30 Triptico;

Naas; 1.10 Flemenstar: 1.40 Dedigout;

 

 

Newcastle

12.20 A decent hurdler, Railway Dillon has been pulled up on both his efforts over fences. He did win at Newcastle over hurdles on soft ground and is worth one more chance to get his act together over fences.

1.55 Devotion to Duty looks a fair each way bet based on his last two runs, at Cheltenham and Bangor. Theologist looks the danger.

Sandown

1.00 The Strawberry One should be suited by the drop back in trip.

2.05 I fancy both Rileyev and All for Free in this. If pushed for a single selection it would be Rileyev as the stable seem to be running into form.

2.35 Magnifique Etoile is unbeaten in 3 starts this season and may still be improving.

3.10 Master of the Hall beat subsequent winner Tamarinbleu at Aintree last month and could just be on a lenient mark. Wymott ran well in the Hennessy but then disappointed at Haydock. It is too soon to write him off however. The Knoxs has a good chance on his hurdles form while Hold on Julio is a course and distance winner and is another that could be ahead of the handicapper. Master of the Hall and Hold on Julio both seem to be going the right way. Despite the fact that he is 3 lbs out of the handicap I am going to take a chance with Hold on Julio.

3.45 Havingotascoobydo will be hard to beat on the evidence of his hurdles form.

Wincanton

2.50 Atouchbetweenacara represents a stable in form and sports first time blinkers. He has come down the weights and at 10/1 is tempting.

From the archives

The Welsh Grand National was first run in 1985 at Cardiff on Easter Monday over a trip of 2.5 miles. The winner was Deerstalker at even money.

My thanks to Emily Russell for the excellent photo.