I am trying out a new weekend format for the web site today. Hope you like it.
Big race form guide
The Old Roan Chase Aintree 3.30
A disappointing start to what I hope will be a regular feature previewing the big race of the day. Only 3 line up and it looks to be a match between Master Minded and Alberta’s Run.
Since coming to Britain Master Minded has won 2 of his 4 seasonal reappearances. Alberta’s Run has won 3 times out of 5 first time out. Master Minded has run at Aintree twice with form figures of 21. Alberta’s Run has track form figures of 1233142. Master Minded has won 15 times with all bar one achieved with some give in the ground. Alberta’s Run has won 14 times with 8 of the wins coming on ground described as good.
It is quite a difficult one to call but I would give Master Minded the edge. When the pair met at Aintree in April Master Minded came out on top and I can see him confirming that superiority tomorrow.
Best of the rest
Doncaster
Races considered
1.30 Hot Spice has won twice this season, at Haydock and Leicester, on fast ground on both occasions. A beaten favourite back at Leicester last time he is now 13 lbs higher than his last winning rating but he may have more to offer.
2.00 Secret Witness is a course and distance winner and has been running quite well of late. Not out of it at a big price.
5.20 Yorkshire Osteopath Kevin Kirkup only owns a few horses but he has been amazingly successful with them, notably The Osteopath and Osteopathic Remedy. Another in his ownership, Fieldgunner Kirkup began the season brightly when 2nd beaten a head at Thirsk in May. He has been very disappointing ever since but he has slipped down the handicap as a result. He was tried in blinkers on his most recent start but finished last of 10 at Musselburgh.
Selection Hot Spice
Newbury
Races considered
2.15 Mehdi has proved a real money spinner for his connections and has already won nearly 3 times his purchase price in prize money.
2.45 Since winning a Chester maiden Colombian has run well in France 4 times in Group 1 and 2 contests. He drops down to Group 3 level here.
3.45 Oceanway and Kirthill are the pair I considered for this. The former has been a profitable horse to follow winning 3 times. Kirthill was a winner at Newmarket earlier in the season. His latest start at Newbury can be ignored as he got no luck in running and was badly drawn.
Selection Kirthill
Aintree
Races considered
2.25 Paintball represents the in from stable of Charlie Longsden A decent handicapper on the flat Paintball has already won 2 of his 5 starts over timber and looks a progressive sort. He does not look on a bad mark either.
3.30 This race has been discussed elsewhere,
4.40 Havinggotascoobydo won on his chase bow at Ffos Las earlier this month. He can make that experience tell here despite giving weight away to all his rivals. He will want further than this in time.
5.45 Cinders and Ashes was a good bumper horse last season winning twice and finishing 5th in the Cheltenham Champion bumper. Hazy Tom is a former English point to point winner and won both his starts in bumpers last season showing a good turn of foot in the process.
Selections Paintball, Master Minded Pictured below) , Havinggotascoobydo and Hazy Tom
Stratford
Races considered
1.50 Charlie Longsden has a strong team at Stratford and starts off here with Accordingtolawrence. Twice a winner over hurdles he looks the type to be even better now he tackles fences.
2.50 Longsden saddles Grandad’s Horse in this. He has won 3 times over hurdles this year and will handle the ground. He will probably be going chasing before long. The main danger could come from Chain of Command. He won twice at Kempton last season, once over fences and then in one of those all weather flat races hastily arranged when the cold snap hit the jumps racing.
3.50 Magnifique Etoile, another from the Longsden stable, ran well in 3 bumpers last season before getting off the mark at Market Rasen last month. He makes his hurdles debut here where the quick ground might be a slight concern.
4.25 Marleno only won once from 8 starts last season with the solitary success coming at Taunton but he did run well on other occasions, notably when runner up at Uttoxeter. He tackles fences for the first time here and has reportedly schooled well.
Selections Accordingtolawrence, Grandad’s Horse, Magnifique Etoile
Chepstow
Races considered
1.35 Saint Luke won 3 national hunt flat races before running well in the championship bumpers at both Cheltenham and Aintree. Although a bit disappointing when 5th at Chepstow on his hurdles debut he should strip fitter for that run.
2.05 Rev It Up ran 4 times between the flags last season running creditably in all four and winning the last one in testing ground. He faces another points winner here in the shape of Dualla Lord trained by Paul Nicholls. A point to point winner in Ireland he then went on to score 4 from 4 between the flags in England.
2.35 This is an interesting novice chase. Gurtacrue won over hurdles at Fontwell last season and is a former Irish points and bumper winner. Our Island is another former Irish point to point winner and also won twice over hurdles last season before running well in 7th in the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival. Join Together was pulled up in the Albert Bartell but that run can probably be ignored as before that he had won at Exeter and finished 2nd in a Grade 2 hurdle at Cheltenham. He looks a thorough staying type.
3.05 Although yet to win a race Moscow Chancer has shown signs of ability and is the sort that might just have slipped under the radar from a betting point of view.
3. 40 Fingal Bay was a very impressive winner of an Exeter bumper in February and looks an exciting prospect. Hard to Swallow won an Irish point to point and a Ffos Las bumper last season. He was an odds on favourite when beaten into second at Perth over hurdles last month but he was not disgraced and should come on for the run.
4.15 This is a competitive handicap hurdle. Paul Nicholls is double handed with Robinson Collonges and Rebel Rebellion. Robinson Collonges started well last season winning twice over fences but his form tailed off dramatically and he was pulled up on his last two starts. He reverts to hurdles here with the probably aim to rebuild his confidence. Rebel Rebellion won over hurdles last season at Kempton and Sandown and is regarded as a top prospect by his trainer. Another horse well thought of by connections is Darna who won twice over hurdles at Ayr when trained by Willie Amos. Now with Kim Bailey he looks the type to win races over fences. Global Power won a Plumpton bumper and a hurdle at Folkestone but his best run was when staying on well to finish 4th in a decent handicap at Sandown. He is a chaser in the making but he can be competitive over hurdles in the meantime. Philip Hobbs has three entered in this with the best of the bunch probably Arthurian Legend. Arthurian Legend won twice at Chepstow last season so clearly likes the place. He is said to be a highly strung individual though.
4.50 Phidippedes is a promising young chaser and is off a low eight here although he is 3 lbs out of the handicap.
Selections Dualla Lord, Join Together, Fingal Bay, Arthurian Legend, Phidippedes
Wolverhampton
Race considered
6.20 Formerly trained by John Gosden Twisted is now with Mick Easterby. Although he wins rarely he likes Wolverhampton and won in October last season.
No selection
Galway
Races considered
2.25 Jenari had some smart bumper form last season winning at Gowran Park and finishing 3rd in the Punchestown Champion Bumper. He looks a smart prospect.
2.55 Mount Benbulben is a point to point and dual bumper winner for Gillian Callaghan last season and now trained by Gordon Elliott. Looks set for a successful season over hurdles.
Selections Jenari and Mount Benbulben
Nap of the day
Fingal Bay (Chepstow 3.40)
Dark horse
Marleno (Stratford 4.25)
From the archives
It is a long while since they raced at Alexandra Park, or “Ally Pally” as it was affectionately called. It was more popular with punters than with jockeys as the tight bends and uncertain surface made for frequent falls. It was sometimes called “The frying pan” because of its configuration.
The last race to be run at the London venue was won by Acrostle on September 8 1970. The winning jockey was George Duffield who is now assistant trainer to his wife Ann. More on Alexandra Park next week.
Turf trivia
Pope John Paul II visited Galway racecourse in September 1979. Not on a race day though!
The picture of Master Minded is courtey of the artist Lisa Miller
ahorse 