Category: Racing diary

I was pleased to see most of the horses mentioned in last night’s preview give us a run for our money – some of them even won! Highlight of the day for me though was seeing old timer Our Vic (pictured below) make all in the Peter Marsh Chase. He has been a super horse for the Pipe team over the years.

My best bet at Market Rasen tomorrow is Premier Sagas in the 1.40. He wasn’t far behind a useful type in Turbo Island last time and a repeat of that sort of form could be good enough.

Mirage Dore has a chance in the 2.40 but the form of the stable would eb something of a concern.

Danny Cook, who gave Our Vic such a peach of a ride is on board Good Man Jack in the 1.50 at Towcester tomorrow. A former winning Irish pointer he is favoured by a stamina test and could go well at a big price.

Glenwood Knight, 3^rd today, is entered in the Towcester 3.25 which is interesting. He would have a good chance.

War Footing has put in a couple of encouraging efforts since moving to Brendan Powell’s yard and has chances in the 3.35.

My selections for the Irish meetings;

Leopardstown; 1.45 Sports Line: 2.45 Solwhit: 3.20 Quel Esprit:

Limerick; 4.00 Quiscover Fontaine.

My thanks to the artist Lisa Miller for use of the picture of Old Vic.

I will start tonight’s preview with the Ascot 2.05 where Cheltenham Festival winner Whiteoak has the best form in show. She is yet to win on soft or heavy ground however so it is as always worth bearing in mind the ground conditions tomorrow. On good or good top soft I would go with Whiteoak but otherwise Easter Legend, a winner on his last visit to Ascot, looks each way value at around 10/1 as long as all 8 runners stand their ground. Ruby Walsh is an interesting jockey booking.

Walsh rides Twist Magic in the 2.40 and the Paul Nicholls runner will take all the beating based on his win at Sandown in December. He was a beaten favourite on his only previous run at Ascot, in this race 2 years ago on soft ground but he remains the most likely winner. At big odds Oh Crick could be interesting. He was progressive last year winning at both the Cheltenham and Aintree festivals. He needs to improve a fair bit to match the likes of Twist Magic and Well Chief but he is young enough to do do.

Tasheba was my tip in the Lanzerote Hurdle last week but in unsuitable testing ground he was pulled up. He is 20/1 tomorrow and is tempting at that price, especially if the ground dries out. Nampour won off a mark of 130 at Aintree in October and despite losing twice since is still 8 lbs higher that that winning mark which I think gives hi s a bit too much to do. Pause and Clause is an interesting runner from the Emma Lavelle yard. He was 3^rd in the Coral Cup last year and although 5 lbs higher now he remains one for the shirt list. He probably wouldn’t want the ground too soft. Micheal Flips was an easy winner at Kempton last week in the race where Tasheba was pulled up. Although 10 lbs higher tomorrow I can still see him getting in the frame. My selection though has to be Qozak who has a 5 lbs penalty for an easy win at Taunton in the week.

The 3.45 went to Miss Mitch last season and I fancy her to follow up that success tomorrow. She jumps and stays well and likes the track.

I had Red Harbour and Qroktou on my list to follow at the start of the season but neither has won a race yet. They both run in the 4.20 tomorrow and I certainly wouldn’t write either of them off just yet. Red Harbour won twice in bumpers last season at Ascot and I am going to give him my tentative each way selection.

There is also a good card at Haydock where I hope Peddlar’s Cross can get us off to a good start in the opener at 1.10. He is a horse with a touch of class and having won a point to pojnt and a bumper he won in impressive style on his hurdles debut at Bangor last month.

I have been following the Sue Smith chaser Garleton this season with some success.  He runs in the 1.45 at Haydock and having winning form on heavy ground he is in with a squeak.  He probably found the 4 miles of the Borders National a bit too far for him last time and takes a drop in trip here.  The two I most fear are Mark the Book and Huka Lodge who are both real mud lovers and will relish the conditions.

The 2.20 is a race to enjoy rather that bet on. The talented Diamond Harry makes his eagerly awaited chase debut now that connections have abandoned the idea of trying for the World Hurdle. He has not always been the most consistent of jumpers over hurdles so he is certainly not home and hosed yet. He clashes once again with an old rival in Bensalem. The pair met over hurdles last season with Diamond Harry coming out on top. The Alan King runner however has the edge on experience having already run twice over fences. Knockara Beau could be a threat to the big two. He has won 3 of his 4 starts over fences and was only beaten by the highly rated Weird Al on his only defeat. I think that a solid round of jumping will see Diamond Harry take the spoils but at 11/10 he doesn’t look good value.

Punjabi is odds on to win the 2.55 and will no doubt have come on for his run when 4^th at Cheltenham last month. Punjabi is the reigning champion hurdler and should win but neither Medermit nor Cape Tribulation are forlorn hopes. Medermit finished in front of Punjabi when 3^rd at Cheltenham last time out and the form of his second to Go Native in the Supreme Novices at last season’s Cheltenham Festival reads well now. Cape Tribulatoon has been running well in good company and is unlikely to disgrace himself here. I think that a price of around 11/4 about Medermit could represent value in this race and he gets the nod.

With Jass out of form lately my selection in the Peter March chase is Cloudy lane. Something of a course specialist he has won 5 out of his 8 starts at Haydock.

I have had my eye on a horse called Glenwood Knight since he finished second in a Hexham bumper. The winner Lie Forritt has since gone on to much better things and Glenwood Knight himself was perhaps unlucky to lose his only other race in the stewards room when he was disqualified at Exeter after finishing first past the post. He is my selection in the 4.00 at Haydock.

Former Ascot bumper winner Vino Griego ran pretty well when 3^rd in a hot contest at Sandown in December and a repeat of that sort of form would put him in with a shout in the Haydock 4.10.

My selections at Leopardstown are Sorceror in the 1.30 and Roberto Goldback in the 2.00.

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

 

Paul Nicholls has a strong team out at Taunton tomorrow where Express Leader (2.30) and Qozak (3.00) should both go well.  Wishfull Thinking, rerouted from Newbury’s abandoned meeting today will present a significant danger in the 2.30.

The best of the action in the UK tomorrow is at Newbury. The first race is at 1.00 where Braveheart Move has his second run over timber. A decent flat performer when trained by Sir Mark Prescott I had hopes that he would take to hurdling but his first run, at Kempton was very disappointing. I will take a watching brief with him for the moment.

You’re the Top and Copper Bleu look the pair most likely in the 1.30. You’re the Top has won 4 on the bounce but is yet to encounter really soft ground. Copper Bleu is proven on the ground and he get my vote.

There are 3 runners that interest me in the 2.05. Court In Motion is a half brother to Bensalem and was 3^rd in a decent bumper (the winner has since won over hurdles) back in November. Praxiteles is another to consider. He is very well bred being by Sadler’s Wells out of a Darshaan mare. A winner on the flat at Lingfield he was a promising 4^th on his hurdles debut at Ffos Las. He is ridden by AP McCoy which is another plus. This pair are respected but for my selection I am going with Wishfull Thinking, a horse I have always rated. A former winning Irish pointer he won well in soft ground on his hurdles debut in December at Hereford.

In the 3.50 I thought about Miss Sarenne and Calusa Crystal but I don’t really have a strong view on the race.

Up at Newcastle I like the Don McCain trained Wymott in the 1.40. He won at Kelso last time hardly coming off the bridle and there should be more to come from him.

Today’s picture, courtesy of Sarah Clegg, is of the grey Wild Cane Ridge who runs up at Newcastle in the 2.15 and although not having shown much form recently will at least relish the testing ground.

 

Selections for Tuesday – Tocca Ferro in the 2.30 at Southwell and Luska Lad in the Naas 2.30.

Selections for Monday;

Fakenham 1.30 Madam Mado

Thurles 3.25 The Midnight Club (best outsider Mask of Darkness).

 

I had 3 winners today but all were odds on.

Tomorrow’s card at Ffos Las looks tricky. The beginners chase at 2.10 is particularly trappy and a case could be made for all 6 runners. I initially thought that Pennek would be worth a small interest but I understand that Alan King’s horses have been held up in their work and anyway stable jockey Choc Thornton has elected to ride King’s other runner Blazing Bailey.

David Pipe might have the answer to the 3.20 with Fred’s Benefit who should come on for his run at Cheltenham last month and will like the ground.

In the bumper at 4.25 it might pay to side with Made in Time trained by Rebecca Curtis. AP McCoy has the ride for a stable that does well in this sphere.

Selections at Fairyhouse; 12.30 – Arvika Ligeonniere; 1.30 – Aran Concerto; 2.00 – Cousin Vinny;

Thurles 4.00 – Prince of Milan (ew).

My thanks to Patricia Luke for use of the photo of Ffos Las racecourse.

There does seem at least a chance of some racing over the jumps tomorrow so here goes with the first preview for quite a while. From a betting point of view I would recommend a degree of caution as of course we can’t be certain of the level of fitness of the horses after their enforced lay off.

In the opener at Kempton Jonjo O’Neill gives a hurdles debut to Braveheart Move who won 3 times on the flat last season when trained by Sir Mark Prescott. Ex flat horses from the Prescott yard traditionally do well over timber with Inglis Drever being the best example. Tony McCoy has the ride and this 4 year old son of Cape Cross, sire of Sea the Stars, is clearly one to look out for.

The Nicky Henderson trained Mad Max lost his unbeaten record last season when eighth at the Cheltenham Festival in the Ballymore Novices Hurdle but he has always been a chaser in the making and he makes his debut over the larger obstacles in the 12.55 tomorrow. The stable often win with their novice chasers first time out but Mad Max is a real giant of a horse and may take some getting fit. The market should be a guide to his chances.

In the Lanzerote Hurdle at 2.45 Tasheba, a winner on heavy ground at Sandown last time, should give us a run for our money. Aachen and Gee Dee Nen are others with possibilities but I will burden Tasheba with my selection.

Aigle D’Or has been disappointing over fences so far having promised much on the basis of his hurdles form. I am prepared to give him another chance in the 3.15 where there are question marks against quite a few of his rivals.

Tazbar was no match for Long Run at Kempton but meets nothing of that calibre in the 1.20 at Huntingdon tomorrow and he looks the likely winner.

Luska Lad in the 2.20 is my best bet at Naas while in the 3.50 Prince of Milan can go well at a big price.

On the all weather at Lingfield there are only 4 runners in the 3.10 but they don’t lack for experience with a combined age of 32. Eisteddfod usually likes small fields and is not without a chance. There were excuses for his defeat over course and distance last time. On this occasion though I just prefer Atlantic Story who has won 5 times at the track with 3 of these over tomorrow’s distance.

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

Well we still don’t have any jumps racing but it is good to see Southwell are staging an all bumper card tomorrow which will give jumps trainers a chance to run some of their horses.

Nicky Henderson sends a strong team to Southwell and looks the trainer to follow. All the Henderson runners look worth considering but I particularly like the look of Line Freedom in the 2.40. She was an impressive winner on her only previous start which was at Cheltenham last April.

 

 

Sunday selection – Miss Sarenne in the 1.20 at Folkestone.