Category: Racing diary

After an all too brief good run it was down to earth with a bump today with my 3 selections all beaten odds on favourites!

Looking at the racing tomorrow a couple of ex flat horses catch the eye.  In the 2.20 at Musselburgh Compromiznotension has done enough in his two runs over hurdles so far to suggest he has a race in him.. He was 3rd here 3 weeks ago to Halla San.

Now that leads me on nicely to the 3.50 where Halla San is the selection.  He is trained by Richard Fahey who has a good record in this race.

 

Runthatpastmeagain was the only runner from our list to follow today and he duly obliged at Wetherby, ridden by Noel Fehily.  The horse showed a pleasing attitude as he had to battle to get the better of Crop Walker with the pair pulling well clear of the remainder.

There are 3 horses that interest me tomorrow.  In the 4.40 at Newcastle, a handicap hurdle, Another Promise is very favourably treated in comparison to his chase rating.  In fact he is all of 55 lbs better in.

At Folkestone in the 1.30 Aux Le Bahnn should strip fitter after his 3rd at the Kent track 3 weeks ago, while in the 2.30 Treasury Counsel is worth another chance after unseating his rider on his chase debut at Kempton.

 

Well, Denman powered away to land the AON Chase at Newbury completely destroying his 3 rivals.  The form was given an added boost by The Listener’s win in Ireland as Denman had beaten Robert Alner’s grey earlier in the season.

There is just one runner from our list to follow tomorrow, Runthatpastmeagain in the 2.30 at Wetherby.

There is are plenty of meetings to go at over the weekend and hopefully we will be able to unearth a winner or two.

I am going to start with the meeting up at Ayr tomorrow where Ballabriggs carries top weight in the opener at 1.45.  Of the 8 races where he has finished he has been runner up 4 times which does make you a little wary of him.  He was unlucky last time out at Leicester where he fell after slipping into the fence.  Although he carries 11 stone 12 this race has been won by horses carrying big weights in the past.  Still the fact remains that he does have a big weight and he is still a maiden. Incidentally he is related to the good Irish chaser Hi Cloy.

Donald McCain trains Ballabriggs and he also has a fancied runner in the 2.20 in Harry Wood.  Harry Wood won a couple of bumpers at Carlisle but has not managed to win over hurdles yet although he has put up some good performances in defeat. He finished second on his last outing which was at Kelso and he was 23 lengths clear of the third horse. He should go well here but my slight preference is for Lucinda Russell’s Quws Law.  He won over 2 and a half miles here last month and the way he finished that day suggests that this longer trip will holds no fears for him.  He handles soft ground well and looks the one they all have to beat.

The 2.55 was won by The Bajan Bandit last season carrying 11 stone 10.  This time around the top weight is Cloudy Lane (Donald McCain yet again).  Cloudy Lane has won on softy and heavy but his trainer maintains that he prefers better ground.  He is a talented individual though as evidenced by his win at the Cheltenham Festival last season.  The old boy Kerry Lads could be a threat.  He is 13 now but showed he is no back number when winning at Carlisle in November grinding out a victory up the finishing hill at the Cumbrian venue. Kerry Lads has never won off his current mark though so it is asking rather a lot of a 13 year old. Our Armageddon was a winner at the 2004 Cheltenham Festival but has obviously had problems in recent years as he was coming back from an absence of nearly 2 years when pulled up at Wincanton last month.  He ran quite well for some way in that race but whether or not he can regain his old form remains to be seen.  He has done most of his winning on better ground as well.  Cloudy Lane would have to be my selection.

In the 4.40 I fancy Villon to get the better of Some Touch.  Villon was coming back from a 2 year break when runner up at Ayr last time and he does have some good form to his name before that.  In fact he has won 5 of his 7 outings and will handle the ground.

 

Down at Newbury Ornais represents champion trainer Paul Nicholls in the 1.35.  Ornais made a winning chase debut at Wincanton jumping well despite an ungainly style at times.  He was less impressive on hsi subsequent outing but it would be no surprise if he bounced back to winning form here.

Voy Por Ustedes is the form pick in the Game Spirit Chase at 2.10.  He has finished first or second in all 12 of his last completed starts and comes here on a back of a win in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton at Christmas.  L’Antartique won the Paddy Power at Cheltenham but might find this trip a bit on the sharp side for him while Pablu Du Chamil, a winner at Exeter earlier in the season has a fair bit to find against the favourite.  I wonder if Tom Scudamore will try and pinch a soft lead on this horse in an attempt to slip the field?  Paul Nicholls has an enviable record in this race and his runner this year is Master Minded.  Master Minded gets 6 lbs from Voy Por Ustedes and looks the one that could cause an upset.

The AON chase has cut up badly with only 4 runners.  Denman should collect this without too much trouble. Regal Heights is a horse that I like and he won an Ascot handicap on his last run. He shouldn’t really have the class to trouble Denman though.

The Totesport Trophy at 3.30 is the usual puzzle with 24 runners.  I actually tipped the 50/1 winner last season but that doesn’t count for a lot now. Nicky Henderson has a good record in this race and has two horses in this year’s line up.  Mick Fitzgerald has chosen to ride Caracciola who was 2nd in the Caesarawitch the last time he ran. Gary Moore trained last year’s winner and he has 3 in the race including Wingman who is one for the short list.  Wingman was third at Sandown last time out and the runner up that day, Breedsbreeze has since won the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle.

The novice Blue Bajan was rated 111 on the flat and has made a promising start over hurdles winning his last two races.  Interestingly he is partnered by flat jockey Richard Hughes tomorrow.  King’s Quay won a very competitive handicap at Wincanton in November and is well suited by a true run 2 miles.  These would be my 4 against the field.  If pushed for a selection my fancy would be for Blue Bajan particularly if the rain stays away.  If you are looking for an outsider to back each way Mohayer is a consistent sort and does not look badly in at the weights.

In the 3.55 I note that Ofarel D’Airy is blinkered for the first time and I fancy this one for a big run.

The Old Pretender won a bumper at Huntingdon in a canter last month and it will be interesting to see how he gets on in the 4.30.  Another win here would presumably see him heading for the champion bumper at Cheltenham next month.

 

Moving on to Warwick the Paul Nicholls runs Big Bucks in the Grade 2 novice chase at 2.25.  Big Bucks has won two of his 3 starts since arriving with a tall reputation from France.  His only defeat came at Newbury when beaten by Moon over Miami and strictly on the book he shouldn’t reverse the form as he is worse off at the weights.

Dual bumper winner Bertie May made a pleasing start to his hurdles career when winning at Exeter and he seeks to follow up in the 4.10.  Alan King’s Shipmaster may be the main threat.  He was a winner on the flat at Nottingham and ran 4th to Blue Bajan on his last start over hurdles.

On Sunday the following horses from our list to follow are in action.Sunday

 

Exeter 3.00 Caribou

3.30 Bible Lord The Sawyer

4.05 Classic Fiddle

4.35 Calgary Bay

Hereford 1.50 Kid Charlemagne

2.20 Folie Dancer Miss Cheka

4.55 Man Overboard

A couple of races caught my eye this afternoon. Firstly old Bo McGinty registered his 7th career win when he got home by a short head at Southwell.  He has been featured many times in these pages and must be a real fun horse for connections as he races frequently and is usually there or thereabouts.

Another horse that I have followed off and on is Shardakhan who won over fences at Huntingdon ridden by Philip Hide. Blinkers seem to have brought about an improvement in him and he could be called the winner today some way from home.  He won at 12/1 today and he does seem to be one of those horses that always seems to win at big prices as his other two career wins both came at 14/1.

Talking of big price winners Florida Dream once came in at 20/1 for me.  He should go well tomorrow in the 3.55 at Bangor.

One of the attractions of this time of year is looking at for some of the old favourites in the hunter chases.  Thisthatandtother won the other day at Fontwell and another Paul Nicholls chaser Armaturk runs tomorrow in the 4.25. Probably not a betting proposition though as his price is sure to be short.

In the 2.05 at Kempton Oscar Park makes his chase debut. He has the size and scope to do well over fences and if he runs up to his best hurdles form he would be in with a good chance.

The Polomoche looks to extend his unbeaten run in the 2.35 and he looks the one to beat.  He first caught my eye last May when winning a bumper from Calgary Bay in a close finish at Ludlow.  The main danger in this race could come from Quizzene who won 3 times on the flat for Mark Johnston.  He has already made a promising start to hsi hurdles career by finishing runner up at Folkestone.

Miss Mitch is something of a favourite of mine.  She won well at Wincanton last time out but then unseated on her last run. She should go well in the 3.10 although she has a Paul Nicholls runner to beat.

I tipped Chopneyev successfully last time he ran.  He turns out again in the 3.40 but the ground may not suit him this time as all his wins have come on soft or heavy.

That is all for this evening.  I hope you will "tune in" again tomorrow night wen I shall be previewing the weekend’s action.

Today the sporting world rightly mourned those who lost their lives in the 1958 Munich air disaster.

The newspapers of the day also reported the death of the jockey Joe Childs, who also died in February 1958 at the age vof 73.  Childs won 15 classics  and was known as one of the finest exponents of waiting tactics.  He retired in 1935.

Turning to tomorrow’s racing there are meetings at Huntingdon and Taunton.  David Pipe saddles Noble Sham in the 1.40 at Huntingdon. He has fallen on his last two starts which were both at this tack.  They were over fences though and he reverts to hurdles here and should go close.

The Pipe team may also be on the mark at Taunton where dual bumper winner Seven is my Number looks to have a good chance in the 2.20.

The only runner from our list to follow on Wednesday is Pebrock in the 1.30 at Ludlow.  He was 3rd at Uttoxeter at the end of November but the form of the race has not worked out too well as the first and second have both been beaten since.

Theatre Diva registered some solid performances at Ludlow last season winning twice and finishing runner up twice.

She got off to a good start this term when winning at Exeter 6 days ago and could go in again in the 3.30 at Market Rasen where she is a previous course winner.

Sam Thomas rides Theatre Diva which is a plus as he has been in great form this season.

At Musselburgh tomorrow the Howard Johnson trained pair Laborec and Prince Car catch the eye in the opener at 1.30.  Slight preference is for Laborec who is the mount of Richard Johnson.

In the 2.30 at the Scottish track Tamimi’s History, twice a winner on the flat in Ireland is an interesting runner for Nicky Richards.  The other one I like at Musselburgh is The Duke’s Speech in the 3.00.

The Tother One was a winner for Paul Nicholls today and his half brother Thisthatandtother can add to the champion Trainers tally in the 3.40 at Fontwell.

Ruby Walsh has usually partnered Thisthatandtother over the years but he is riding in Ireland tomorrow.  I like the look of his chances in the 1.35 at Punchestown on Sophocles, who was runner up in the Cheltenham Festival bumper and won over hurdles at Punchestown in December.

Bye for now

It was a miserable day for the horses on our list to follow today but we did get one winner, with the giant Time Bandit obliging at Chepstow at a nice price.  He has had serious injury problems and has very few miles on the clock for an 8 year old.

There is some good quality racing tomorrow – or at least there will be as long as the weather doesn’t intervene.

I will tackle the meetings in alphabetical order so we are starting at Doncaster.  Paul Nicholls introduces an intriguing newcomer in the opener at 12.50 in Rippling Ring.  He was 4th in the South African Derby and is sure to have been well prepared for his UK debut.

In the 1.25 Tidal Bay should make it 4 wins out of 4.  Denis O’Regan is suspended so Ruby Walsh has the ride.

Otage de Brion put up a good performance when 3rd to Song of Songs at Kempton on Boxing Day but he may not be able to give 10 lbs to Celestial Halo in thye 1.55.  The Paul Nicholls runner was 7th in the St Leger and has already opened his account over hurdles.

Tot o Whisky represents our list to follow in the 2.25.  His 5 career wins have come at Hexham (3) and Catterick (2) and he may not be quite good enough here.

There are a couple of "list" runners in the 3.00.  Lennon likes to make the running and is best on a sharp track and a sound surface.  Pablo du Charmil won at Exeter on his first run this season but has been beaten since.  He acts on any ground and has an each way chance.

 

The 2.05 at Sandown looks to be a match between Straw Bear and Afsoun.  With Nicky Henderson’s runners in fine form I would narrowly side with Afsoun.  If there is to be an upset it is just possible to consider Bywell Beau, particularly if the ground rides heavy.  His 4 career wins have all come at Kelso though and he has plenty to find on the form book.

In the 2.35 The Tother One comes into the race on a 4 timer.  He is upped in class and has risen in the weights but he should still go well.

In the 3.10 Hobbs Hill, unbeaten this season, looks likely to start favourite.  He has beaten both Silverburn and Lead On this season but the latter pair may have improved since then and look better value.  The Market Man would certainly come into the reckoning in fully fit. He hasn’t run for 784 days but on his last outing only went down by a head to Mighty Man.

In the 3.40 Caribou will be suited by track and going and has an each way chance.

At Wetherby Character Building looks on a favourable mark in the 2.50 while the conditions should suit Harry Wood in the 3.25.