There are no runners from our list to follow down to run tomorrow.
Category: Racing diary
Diary: February 12 2007
Saturday provided the best racing of the jumps season so far.
The day started quietly enough with Denman reinforcing his Cheltenham credentials with an effortless win in the novice chase, his 4th success of the season so far.
The big betting heat of the day, the Totesport Trophy, went to 50/1 shot Heathcoat, tipped in my Friday night preview as the outsider to watch.
Well Chief rewrote the Champion Chase script with a resounding win in the Game Spirit Chase and is clearly the one they all have to beat come March. Kauto Star once again tried to go through, rather than over, the final fence in the AON Chase to put just a little niggling doubt in the minds of even his most loyal supporters.
Best performance of the day though must be reserved for the Irish Hennessey at Leopardstown. The Listener jumped beautifully and appeared to have Beef or Salmon well and truly roasted turning for home. There was Robert Alner’s grey floating along with poor old Beef or Salmon languishing somewhere in the distance. Neither the old Leopardstown specialist nor his jockey Andrew McNamara had given up the cause however.
The Listener still held a commanding advantage over the last but he suddenly emptied and Beef or Salmon found plenty to speed past him to win by 3 parts of a length. Wonderful stuff.
Back to earth with a bit of a bump on Monday when the only jumps meeting is at Plumpton. There are no runners from our list to follow.
Take care.
Diary: February 10 & 11
The big betting heat tomorrow is of course the Totesport Trophy at Newbury (3.15). Tarlac is the only runner from our list to follow that is rather due a winner after three placed horses this week.
The ex German flat horse comes from the stable that has won 4 of the last 8 runnings of this competitive handicap. His form this season looks solid, he has a good racing weight and Tony McCoy rides. I will burden him with my selection. Caracciola was on my short list but the ground conditions have gone against him. One that will appreciate the testing ground is the Irish trained Quatre Heures. He travels well in his races and looks the type for this. If you want a big outsider you could try Heathcote. He is trained by Gary Moore who is a bit of a specialist in handicap hurdles. He won on the 13 February last season if you subscribe to that sort of theory.
Denman puts his Cheltenham credentials on the line on the opener at 1.35. The favourite for the Royal and Sunalliance chase will need to be on his metal though as Mr Pointment and Sandin’ Obligation have strong claims themselves. Mr Pointment looks a bright prospect but may just have stamina doubts at this trip. Standin’ Obligation disappointed last time out and may prefer better ground. Denman would have to be the selection but at 1/2 I wouldn’t put my money on it.
If the 1.35 is a race to watch rather than take a financial interest in the same can probably be said of the 2.40. Kauto Star clearly should win and probably will. He isn’t going to be given a really hard race just 4 weeks from the Gold Cup though and does not look like a betting proposition. If anything is going to worry him it will be L’Ami, especially in the testing conditions.
The Game Spirit Chase at 3.50 is a real mouth watering prospect. Well Chief returns to the track after a 22 month absence. He would have to be at his best to take this but who is to say that the Pipe team haven’t got him back to full fitness. Ashley Brook certainly proved his fitness winning convincingly over hurdles recently while Voy Por Ustedes rarely runs a bad race. I have a feeling that this could be decided on jumping. It could be run at a fair old lick and one mistake might be enough to lose the race. Forman and Sporazene are not completely out of it but I am going to narrowly favour Ashley Brook.
The 2.20 at Leopardstown features 3 runners from our list to follow – the entire field bar the favourite in fact! That favourite, Aran Concerto will take all the beating however. This could well turn out to be a tactical affair though and I don’t think that the favourite represents value. I will go for Catch Me who has done little wrong over hurdles, with his only defeat coming at the hands of the highly rated De Valira.
In the 2.55 the unpronounceable O’Muircheartaigh has an each way chance. Vic Venturi is the other runner from our list.
The big race on the card is the 4.00 which sees local hero Beef or Salmon take on the English raider The Listener. At the age of 11 there could be question marks over Beef or Salmon’s ability to beat his younger rival. He has hardly looked a spent force this season though and with his optimum conditions and “home advantage” I will give him the slight edge.
If Warwick goes ahead my nap there would be Paul Nicholls promising novice chaser Opera Mundi in the 2.20. He jumps well and has the stamina to cope with the likely testing ground.
My best bet of the day on Sunday is Hairy Molly in the 2.35 where both track and going should suit.
The meetings at Hereford and Exeter are in doubt. If they do get the all clear the runners from our list to follow are as follows.
Exeter 2.00 Lenny the Blade
4.00 Glasker Mill & Mr Quasimodo
4.30 French Saulaie
Hereford 2.20 Annie’s Answer
Have a good weekend
Diary: February 9 2007
If racing goes ahead at Kempton on Friday there will be two runners from our list to follow.
Wyldello is yet to finish out of the first two in her 6 starts. She contests the novice hurdle at 2.35 and the 9/4 quoted in the RP about represents her chance.
Our other runner is Emma Lavelle’s Supreme Copper making his handicap debut in the 4.15. The stable have been in good from and this one holds an each way chance.
See you tomorrow.
Diary: February 8 2007
Despite the cold snap Taunton are apparently optimistic that their card will go ahead tomorrow.
There are a couple of runners from our list to follow in the beginners’ chase at 2.50. Molostiep was a shade unlucky to finish 4th at Hereford recently. He showed enough to indicate that he can win over fences. On this occasion Nobody Tells Me looks to have the better credentials. He was probably not suited by the track at Fontwell when 3rd over hurdles last time out. He looks a chasing type and will be expected to go well here on his debut over fences.
See you tomorrow.
Diary: February 7 2007
The sharp frost meant no jumps racing today and tomorrow’s meetings must be in some doubt.
If racing does go ahead there are two runners from our list to follow.
Troll goes in the Carlisle 3.20 and Nobody Tells Me in the 2.00 at Ludlow.
Back tomorrow – hope to see you then.
Diary: February 6 2007
Dom D’Orgeval won easily at Hexham today to make it two out of two over fences. The 3rd horse Tynedale might be on to keep an eye on in handicaps.
There are two runners from our list to follow running tomorrow.
Harringay showed plenty of promise when runner up to Senorita Rumbalita on her chase debut at Wincanton. She then fell when in contention at Huntingdon and was a rather disappointing 4th at Ludlow. Her form over fences so far gives her a winning chance in the 3.20 at Market Rasen.
Lenny Lungo’s Troll, a course and distance winner, runs in the Sedgefield 3.30. He was beaten under a big weight at Kelso last time. He jumps well and should make a decent chaser eventually. Has an each way chance tomorrow.
That is all for tonight. See you tomorrow.
Diary: February 5 2007
Tomorrow’ meeting at Hexham is under threat from the frost. If it does go ahead we will have one runner from our list to follow as Dom D’Orgeval is entered in the 2.00. Formerly a smart hurdler, Dom D’Orgeval has joined David Pipe’s stable and got off to a winning start over fences at Fakenham. He should be too good for his rivals once again.
It has been a satisfactory season for our list without being spectacular so far. Kauto Star has been the most prolific winner, scoring 4 times. There are quite a few on 3 wins; Denman, Detroit City, My Way de Solzen, New Little Bric, Tidal Bay and Ungaro.
The best priced winner so far is Grecian Groom (33/1) followed by Ungaro (14/1) and Cerium (12/1).
On the Irish list Nickname and Iktitaf have 3 wins apiece.
Bye for now.
Diary: February 4 2007
It was not at all a bad day for our list to follow with 5 winners. For the record they were Detroit City, Taranis, Dempsey, New Little Bric and Good Spirit.
There are quite a few horses from our list in action in Ireland tomorrow. In the 1.05 we have 3 runners Oulart, Numbersixvalverde and Dun Doire. Numbersixvalverde begins his preparation for the Grand National with this run over hurdles but my selection is Dun Doire who is on a favourable mark compared to his chase rating.
Top novices De Valira and Pierce Rock go head to head in the 1.35. De Valira has some solid form and has won his last two starts. I narrowly prefer Pierce Rock, the mount of Tony McCoy who was second to Silverburn at Sandown and gets 6 lbs from De Valira.
In the 2.05 I fancy another McCoy mount. He is on Signatory for Noel Meade. A winner on the flat for John Gosden Signatory looks the type to do well over timber. Nickname could hardly be in better form and has his favoured conditions in the 2.35. He might have the edge on Newmill on this occasion.
We only have one list runner in the UK tomorrow. The grey Locksmith has not really found last season’s form and has left David Pipe’s yard. He runs over hurdles in the 3.35 at Musselburgh. He is 25/1 in the RP and that is probably a fair reflection of his chance. My best bet at Musselburgh is Modicum in the 3.00.
At Fontwell course and distance winner Benetwood should go well in the 3.10.
See you tomorrow.
Saturday update
I thought I would point out a few more horses for you to consider today, in addition to those mentioned in last night’s ramblings.
In the big handicap hurdle at Sandown (3.15) Royals Darling trained by Nicky Henderson is another to add to the short list. I mentioned Verasi yesterday and Royals Darling was a length 2nd to that horse at Kempton last month. I thought that Royals Darling might be going novice chasing this season but he has been kept to hurdles and that has paid off. Prior to the Kempton race he won well at Ayr. He seems to handle most types of ground.
The 3.50 at Sandown is a really open affair. There are all manner of old “Russellform” favourites in this but two that appeal off reasonable racing weights are Rambling Monster and Yardbird. Rambling Minster stays and jumps and is relatively unexposed. Yardbird impressed me when running 2nd to one of our list horses, Alderburn, on his last run. I think that these two are worth an each way interest
Henry Daly’s horses have been running well and his Ordre De Bataille has an each way chance in the 4.25 at Sandown. She was awarded a race after a steward’s enquiry at Warwick two runs ago.
Lastly Allistathebarrista is my selection in the Wetherby in the 1.50. He won over course and distance last time and although he has gone up 8 lbs for that success it might not be enough to stop him going in again.
Have a good day.
ahorse 