The four-mile Eider Handicap Chase at Newcastle is normally run in an absolute bog. But not this year. This unseasonably quick ground will favour the stronger travelling types over the plodders, and that rules out quite a few who would have preferred more juice in the ground. The current jolly…
1pt each-way Song For Someone @12/1, 14:25 Kempton, Saturday
Lots of good racing at Kempton on Saturday but the cards are real head scratchers. In the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle there’s a scarcity of hurdles experience in the race, which is why I’m backing the super-slick jumping SONG FOR SOMEONE to make his experience count. He seems to have improved since being gelded…
1pt ante-post win Fast Buck to win the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at 40/1 non-runner no bet
We’ve only advised one ante-post bet so far for the Cheltenham Festival – Clan Des Obeaux to win the Gold Cup at 10/1 – and it’s high time for another with just three weeks to go. The Supreme Novices’ and Ballymore Novices’ hurdles are open betting markets – and perhaps…
1pt win Coneygree @11/2, 14:20 Ascot, Saturday
Reikers Island looks the wrong favourite in the 14.10 handicap chase, as his price suggests he’s definitely got improvement in him when that’s not assured. He’s up against an ex-Gold Cup winner in CONEYGREE and might be in for a shock when the old horse blasts off at his fairly…
1pt win Fox Norton @6/1, 15:55 Ascot, Saturday
Despite picking Waiting Patiently for last year’s renewal of the Ascot Chase, which he duly won, he looks a horse to take on this time around having run just the once this season when lucklessly unseating in the King George. He’s a short price and this looks a deeper field…
1pt each-way Robinsfirth @8/1, 1pt each-way Ballyoptic @10/1, 15:35 Haydock, Saturday
It’s great to have the racing back and there is plenty of action this Saturday afternoon with the feature race over at Haydock, the Grand National Trial, looking a strong renewal. The favourite is the improving Ramses De Teillee, who ran Elegant Escape to a close second in the Welsh…
1pt win Aramon @9/2, 13:50 Leopardstown, Sunday
Maiden winner Klassical Dream must show a lot at home for Ruby Walsh to pick him over ARAMON in this Grade 1 novices’ hurdle, but Paul Townend’s mount looked really good last time out. Aramon is proven on good ground and at the track, two big pluses, so he’s got to have…
1pt each-way Any Second Now @8/1, 1pt each-way Fitzhenry @14/1, 16:10 Leopardstown, Sunday
Another top day’s racing will have been experienced at Leopardstown by 16:10 on Sunday afternoon and we have two selections in this ultra-competitive handicap. The first of which is ANY SECOND NOW at 8/1 who is currently 0-8 over fences. It might seem a daft selection with that track record,…
1pt each-way Hardline @10/1, 15:00 Leopardstown, Sunday
Delta Work is all the rage for the Flogas Novices’ Chase on Leopardstown’s Sunday card but I’m not sure he has the best form in the race, despite it being franked again on Saturday. La Bague Au Roi won the Grade 1 at Kempton at Christmas and I do think…
1pt win Farclas W/O Apple's Jade @22/1, 13:25 Leopardstown, Saturday
Apple’s Jade has been the star of the season so far by winning two Grade 1s by wide margins, and she drops back to two miles for the first time in years to contest the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown. I think she’ll beat Supasundae, Melon and her three Gigginstown…