Author: Joel Roberts

2m5f  (Old) Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)  (Class 1) (4yo+) There’s a lot of crap in this race and it’s easy to rule out more than half the field. I have to back FIL DOR despite top weight for the simple reason he’s an in-form Graded horse in a handicap with…

2m4f (2m3f200y) (Old) Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Registered As The David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle) (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) Final decs are in and soft ground is all but guaranteed for day one of the Cheltenham Festival. In probably the deepest Mares’ Hurdle we’ve seen, I’m against older…

2m3½f  (2m3f58y) Ascot Racecourse Supports Schools Poetry Competition Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race)  (Class 2)(5yo+) SPRINGWELL BAY didn’t do much wrong in the Supreme Trial at Cheltenham last year but clearly needed to go up in trip. He was caught a bit flat footed on good ground and lost little in defeat, while he…

2m½f  (2m69y) Betfair Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)  (Class 1) (4yo+) Fast going could lead to a reduced field for this so there may be merit in taking an early price. Paul Nicholls’s RUBAUD has to be backed early at 12/1 as by the time Saturday swings round, I’d expect the horse that beat…

2m1½f (2m1f150y) Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle (Grade B) (4yo+) She’s been well found in the market but the Mullins first string has to be backed at 7/1 here. HISTORIQUE RECONCE may be dropping 4f but she traveled like a train through her maiden and hit…

Facile Vega is surely Supreme bound unless something beats him at next weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival, and the reverse could be said for many of his opponents who might favour the more open looking Ballymore should they get put in their places on Sunday. The horse I’m most excited about…

2m4f (2m3f207y) Diegos 69th Keep Batting Birthday Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) Forget his Lanzarote run where a horse fell in front of him and he was soon pulled up, RATHMACKNEE has a great chance of making amends here with a 10lb claimer meaning he carries a feather weight.…

2m5f (Inner) Ballymore Leamington Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) A wide open race but I’ve got to back SNAKE ROLL at 15/2. He impressed me a lot on debut, particularly with slick jumping and ironically that’s what let him down when a very creditable 3rd to…

2m5f  (Winter) Coral Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)  (Class 2) (4yo+) A full field of 20 declared but heavy rain forecast for the morning of the race might reduce the field, but soft ground would be no concern for PETIT TONNERRE who looks ready to win a big handicap pot for the O’Neil’s. Raised…

HALKA DU TABERT and antepost favourite Luccia have both won a maiden apiece yet the former trades a fraction of the price for the Mares’ Novice Hurdle. That doesn’t make sense to me as the only concern with the former is the 2m1f trip – she looks a strong stayer…