An interesting Fighting Fifth this year, with an unexpected market leader in Wicklow Brave. Willie Mullin’s charge got within two lengths of Nichols Canyon and the champion hurdler Faugheen in the Morgiana at Punchestown, whilst in August he placed second in the Ebor at York on the flat. Throw in…
1pt win Saphir Du Rheu @5/1, Newbury 15:00
Coneygree’s absence has changed the complexion of this year’s Hennessy Gold Cup. His catch-me-if-you-can style would have strung the field out long before respective treatment by the handicapper came into play. I’m confident he’d have won. His absence is great news for our ante-post selection Bobs Worth, as he couldn’t cope with…
1pt win Monetaire @6/1, 1pt win Niceonefrankie @11/1, 14:40 Newbury
Monetaire finished a disappointing eighth on his seasonal reappearance for the Pipe yard in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, and is turned out reasonably quickly here at Newbury. This is a much easier contest and Pipe was fairly positive on his chances before that race. It may just be that the…
1pt win Ubak @22/1, Newbury 14:05
At a big price, I’ve been tempted into having a bet on Ubak in the Grade-2 Fuller’s London Pride Novices’ Chase. Not seen on track since 2013, his trainer Gary Moore has him “as fit as we can get him at home” so he might be a snip at 22/1…
1pt win Beast Of Burden @7/2, Newbury 14:10
There’s some nice racing at Newbury on Thursday, with the Grade 2 Bet365 Novices’ Chase standing out. French Champion Hurdle winner Un Temps Pour Tout is the favourite after a solid chase bow at Cheltenham’s Open meeting. He was beaten by the outsider Vicente that day, a defeat that his…
0.5pts win Rolling Mall @20/1, Exeter 14:00
Early season novice chases are often full of value, with race fitness and sharpness so often the excuse for beaten favourites. The 14:00 at Exeter has a short-priced favourite, Fletchers Flyer, making his chase debut and seasonal reappearance on heavy ground. The same can be said of the second favourite,…
1pt win Emperor's Choice @6/1, Betfair Handicap Chase (Class 3), 12:40 Haydock
This is a tricky little handicap to unravel and acting as a pre-cursor to the Betfair Chase later in the day, it is in all honesty a weak affair by comparison. Harry The Viking, a Scottish Grand National runner last year is a decent stayer and off a mark of…
1pt double Irving, Brother Tedd @5/1
Typical of this stage of the season, only four contest Saturday’s Betfair Price Rush Hurdle at Haydock (13:50), with recent Wincanton winner Irving the market leader for Paul Nicholls. Melodic Rendezvous was seven lengths behind him on the day and, despite getting his favourite deep ground, looks highly unlikely to…
1pt win Holywell @25/1, Haydock 15:00
The highlight of Saturday’s action is the first Grade 1 race of the British National Hunt season: the Betfair Chase over three miles at Haydock. Last year’s winner Silviniaco Conti – who also won the race in 2013 – heads the market shading odds-on as a 10/11 favourite. That’s in part due to…
Performance update (+104.89pts)
Jumps racing is back in full swing and we’re off the mark with Wolf Of Windlesham returning at 12/1 at Cheltenham’s Open meeting. There was no such luck in the big race, the Paddy Power Gold Cup, where we came close with Sound Investment running a blinder under top weight.…