3m½f (3m97y) Howden Long Walk Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) Another case of young guns trying to dethrone the old guard Paisley Park, Dashel Drasher and Champ from top British staying races. I struggle to find much to like about Crambo’s chances and he’s 8lb wrong with…
1pt each-way Nemean Lion @10/1, 15:35 Cheltenham, Saturday
1m7½f (1m7f152y) Betfair Exchange Trophy (A Handicap Hurdle) (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) 1/5 1-4 With 11 runners and bookies paying four places, this looks like an each-way betting race. Iberico Lord is going to improve when he steps up in trip but his stamina might not come into play here over what’s…
1pt ante-post win Firefox @10/1, Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, 13th March
I’ve backed FIREFOX for Ballymore success off the back of his defeat of Willie Mullins’s Ballyburn in a maiden hurdle. It’s pretty clear he and Down Memory Lane are the two talking horses from Gordon Elliott’s yard this season and I’m not expecting anything else to come from the leftfield…
1pt each-way Moroder @25/1, 14:05 Aintree, Saturday
3m2f (Grand National) Boylesports Becher Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (6yo+) There is definitely an argument to say that The Big Breakaway could be tailor-made for this race with bottomless ground in his favour. He’s also been heloed by a drop of 4lbs from his National mark…
1pt each-way Jilaijone @9/1, 14:25 Sandown, Saturday
2m (1m7f216y) Rachael Blackmore Serial Winners Fund Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-150) I shortlisted four for this race. Arqoob, Bucksy Des Empieres, Punta Del Este and finally JILAIJONE, who gets the verdict at the biggest price of the four. This is a very solid and consistent handicapper who’s placed in every…
1pt win Irish Hill @13/2, 13:40 Newbury, Saturday
2m4½f (2m4f118y) Coral Racing Club Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+ 0-150) A good betting race with plenty having chances. Jet Powered made my shortlist because he’s always had a big reputation and ran too bad to be true on his second hurdles run. Off a mark of 131 you’d have to say…
1pt win The Folkes Tiara @7/1, 15:40 Fairyhouse, Saturday
2m1f EasyFix Equine Handicap Chase (Listed Race) (4yo+) There is a risk racing won’t go ahead in most places tomorrow, but at the time of writing, Fairyhouse may have a higher chance of racing taking place than at Newbury. Some interesting novices are being unearthed on the card, but it’s…
1pt win No Ordinary Joe @12/1, 13:50 Newbury, Friday
2m4f (2m3f187y) Coral John Francome Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) (Formerly Known As The Berkshire) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) Hermes Allen is the right favourite here as he’s a Grade 1 winner at the track over hurdles, but he struggled to make a mark in two Grade 1s thereafter and is a little exposed.…
1pt win Hollow Games 15/2, 1pt win Gevrey @9/1, 14:30 Navan, Sunday
3m Bar One Racing Troytown Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (4yo+) Gordon Elliott saddles no less than 15 of the 22 runners in the Troytown Handicap. A quite remarkable numbers of darts are being thrown at the dartboard here and the odds must surely point to one of his runners claiming…
1pt win Luccia @11/1, 1pt win Anyharminasking @20/1, 15:30 Cheltenham, Sunday
2m½f (2m87y) (Old) Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) LUCCIA ticks a lot of boxes here. Like half of this race’s winners in the last decade, she’s only five and has loads of scope to improve past her 136 rating. She has Grade 1 form…