2pts win

2m4½f (2m4f127y) (New) Ryanair Chase (Registered as The Festival Trophy) (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) This looks wide open and last year’s winner Min is worth taking on after a very disappointing effort at the Dublin Racing Festival. The stand out price is two-time Festival winner SAMCRO at 12/1, who gets good his…

2m1f (2m179y) (New) Parnell Properties Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered as The Dawn Run) (Class 1) (4yo+) Heaven Help Us’s runaway win in the Coral Cup rubberstamped the form of TELMESOMETHINGGIRL for the in-form Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore. She has to be the bet in this race now as she placed third…

2m5f  (Old) Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) (GBB Race)  (Class 1) (4yo+) I’ve been backing MONTE CRISTO for this race for months. He was super impressive over Christmas round Kempton but was slapped with a 12lb rise to 145, which is hardly generous yet perfectly fair. We’d be banking on him improving again…

2m½f (2m87y) (Old) Weatherbys Champion Bumper (A Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race) (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4-6yo) We’ve little evidence to go by but THREE STRIPE LIFE looks a good bet in the bumper at 8/1. He impressed on the clock at Navan and it’s telling that Jamie Codd put him up…

2m Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (Class 1) It’s a race that throws up plenty of surprises with 16/1, 18/1 and 66/1 winners in the last few years. The top of the betting is dominated by the Irish yards with Embittered and Entoucas both appearing…

2m½f (2m87y) (Old) Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) This is looking the race of the week as all the big guns are turning up and there are a few unexposed angles to keep things spicy. I had a 1pt each-way selection on Silver Streak all written up and…

3m6f Sam Vestey National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) (Class 1) It’s easy to forget that NEXT DESTINATION was once handled by Willie Mullins. Willie doesn’t let go of too many good ones, especially not a dual Grade 1 winning hurdler. But Next Destination clearly has had some…

2m½f (2m87y) (Old) Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Registered As The Fred Winter) (Grade 3) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo) This race is ridiculously competitive so I wouldn’t be going anywhere near the favourites. SAGE ADVICE is the one I keep coming back to. Rated 79 on the flat, he only made his hurdles debut in…

3m1f Ultima Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (Class 1) It doesn’t look the most competitive of renewals for the Ultima Handicap Chase with just the 16-runners lining up this year. The warm favourite is novice, Happygolucky, who certainly carries the most unexposed profile into this for trainer Kim Bailey. Happygolucky has…

At first glance of this market, I was surprised to see the brilliantly named BAREBACK JACK at 6/1 after he impressed last time out, remaining unbeaten and taking the scalp of the useful Third Time Lucki. My Drogo is very good and his form really stands up to scrutiny after…