2m½f Betfair Hurdle (Handicap) (Grade 3) (Class 1) This rescheduled renewal of the Betfair Hurdle looks pretty special with plenty of unexposed horses in the race. Some of the big fancies are quite short for this though and I like one at a slightly bigger price in MILKWOOD, who was…
1pt win Lecale's Article @20/1 non-runner no bet, Ballymore Novices' Hurdle
I’ve backed Nicky Henderson’s LECALE’S ARTICLE to win the Ballymore non-runner no bet at 20/1. He was bought for €320k two seasons ago after winning a point but missed last season through injury. He’s been campaigned very similarly to Shishkin as a novice hurdler, starting out by landing the same…
1pt win Busselton @14/1, 13:40 Leopardstown, Sunday
Joseph O’Brien hit a bit of form on Saturday with a 1-2-4 in the handicap hurdle and Fakir D’oudairies placing second in the Dublin Chase. He has been out of sorts this season and that might just be a valid reason to expect his runners are underestimated. BUSSELTON was a…
1pt win Farclas @7/1, 1pt win Treacysenniscorthy @7/1, 16:10 Leopardstown, Sunday
2m5½f Gaelic Plant Hire Leopardstown Handicap Chase (Grade A) Fresh from an 11/1 winner in the Ladbrokes Hurdle on Saturday, I fancy two more in the Handicap Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday. We tipped FARCLAS in the Paddy Power Chase over Christmas when running a blinder behind Castlebawn West and…
1pt win Melon @9/2, 15:40 Leopardstown, Sunday
The market has clearly forgiven both Minella Indo and Delta Work for their falls in the Savills Chase, but Kemboy was clearly close to his best in that race and his best form might be a notch above anything the fallers have achieved. Kemboy prefers better ground and that might…
1pt each-way Hes A Hardy Bloke @10/1, 1pt each-way Drop The Anchor @11/1, 15:50 Leopardstown, Saturday
2m Ladbrokes Hurdle (Extended Handicap Hurdle) (Grade B) Advanced Virgo is out to provide Charles Byrnes with a fourth consecutive win in the Ladbrokes Hurdle, which looks as competitive as ever. Advanced Virgo won a valuable Grade A Handicap Hurdle back at Fairyhouse in November, but back in third on…
1pt win Unexcepted @5/1, 14:10 Leopardstown, Saturday
Energumene is all the rage and odds-on for the Irish Arkle but this is a deep renewal and he was far from the top of the potential Arkle pecking order in the Mullins yard at the start of the season. Mullins was glowing in his praise of UNEXCEPTED in his…
2pts win Saldier @10/1, Irish Champion Hurdle, Saturday 6th Feb
Honeysuckle faces a far sterner test than twelve months ago in the Irish Champion Hurdle and I’m keen to taker her on over a trip she doesn’t look to like. The type to take her on with is a bona fide 2m hurdler and SALDIER fits that bill as his…
1pt win One For The Team @5/1, 15:15 Doncaster, Saturday
Cap Du Nord will be all the rage for this after his impressive second to Cheltenham bound Royal Pagaille in a Class 2 handicap at Kempton over the Christmas period. Cap Du Nord’s markedly improved form has been quite remarkable and he now races off a 15lbs higher work for…
1pt win Shang Tang @10/1, 1pt win Glynn @9/1, 15:30 Kempton, Saturday
2m5f (Winter) Ladbrokes Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle (Listed Race) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) A wide open race but the one that’s caught my eye is SHANG TANG for the Emma Lavelle team. He fell at the first last time out, which is a little ironic as his slick jumping appears his best asset. On…