2m½f (Old) Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Registered As The Fred Winter) (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo)
A pretty mental race to try and find a winner in with SPs of 80/1, 33/1 and so on regularly popping up over the last few years. French imports have generally had the upper hand and I’d probably avoid anything at short prices given this race it typically a lottery.
The three I came down on included Bad for Ben Pauling, who makes his debut in the UK. He looks massively unexposed and looks to have been given pretty generous mark by the British Handicapper of 126. But having been keen on him at 20/1 earlier in the week, he looks a bit skinny now at a best price of 15/2 (although I will probably still definitely back him). Another that has mixed it with the top juveniles this season is Risk Belle for Willie Mullins, who also comes with a win from France. But she has drifted massively over the last week from 8/1 to 16/1, and that has to be a negative.
The one that sticks out to me though as potentially being significantly better than his mark is PUNTA DEL ESTE for the Skeltons. Punta Del Este absolutley hosed up on heavy ground on his last start in France where he looked hugely impressive against a field that has produced several winners.
Punta Del Este’s first start of the season came on going conditions that might have just been quick enough over at Haydock when finishing a staying on third by 4 lengths to Bo Zenith, who is being aimed at an Aintree Grade 1. That could be strong form and Punta Del Este could have gotten a lot closer had he not fluffed his lines over the first two hurdles.
I get the impression that run will have brought Punta Del Este on massively and at 16/1, he is a fine dart to throw at this race.
1pt each-way Punta Del Este @16/1, 16:50 Tuesday, Cheltenham (1-6 places, 1/5 odds)
Leave a comment