Tuesday 22nd May 2018


17:05 Nottingham

 Cent Flying has impressed since returning from a wind operation, winning at Bath in convincing style and then finishing second at the same track more recently (beaten just a nose). Excellent apprentice David Egan has been booked for the ride and his claims look strong. However, the Bath race he romped home looked a pretty weak contest and he is now 8b higher, so although he may prove to still be ahead of the handicapper, 3/1 is not enough to get me interested. The one that takes my eye is Bustam for the in form John Quinn yard. The yard clearly thought a lot of him as he ran in Chesham at Ascot behind September as a two year old, finishing sixth of the fifteen runners (was sent off at 100/1). After that he was given a mark of 89 and here he is five races later in a class 5 handicap at Nottingham off a mark of 75. He caught the eye last time at Bath when he pulled hard early on before he found himself stuck behind a wall of horses and ran around in the last couple of furlongs, but despite racing keenly early on looked to finish with plenty in the tank and wasn't given a hard time. It is fair to say he's not the most reliable but he's starting to look well treated, drops down a grade and the booking of Silvestre De Sousa suggests they may think today could finally be the day he sheds his maiden tag.

Bustam 8/1 - 1 Point Win


15:45 Chepstow

 Prestbury Park takes on older rivals for the first time here and I think he can make the 9lb weight for age allowance count under Franny Norton. Mark Johnston's charge won twice as a two year old with the second coming in a Class 2 conditions contest at Chester. He made a promising return to action this season when finishing second despite taking a keen hold when attempting to make all at Lingfield. He wasn't suited by how the race was run at Newcastle on his next start and there is a possibility he may get his own way out in front today. One of the other three year olds in the line up, Global Tango, may prove the biggest danger. It's highly likely there's more to come from him and the long absence isn't likely to be a problem.


Prestbury Park 7/2 - 1 Point Win

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Cheltenham Festival 2024 - Day One

Image
13:30 Supreme Novices' Hurdle We have become accustomed to seeing a short-priced Willie Mullins-trained runner in the curtain raiser in recent times. Still, the market is much more open this year as a result of Ballyburn switching to the Ballymore instead (can't keep up with the changes of sponsors for that race). That being said, two of Mullins' runners are battling for favoritism as I write this.  Tullyhill  is a frustrating one for me, I have a useless ante-post slip for the Ballymore, but he has progressed well with each run this season and runs much better over this 2-mile trip than when tried at longer trips previously. I would still have major concerns regarding his jumping when he faces this better-class opposition, though. He got a freebie on the front end last time out and would be hugely surprised if the others allow him a soft lead in this, I'm not sure his jumping will hold up if he is taken out of his comfort zone. His engine may be good enough to get away...
Read more

Cheltenham Festival 2024 - Day Two

Image
  14:50 - Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle Sa Majeste  has been all the rage in this in the build up to the festival and it's easy to see why punters would latch on to him,  a completely unexposed hurdler having had just two starts for Willie Mullins. The first of those starts he disappointed at 13/8 in April 2023, but last time out he was impressive when beating Noble Yeats over 2m4f at Christmas. However, that wouldn't be the grand national winner's optimum trip and I'm wary of backing Sa Majeste on the basis of that run alone. I really fancied Doddiethegreat  to run a huge race in this when I first looked but the form of the Henderson stable is certainly tempering my enthusiasm, with 5 of his 6 runners being pulled up on day one. That being said, everything is price related and he drifts enough (would want 12/1+) then I will end up backing him. There is certainly no worries regarding Henry De Bromhead's stable form and BALLYADAM  looks to be a solid option with almo...
Read more

Cheltenhan Festival 2024 - Day Three

Image
  14:10 - Pertemps Handicap Hurdle GABBY'S CROSS   has caught the eye the last twice, running on well late after trouble in running to finish 2nd and he has clearly been held back to protect his mark for this. His Irish mark is 127 and although the UK handicapper has given him 133 here, that still looks like a very favorable mark based on his chase form (rated 143 at the start of the season). He is proven on all types of ground and Darragh O'Keeffe rides well around Cheltenham finishing in the first 4 in 35% of his rides here and +£13 to £1 level stakes. GABBYS CROSS 11/1 - 1 Point Each-Way 14:50 - Ryanair Chase I think there is an outstanding bet in here at the time of writing, not an imaginative selection but you can get 9/2 with 4 places each way on ENOVOI ALLEN  and I think that has to be taken. He won this last year and ran to the same RPR when 2nd to Gerri Colombe over a 3-mile trip where he was just outstayed. Back down to 2m4f at Cheltenham where he is 3-5, I fin...
Read more