Saturday 10th August 2019



13:55 Haydock

Young Fire is the potential fly in the ointment here on his first start for David O'Meara, my knowledge of French form isn't amazing but judging on what I can see and RPR's there is a chance this mark of 88 could underestimate him. Any money that comes will be a good indication of what is expected but I am looking for an each-way alternative at the current prices.

I thought Mikmak had been laid out to win the Thirsk Summer Cup for a second year in a row but despite running a big race he could only manage third. He looked the winner a furlong out but was headed late on after possibly hitting the front too soon. His penultimate run when he finished second at Ripon has worked out incredibly well, the winner subsequently landing a listed contest, the third went on to be placed in a valuable Galway handicap and the fourth and sixth have both won since. He seems to be suited by big field handicaps and will appreciate the dig underfoot, with some firms offering 5 places each-way he looks worth a bet.

Mikmak 14/1 - 0.5 Points Each-Way
14:55 Redcar

 Golden Apollo has been on my radar for a while now and despite the fact he is 0-8 over this trip, he has shaped on multiple occasions that it should suit and he looks an each-way play for me at around 8/1. He ran a blinder at York last time out over six furlongs on testing ground, finishing fourth of the fifteen runners faring best of those from off the pace despite a messy start to the race. He drops down to class 3 company today and considering he was doing all his best work late on at York last time this extra furlong should help.

Tim Easterby's charge has also fallen to an attractive mark, having won off 95 in the past and beaten a neck off 94 this time last year todays mark of 89 should be workable. The biggest concern is he hasn't got his head in front since August 2017 so I'm happy to play this one each-way

Golden Apollo 8/1 - 1 Point Each-Way


15:55 Chelmsford

 This represents a drop in class for the William Haggas trained Island Of Life and she looks to have strong claims of getting back on the winning trail here. All of her top 7 career performances on RPR's have come on a synthetic surface so the return to the all-weather is a huge positive. She has been competing in group company for the majority of the summer and drops back into handicaps for the first time since the end of last year.

Her most recent all-weather start came in the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle over six furlongs, the daughter of Dubawi was running on well late after being outpaced in the early stages suggesting this seven furlongs may be more her trip.

 Crossing The Line is another who clearly thrives on the all-weather and did finish ahead of the selection on her penultimate start, but she had a much smoother passage through and I think William Haggas' filly is capable of turning the tables there. Especially with the talented Cieren Fallon taking off a useful 5lbs.

Island Of Life 5/1 - 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