Saturday's Meetings Lingfield A/W 8 Races 11:45-3:40p.m. Haydock N/H 7 Races 11:50-3:15p.m. Fairyhouse N/H 7 Races 12:00-3:20p.m. Newcastle N/H 7 Races 12:05-3:25p.m. Ascot N/H 6 Races 12:40-3:35p.m. Racecards At The Races Racing Post Sporting Life Good Luck
Hello, all. A lot of the focus tomorrow will be on Ascot – especially the last 3 heats which have prizepots totalling a whopping £350k! But my eye is taken by CORRIN WOOD returning to fences in the ‘Tommy Whittle’ (cor blimey that’s a good Northern moniker ain’t it ‘Hey ‘ooooooooooop lad, I is Tommy Whittle, I just driven bakers van over cobbles. Now I’ll eat me lard sandwiches and drink me brown ale.’) at Haydock Park. Since moving to ‘awwwwwwwwwwww bless, little’ Danny Skelton he’s run two respectable races over hurdles (and in doing so proved he’s by no means gone at the game) but now returns to the old sphere where he was once, I say once, perched as highly as 156. Since the tapes went up in the ‘2014 RSA Chase’ though the wheels have somewhat, to put it mildly, come off re his chasing career. His handicap figure reflects this fact though as tomorrow Corrin Wood races off a mark some 28 lbs (that’s 2 stone in old money) below this perching. Also a professional saddle monkey replaces the conditional filly, who is dating the trainers brother, aboard the horse. The transfer to the Skelton yard seems to have reversed the very, very, very negative formline the horse had fallen into (-23 since the move compared to –PP8P0PP prior to it) and with this in mind you would have to conclude that if this ‘improvement’ continues off a lowly 128 then Corrin Wood has the capabilities to go very close of the morrow. Good luck all.
2.25 Ascot Ptit Zig Very confident e/w shout on Paul Nicholls' runner who has met French raider Alex De Larredya twice this year at Auteuil, beating him on good ground over 3m1f and then going down by 9 lengths on bottomless ground over 2m 7f 3 weeks ago. Having seen the racing today, the going is nowhere near French soft so I am very hopeful of Ptit Zig gaining revenge (in first-time blinkers, stable form red hot) and I think these 2 bring the best staying hurdles form to the race. Ballyoptic appears to be just short of top class and, admirable though Unowhatimenaharry is, he ain't no Thistlecrack and makes no appeal at 11/8.
I presume you mean Regal Encore TC I reckon druids nephew for that and Consul de Thaix for the Ladbroke. I probably need my head examined for this but I like West Approach at A big price to run into a place tomorrow. Travelling well before an error due to being unsighted 2 out and lost momentum and couldn't get back on it on time. A quickly run 3 miles is what he's crying for and this novice could spring a surprise at a tasty price tomorrow.
Agree completely and with Lil Rockerfella in the race they will get stretched out. I have backed three Nicholls horses tomorrow, including old Modus!! Also Little Jon in the Tommy Whittle. Jump for once!
I must say Brain Power off 149 in the last at Ascot makes plenty of appeal. Absolutely cantered all over them at Sandown 2 weeks ago and he can defy a 7lbs rise to take this valuable pot. Sternrubin should set the race up perfectly for this strong traveller.
Yala Enki is the interesting one for me in the Tommy Whittle Nass - if taking to fences he could make a mockery of his mark. Soft ground and Venetia coming into form ...................
On the subject of Haydock .................. and Newbury and Aintree and probably Doncaster for that matter - I really don't these racecourses with very long home straights - I just think they don't produce such exciting finishes. Hate to see horses plodding up the home straight at Newbury on soft or (god forgive) Haydock on heavy. They seem to be treading water. "Dour" springs to mind .................. reminds me of Northern pit villages.
2.05 Haydock Tearsofclewbay - love this mare to bits and I think the step up in trip could really suit her on testing ground. Favourite will be a tough nut to crack but at 5s she is a bit of value. Have I got enough for a Lucky 15 yet?
I like Yala Enki but it's a big ask after being over hurdles for so long. It's a race of IFs which makes it really intriguing.
Probably worth mentioning Yorkhill makes his chase debut at Fairyhouse in the 2.10 race - 1/6 if anyone fancies it I suggest a watching brief.
E/W Lucky 15 to small stakes Ptit Zig Yala Enki Tearsofclewbay Brain Power That'll do me, rest of Friday's winnings withdrawn. The new, sensible Odddog
Horse running tomorrow called Poker School. However he is difficult to read and you don't know if he's going to put it all in.
He is capable of raising his game, hard to tell though. I'll have to check the market in the morning and see what the deal is.
I completely agree with what's been said re Ptit Zig. Solid three mile hurdle form in the book, now much fitter (going off Nicholls bet fair comments) and a huge price at 10/1. I really like the favourite but he's as yet untested against the top horses so 11/8 or thereabouts seems to me to be on the short side albeit you can understand why they'd price it up as such. I've taken an additional place on Ptit Zig and 8/1 so i'm running for a top 4 finish but am very hopeful of the win.
Pokora Du Luys 11:50 Ascot.... winner before dinner (lunch to you down south)... it's on the list Stay Frosty xx
