Wednesday's Meetings Wetherby N/H 7 Races 12:15-3:25p.m. Punchestown N/H 7 Races 12:25-3:35p.m. Hereford N/H 7 Races 12:35-3:40p.m. Wolverhampton A/W 8 Races 1:45-5:30p.m. Newcastle(E) A/W 8 Races 3:15-6:45p.m. Racecards At The Races Racing Post Sporting Life Good Luck
The 1.15 at Wetherby is an interesting Novice Hurdle with a mix of backgrounds coming into the race. Smith's Cross has been the one for money and he has a consistent enough looking formline but for me he could be up against it for toe on the Good-Soft (Good in places) ground at Wetherby. The bulk of his form is on heavy ground and Ffos Las is a track I have never placed a bet on because it appears akin to horse swimming in my opinion. He was a 3M Pointer in his earlier days and a RPR of 125 is hardly insurmountable for other contenders. Encore Champs has also been tipped in places but he is also coming here from Ffos Las but this time from a Bumper. He's unexposed of course and that win was on better ground than Smith's Cross has been running on. The 6th horse in that Bumper won a modest enough Chepstow Hurdle race but did it well and earned a mark of 125 from the Racing Post. The tenuous line from that horse to Smith's Cross on the same rating would suggest Encore Champs may have more potential than the market mover Smith's Cross. Smackwater Jack has been a bit unlucky in his two starts. He was involved in a ding dong finish on his sole bumper start and just looked to have got the better of it when he drifted right and lost it by a nose on the line. Then over hurdles at Aintree, he was still travelling well enough when stumbling at the second last and falling on the flat. If we were to assume he had won that race he would be in the same sort of form bracket as the other two already mentioned. That was a half mile longer race then though and sometimes the Bumper horses can find 2 miles a bit sharp. Fin And Game won this race last season for Philip Hobbs and he came in after 2nd and 4th places in Bumpers. He earned a figure of 130 from the Racing Post that day, so some of them here are in the right area of talent to go on and land this. I feel there is one with the potential to be well above that and who could outclass them tomorrow. Lord Yeats was a decent stayer on the Flat and although only winning 3 times he kept some strong company on occasion. He was a Listed winner on the Flat and switiching him to hurdles is probably a smart move compared to his task of running in the Ebor Handicap off a mark of 106, when he finished in midfield. The normal figures I hear given for a horse coming from the flat to hurdles is to add 40 to their Flat rating, although Mick Fitzgerald said 45 when he was asked on TV. If we give Lord Yeats a ball park of 100 from the flat and add the 40 figure to be on the cautious side, it leaves him well capable of having the potential class in this company. Trainer Jedd O' Keeffe has not had many out of late but they have largely run to their form. I feel at 11/4 Lord Yeats could have the legs of these more stout looking types. The ex-French contenders from the Pipe and Skelton yards are unknown quantities but both have been absent for a while and there is no sign of support for either at the moment. Lord Yeats 11/4 should be hard to beat if he takes to the sticks. Encore Champs would be my forecast selection.
Charming Dream. First run for the Skeltons and how many have they transformed these past couple of seasons? All adds up to a leave alone race in my book!
Bit of a neck saying that race is one to leave alone when tipping up an unraced horse is a Bumper full of unknown quantities.
Grendel Active Member Stick Bumper King I did say "in my book". Sorry to express an opinion that doesnt agree with yours!
By the way Grendel. In your write up you say that bumper horses usually find 2m hurdles too sharp. Do you not think that also applies to flat horses who have shown their best form over 1m 6f? Lord Yeats has yet to jump a hurdle in public so at 11/4 a lot is being taken on trust. What you do know is that he is a class act from the flat. I hope he wins for you.
There’s a duke of marmalade filly in the opener at wetherby that takes the eye. After miss Yeats stunning performance at Lingfield yesterday don’t see why another Yeats shouldn’t oblige. Cheers.
Grendel , stick ain't called the bumper king for nowt , I'm sure he's weighed up the race; and his selection at 16/1 , now 8/1 is no shot in the dark / dart board pick! !
I'm making the brave/stupid (delete as appropriate) move of taking both Stick and Grendel on Smackwater Jack 8/1 Deadringerforlove 9/4
As I commented on his I better comment on yours too Both of these are from yards I follow a lot. Smackwater Jack was shortening up last night. I struggle to place too much faith in horses shortening up the night before unless it continues the following day. He has drifted alarmingly today and whilst that doesnt rule him out it is not what you expect from this yard if it really is fancied. Deadringerforlove is a worthy favourite. The horse that won his debut bumper could be of the highest order in this sphere. He was only staying on up the slog of a hill at Chepstow though and already looks to me like a horse that needs a trip. Be interesting when stepped up to 2m 4f over hurdles but in the discipline looks to me to be susceptible to speedier bred types. Best of luck with both mate.
I’m going all Cole Porter today, with a juvenile hurdler who raced once on the flat. The horse ran an interesting debut at Wolverhampton and is interesting switch to hurdles for this yard. The horse has been nibbled in the market and it has good reasons to be positive about it.... 1- the field today - the favourite is a 60s rated flat horse and the selection was close to a 70s rated horse on debut. 2 - yard form - 2 from 9 in last 14 days 3 - yards form at the course - major positive 4 - market support So let’s sing along with Don’t Fence Me In @16/1
shame you missed the 33's last night huh He buys lovely horses Webber, usually big chasing types. If you go on his website he will usually have a couple for sale and I guarantee they will look magnificent.
I did get bigger earlier but yeah the 33s was massive. More confident now it’s under 20s given the shape of the race. She impressed me when I saw the wolves replay.
