Typically difficult cards for a Saturday, but will give it a go: In the Class-2 Coral Welsh Grand National Trial Handicap Chase at Chepstow (13:37) over an extended 2m7f on heavy ground, I like the chance of the Dream Well gelding, Nassalam, in this event. Recent form is sound and has a good a chance as any in this affair. Wears blinkers. Capable conditional, Caolin Quinn (3) rides for the Gary Moore yard, 5/1 (BetMGM7BetUK) best price at tine of writing. Any drift, then E/W is the option. (Prices from Oddschecker) Best of luck to anyone having a go today! (Should add: Precautionary inspection at 07:30)
I remember taking a horse to a show jumping competition and, on seeing the condition of the course and how others were handling it, we pulled ours out. OK there were no punters on the event but had there been, they wouldn't have entered the equation. The horse's welfare (current and future) is the only consideration in such decisions
That’s fair comment, Ron, but ever since I started watching National Hunt racing in the late fifties, I honestly cannot remember a trainer pulling a horse out of a race owing to soft or heavy ground in the glorious twenty years that followed. No doubt there would have been the odd trainer that did but, let’s face it, it was the firm going they were concerned about. Both Arkle and Flyingbolt won, carrying huge weights in heavy ground in big handicaps- and they were back on the course in a few weeks ( not put away for Cheltenham). Why doesn’t Henderson run Constitution Hill in February’ s big Betfair Handicap( previously the Schweppes) before the Champion Hurdle- like Persian War did in ‘68, producing the best handicap hurdle race ever seen on a racecourse.? Not likely, is it? The top horses are just mollycoddled, and racing is far worse for it.
It was absolutely bottomless when CH won his 2nd novice hurdle at Sandown so he has been there and done it. He is so superior to his “rivals” and it would be a waste of his talents to just repeat what he did last season. He wasn’t even extended to win any of those races. I mentioned him going to the Betfair Hurdle last season - it would have been a perfect prep for Cheltenham.
Sandown on but both Constitution Hill and Shishkin scratched. Chantry House and On The Blind Side still in the Pertemps Qualifier though. Double standards from Henderson - he should either let them all run or scratch all his runners.
Which is interesting - his excuse with CH is “too testing for his first run of the season” whereas Willmount has already had a run.
Sandown 14,25 Red Rookie 12/1 e/w WH four places 11/1 sky five places Form on heavy: 111 Chepstow 13,37 Fortescue 14/1 e/w bet365 three places, 12/1 WH four places
All of JPs trained by NJH run. Owner called the shots there I would think, i.e. Jonbon, Impose Toi, etc.
Longer Dan interests me in the 2.25 San . I’m not worried about good horses carrying weight in the mud, so the prop back in trip could work out well. I’m not saying it’s a shoe in but @28/1 has place claims.
Going to be cringeworthy watching Ed Chamberlain trying to (a) defend Henderson`s decision and (b) convince viewers that the Fighting Fifth is still worth watching. Might be just best if they abandon it after all.
For the chasers I think its a no-brainer as that course is always much better ground than the hurdles track
Never mind the latest shenanigans with Tim Nice But Dim’s Sandown runners I find the current malaise of the real Princess of Wales much more perplexing. Not the fake one in the big council house in London that gets wheeled out to wave at the great unwashed at special events but the very luverly Rebecca Curtis . Seems to be very much in the doldrums these days with just 4 winners in the last 12 months. What is indisputable though is when she gets decent ammo her shooting is pretty straight. So I’m intrigued by her entries in Welsh National trial today. Pats Fancy is currently friendless at 33/1 but I’m not surprised at that as this is surely a prep for the main event later in the month. Wayfinder at the bottom of the weights could be the one. Fell at Cheltenham last time out but will carry my ew dosh today at 12/1. May invest in a cheeky ew AP voucher on Pats Fancy for the Welsh National too @ 25/1. In the luverly Rebecca I trust.
He will want to be winning nicely enough today then Oddy. Sandown looks tough going, great performance from Not So Sleepy there just now.
