2.10 Exeter Henry King 16/1 NB 2.40 Exeter Quarl Ego 10/1 NAP Write ups to come but price for Quarl Ego won't last.
Jupiter rex at 11/10 5:40 exeter. Looking to complete an 8 timer, and ive been on the last 7! well worth a place in anyones double. Carries no extra penalty because the last win was over fences and this is back over hurdles so he carries same mark as he did when winning easily last month.
Blimey ROTO, talk about pinch a fellas bread and butter.........I put both those up last time out! Quarl Ego has a lot of stable confidence behind him but I was uber impressed by SANDYS DOUBLE last time out!
I put up Henry King that day as well! Quarl Ego finished 2nd on chase debut LTO and makes handicap debut off 105. Winner Howards Legacy was 2nd behind subsequent Racing Plus Chase winner Opening Batsman off 126. The 3rd Top Smart is a horse I've always liked who was running a blinder in the 4 miler before falling 4 out and the 4th The Musical Guy was 2nd today on handicap debut of 120. Could easily be chucked in.
I'm going to start with a cert and move on from there. Dogora 3.35 Fairyhouse 11/8 Days Hotel 4.05 Fairyhouse 8/11 Blazing Tempo 5.05 Fairyhouse 3/1 Tammys Hill 6.35 Fairyhouse 4/11 Singles on odds against horses and a double on the odds on.
SANDYS DOUBLE 2.40 Exeter, I was mega impressed with this one last time. He looked at least stone better than his handicap mark.
Hmmm, I'm always dubious about the strength of small runner lower grade races so at the prices would be looking away from Sandy's Double on value grounds. I might employ something I almost never do tomorrow. The lesser spotted reverse forecast. As ever good luck with your choices chaps.
I like Hayjack in that 2.40. Should i lay off my bet already?! Theres money for Henry King now stick too.
2.40 Exeter Henry King 16/1 NB If now fully fit after his first run in 722 days, I'm expecting a massive run from Victor Dartnall's lightly raced 9 year old and I think he'll take an awful lot of stopping. Back in November 2008, Henry King was an extremely impressive winner of a Bumper at Newbury when running out a very easy winner by 5L from some very useful sorts. Such was his immense promise, he was sent off a 20/1 shot for the Champion Bumper in 2009 and despite finishing eased he had shaped very promisingly as he sweeped around a lot of horses despite pulling hard for much of the race (which would turn out to be a major issue for a lot of his early career). On the back of a 7 month absence, Henry King made an extremely promising debut over hurdles over 2m at Wincanton in October 2009 when going down by 1.5L to Pepe Simo - a horse he had comfortably beaten into 2nd place when winning his debut bumper. Refusing to settle under Timmy Murphy, Henry King made stylish progress through the well strung out field to be delivered excellently by his very talented jockey and both he and the winner were level going over the last. Henry King still looked a bit green as he ran around a bit and when level the pair bumped which looked to have cost Dartnall's representative some momentum but he lost very little in defeat. The form of that race has worked out extremely well with the winner Pepe Simo winning his next two starts over timber and who is now a 140 rated hurdler whilst the 3rd The Rainbow Hunter has turned out to be a very talented chaser. Given that the winner is a 2m specialist and Henry King is clearly a better horse over further, I think it made his narrow defeat even more impressive and, at the time, it was clear Victor Dartnall had a horse with immense ability on his hand. An inability to settle continued to be a big hindrance for Henry King as he fell 2 out on his 2nd start over hurdles at Newbury in November 2009 but had he stayed on his feet I'm certain he would have placed despite pulling for most of the contest and again that was a really good contest. The impressive winner Belvano impressed in his brief hurdling career before turning into an excellent chaser who won last years Grand Annual whilst the 3rd Tocca Ferro won two Listed Handicaps over hurdles on his final two starts when last seen in 2010. After some disappointing efforts over hurdles and on chasing debut (unsuitable ground/pulling too hard), Henry King belated shed his Maiden tag at the 8th time of asking in a handicap off a mark of 114 when connections finally resolved the massive issue of his inability to settle as they sent him from the front over 17f at Taunton in January 2011. From pillar to post, Henry King's tendency to pull was eradicated and he showed great battling quality to score by 0.5L when strongly pressed up the run. Having searched back through the archives, I found a very interesting quote from Dartnall after this win which was "the only reason he won at a tight track like Taunton was because he was so well handicapped" and that can only be viewed in a positive light. 3 weeks later Henry King was a little disappointing over the same C+D when employing the same tactics when upped 9lb to a mark of 123 but his final start in March 2011 was by far his most impressive performance over hurdles to date and he finally looked as if he was fulfilling the immense potential he looked to possess. In a Novice Hurdle at Taunton when the only horse in the race to carry a penalty, the step up to 2m4f - the first time he went further than 17f in his career - improved Henry King massively as he again made all to score by 9L in very impressive fashion. Travelling well throughout the contest, Denis O'Regan gently asked his mount to quicken up and Henry King did so in style to finish a very easy winner. The form of that race looks strong, with the runner up (who received 7lb from the winner) Merehead landing a competitive handicap at Ascot off a mark of 115 on what has turned out to be his only subsequent start in a race where the 3rd Battonier went on to score in a Grade 2 a couple of months later. Based on Dartnall's earlier comments about Taunton not suiting, I think you can upgrade that performance and its was shame that he has been sidelined since that victory. Henry King made his long awaited return to the track over 20f at Sandown near the end of February off a mark of 120 and despite ultimately finishing a well beaten 9th I was extremely buoyed by his performance. Setting off from the front under tomorrow's jockey Jack Doyle, Henry King travelled well for an awful long way and was still in the firing line having jumped the 2nd last but he appeared to get very, very tired and his jockey certainly took care of him. That run should have done him a world of good with regard to fitness and I'm hoping it has put him spot on for tomorrow. I think the handicapper has been pretty kind to drop him 3lb to a mark of 117 and there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Henry King is a well handicapped horse. Looking at tomorrows contest, it certainly isn't the easiest race on paper with some unexposed and in form types but I definitely think Henry King can land this. A horse that doesn't like cut underfoot, I think there is a strong chance he'll get proper good ground tomorrow and he'll definitely be seen at best effect on this sort of surface. Additionally, he should relish the 19f trip and is still completely unexposed over further than the minimum distance. Trainer Victor Dartnall's string are in decent enough form at present and Exeter is by far his most successful course with a tremendous 23% record from over 100 runners and I think it could easily be significant that Henry King turns up here as his trainers only runner. Although there is still a niggling doubt that he may need this 2nd run back to reach peak fitness, the little bits of money around for him already are definitely positive and if 100% race fit I think Henry King is going to run a huge race, which hopefully results in a win, for his very patient connections. 3.10 Exeter Quarl Ego 10/1 NAP Although he's only got one run over fences to base his chances on, I really think Quarl Ego has been given an extremely lenient opening mark of 105 and feel if his chasing debut can be taken at face value (which I firmly believe) then its going to take a very well handicapped horse to beat him. Formerly with Nicky Henderson, this 9 year old made his debut back in December 2008 over hurdles and his first 3 runs were clearly to get him a handicap mark as he was tenderly handled. He made a successful handicap debut over hurdles off a mark of 105 when stepped up to 21f at Ludlow when staying on strongly in the run in to score in March 2009 from Cootehill, who subsequently franked the form strongly by winning a Listed handicap off a 20lb higher mark 4 months later. Quarl Ego disappointed on his final start a month later off a mark of 112 but its feasible that he injured himself that day. He was off the track for nearly 4 years when making his stable debut for Lawney Hill in January this year (same ownership) when understandably pulled up and another start over hurdles also saw him tailed off. It seems very likely that he needed those two runs to get him race fit after his mammoth absence and he showed he still maintained his ability with an absolutely superb effort on chasing debut at the end of February. Over just shy of 3m at Leicester in a Novice Chase, Quarl Ego was up with the pace for much of the race and before dropping back to 5th after the 10th flight (still travelling well) in what was quite an odd move. After the 5th last, there was a sharp injection of pace by the leaders which caught Quarl Ego a little flat footed as he had to be niggled by David Bass. Jumping 4 out, he was about 10L down from the leader and he was still about that distance behind jumping the final flight. He pinged that fence and absolutely stormed up the run in to finish an excellent 1.25L beaten 2nd (winner probably idled) and he shaped as a stout stayer. He's sure to improve for that initial experience given that it was his first run of fences and the form of that race looks extremely strong in comparison to his handicap mark. The winner Howards Legacy (conceded Quarl Ego 7lb) finished an excellent 2nd to subsequent Racing Plus Chase winner Opening Batsman on his previous start whilst the 3rd Top Smart (also running under a penalty) was running a blinder in the 4 Miler at Cheltenham before falling 4 out and is officially rated 123. Additionally, the 4th The Musical Guy ran a blinder today on handicap debut off a mark of 120 and I'm really struggling to see why the handicapper has given this 9 year old an initial mark of 105 as that is seriously good form for his chasing debut. In addition to being entitled to have learnt an awful lot from that, its feasible to think he'll be even fitter for that run which is another tick in the positive column and he should absolutely relish the stiff 3m at Exeter and good ground. Of the opposition, current favourite Sandys Double clearly is a massive threat given he's running under a penalty after scoring very easily on his handicap chasing debut 9 days ago but that was on heavy ground and he faces very different conditions tomorrow. Quarl Ego looks potentially on an extremely lenient opening handicap mark of 105 and there has been quite a bit of money around for him already. If his chasing debut was no fluke, Quarl Ego should take an awful lot of beating in this race and I strongly fancy him to win this in style.
5.10 Exeter Kim Tian Road 9/1 Keeping this short and sweet but I do feel that 7 year old mare has been given a nice opening handicap mark of 109 and although it will be a tough task to win under top weight I feel she's going to run a really nice race. Formerly with David Marnane, Kim Tian Road showed some decent form in bumpers (disappointing over hurdles) before joining Martin Hill where she shaped well on her stable debut when 3rd behind Al Ferof (understandably completely outclassed by that rival) in January 2011. I've absolutely no clue what happened to her but she was absent for 775 days before her last start when scoring in fine style over 19f at Exeter in a Mares Novice event in what was a superb training performance. Held up at the rear of the field, Kim Tian Road was quite keen and free for a lot of the contest. Under tomorrow's pilot Hadden Frost, Kim Tian Road swung into the home straight in 4th and after jumping the final flight a couple of lengths down she asserted in the run in to score by 2L from Alder Mairi. Hill's mare was receiving 12lb from Alder Mairi who is a horse I really like and she has earned an official rating of 123 having won 2 of her Novice hurdles impressively. It was an absolutely tremendous training performance from Martin Hill and although she was clearly fit I expect her to come on again for the run. The drop back to 17f doesn't look entirely obvious given she only mastered her opponent late on LTO but I think Frost played her late and she could have hit the front sooner if required. Additionally, this should be run at a slightly quicker pace which should hopefully allow her to settle better. Proven at the course, she gets similar conditions that she won on last month and this really isn't a strong race which is why she has to shoulder 11-12. If she doesn't bounce, I expect a really big run from this unexposed mare and hopefully she can kick on from his last win and make it two on the spin.
Anyone who knows their arse from their elbow about? I backed Shadow Catcher at Cheltenham at 25/1 when he ran a good 4th and he runs off a pound lower today. On the face of it he has a hell of a chance today in the 4.35 with Elliot on fire and Davy Condon riding two brilliant races yesterday. I'm slightly concerned about his ability to shoulder a large weight though with him never having tried it in the past. 11st 6lb is the most he's ever had to lumber about. Does anyone have an opinion?
BB Idont know me elbow from me arse but this fella does Formscan By Alan Magee - SHADOW CATCHER hails from a stable in tremendous form, and showed he’s capable of landing a competitive handicap off his current mark by making the frame last month in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham. The selection was one of the leading juvenile hurdlers last term and, after a restricted campaign this season, is still fresh for the spring Festivals
If anyone likes poker then Dusk Till Dawn are holding a tournament with the final 5 days at Wembley Stadium in May and June this year. I'll be playing. Look on their website for more details.
McCoy on Oscar Whisky on Thursday with Geraghty choosing Grandouet. They'll all be looking at Sam's arse up the run-in eh Stick?
I have relinquished ownership of the horse odddy lol he is now public property ;-) but you can tell your friends that you know the man who smashed into him at 16-1 for the Festival once
