Saturday's Meetings Newcastle N/H 7 Races 1:05-4:35p.m. Kempton Park N/H 7 Races 1:15-4:45p.m. Chepstow N/H 7 Races 1:23-4:53p.m. Fairyhouse N/H 7 Races 1:30-5:00p.m. Southwell(E) A/W 8 Races 2:45-6:35p.m. Chelmsford(E) A/W 7 Races-5:20-8:20p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
A few selections at Fairyhouse which I hope can get the job done. Theatre Native 13/8 - F'house 1.30. Unable to show his true colours just yet but a small break after a disappointing showing (blew hard) lto and he really ought to be up to winning this race today. Kilbree Warrior 4/1 - F'house 2.40. Multiple course winner who will go on from the front and having been nabbed only very late on will likely prove difficult to beat at a venue that is more preferable apparently. I Am Maximus 15/8 - F'house 3.50. Vanillier heads the betting for this but I am not convinced he will be totally geared up to expend himself here and I feel I Am Maximus will be really out to win and he can land yet another victory at this track. Best of luck all.
For the Saturday flutter a couple of difficult-looking Handicaps, so here goes: Chepstow (15:08) a Class-2 Handicap Hurdle over a distance just short of 3m on heavy ground. 12 go to post and many have excellent chances. Selection is the Midnight Legend gelding, Conkwell Legend, who will be ridden by James Best for the top stable of Neil Mulholland. 9/1 (Wm.Hill) best price at time of writing, on the ATR site. .................... Chepstow (16:18) a Class-5 Handicap Chase over an extended 3m2f on heavy ground,the Kap Rock gelding, Felton Bellevue, has a decent squeak of running a good race. Harry Bannister takes the ride for the Ben Case yard. 3/1 (Wm.Hill) best price at time of writing, on the ATR site. .................... E/W on each and E/W double .................... Have an enjoyable Saturday, folks, with every success if you have a go.
Apologies Swanny, but I've also had a double on Conkwell Legend. Have also had e/w acca and e/w doubles on the ITV 7 150 Kemp - Peking Opera 208 Ncst - Tommie Beau 227 Kemp - Pembroke 245 Swell - Bedford Flyer 300 Kem - Idy Wood 320 Swell - Tyrrhenan Sea 337 Kem - Forward plan Good luck to all having a play today.
Looking at the Adonis it is clear that connections think the absolute world of Kalif Du Berlais ("We've bought him to win Gold Cups") but does that necessarily mean he should be an odds-on shot for a Grade 2 juvenile hurdle? I think he is worth taking on at 4/5 with Gary Moore's Galileo gelding Peking Opera. His flat record for Aiden O'Brien includes 7th in the Queen's Vase, 4th in the Irish Derby, 7th in the Grand Prix de Paris and 3rd to Vauban in a Group 3. Interestingly he made his hurdles debut in a Novices Hurdle, rather than a juveniles only race, and in receipt of 22lbs saw off Ben Pauling's The Good Doctor at Sandown. That may seem a big weight concession, but The Good Doctor had a 5lb claimer on board and weight for age is there for a reason. I think it takes a decent juvenile to beat his elders and 6/1 Peking Opera today looks a nice price.
No Ordinary Joe eye-catching there in the opener at Kempton - watch out for him at the festival (2nd in the Martin Pipe last year)
I was wondering: if you backed every McManus runner at the festival to level stake at SP, are you likely to end up in profit?
Oddy: I have noticed over the years (a lot of years!) that NH form on what we used to call a 'park course'; (such as Kempton) does not always translate to Cheltenham, which is far from being a 'park course'. I much prefer the form of horses which have run well at true NH tracks when weighing-up Cheltenham Festival chances? Just an opinion, of course. I am trying to remember one very good example of this several years ago, I'll keep trying to remember the year and the details, as it really was a perfect example of what I'm getting at!
Paul Nicholls has got Monmiral qualified for the Pertemps Final with a 4th place in the Chepstow qualifier. Interesting.
2 of the 3 won. Theatre Native and I Am Maximus won as they liked and I Am Maximus was particularly impressive given he jumped about as poorly as I can recall any horse has in recent times, yet still won at a canter. They went no pace though and it was always his race to lose. Kilbree Warrior surprisingly gave a rare no show today, being PU around the back straight. 2 from 3 will do for me all the same.
Well done mate. Where next for I Am Maximus do you think? A nice pop round for Vanillier on reappearance, they must head to Aintree with confidence you'd think
He will head for Aintree I assume? Although he has absoultey no chance if he jumps like that he will definitely fall or unseat. If he jumps more fluently when there is a steady pace then he has a nice way of going and could play a hand in the end. Vanillier ran at the DRF Oddy, he's an old fave of mine, having had him backed at the festival a few years back when he won too - I foolishly backed him for the National last year when those around me were actually involved with Corach Rambler before being sold on and told me to get on him! Can't beat the stubbornness out of me now I thought the trip would see him win, he just left it too late that day but will surely go well again this year if they can reignite that spark come April time, which would be great to see, very determined horse.
