Sunday's Meetings Exeter N/H 7 Races 1:30-4:33p.m. Chepstow N/H 7 Races 1:20p-4:30p.m. Navan N/H 7 Races 1:40-4:55p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
The listed trustatrader.com Novices' Hurdle (Exeter 14.30) should be an informative contest with 5 of the 6 runners holding Cheltenham Festival entries in either the Supreme or Turners Novices' Hurdle. Current fav at a shade of odds-on is Paul Nicholls' Regent's Stroll who drops back down in trip after finishing last of 4 in the Challow. I do think his odds represent his connections and price tag more than his chances here and I'm not certain the drop back in trip is what he needs. No value in his price. Next at around 3/1 is Alexei who has won two minor events at Taunton (the second under a penalty) in taking fashion. A strong traveller and clean jumper he is worth his chance at this level. Third best in the betting is Dodger Long who brings some nice autumn form to the race (notably when third behind Anzadam at Fairyhouse) just ahead of Fingle Bridge who is unlucky not to be unbeaten and showed real tenacity at Market Rasen last time (despite not jumping cleanly). Julius Des Pictons and outsider Pony Soprano (the Skelton horse being the only one without a festival entry) make up the field. I have taken a small slice of 40/1 each way on Alexei for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and I am hopeful he can put his best foot forward here en route to a crack at the big one.
Agree re Regents Stroll Oddy. Below is Tizzard’s stable tour comments on Alexei. Lets hope he keeps surprising him all the way to mid March. ‘He is a horse we bought off the Flat and he surprised me when winning at Taunton. He had some good Flat form in Germany, and we ran him in a charity race on the Flat with Tom Malone on and he bolted up. He seems to be growing all the time and is a nice horse. I haven’t really decided where he goes next, but he will go somewhere over Christmas and is going in the right direction.’
There is an interesting gamble developing in that listed novices hurdle mentioned above - Jamie Snowden's Julius Des Pictons (as big as 14/1 yesterday) has now gone second fav at 6/1 with Alexei drifting like a barge (3/1 out to 7/1). The ex-French gelding is on a hat-trick following victories at Plumpton and Chepstow and whilst the form is nothing to write home about there is clearly plenty of support for the Cokoriko gelding out there. Fingle Bridge has also been well supported this morning (8s into 6s, touching 11/2 in places).
Its certainly a vibrant market. Alexei back in to 5s, Julius Des Pictons back out to 15/2 in places. It would be ironic if the wonderfully named Pony Soprano, the only runner without a festival entry and the outsider of the field, were to win.
Another very smooth performance from Juby Ball. No entries at Cheltenham, I wonder if we might see him at Aintree?
15:00 Exeter - Copperhead e/w Class-2 Veterans' Handicap Chase over an extended 3m on good-to-soft ground. Consistent old boy with good record over jumps, should run well again. Wears headgear as used in previous races. Freddie Gingell (3) rides for the Joe Tizzard yard.
I thought this was a cracking race. I was worried that the ground was too fast for Copperhead, but he is a classy horse.
Only for the Irish raiders the Mares listed event at Exeter would have been a disaster. Lucky they are willing to travel to keep the racing ticking over for the bookies and the British public. I see Sir Gino Ginelli had a setback after a setback according to reports from Henderson. May as well just chalk him and Con Hill out now for Cheltenham?
Sometimes wish Henderson would keep his mouth shut and just get on with his job. Seems every time one of his farts its all over the racing press.
Hopefully they'll make it there. Really does detract from what has become such a diluted racing festival nowadays so we need to see the likes of Sir Gino racing Majborough and so on and so forth. Good call on getting the Nicholls fave beaten - Regent Stroll. Looked a decent race tbh, so he lost little in defeat and a few nice horses ran there.
Yes the winner was impressive at Market Rasen last time, just wish I'd backed him rather than Alexei (who was disappointing to be honest). Such a shame for Dodger Long though, looked horrible.
