3.10 Musselburgh STORMIN EXIT 5-1 returns from a spell on the sidelines but the McCain yard are very good at bringing one back spot on. If he is spot on then he will surely thump these off tomorrows weights.
I did have a look at this one but I was slightly concerned that he may not stay trip on his first start over 3m in testing conditions on the back of a long break. I think Isla Pearl Fisher has to be taken despite winning this race last year given its a career high on soft ground that I don't think he'll handle. No bet race for me but certainly won't be surprised if Stormin Exit wins well. Good luck Stick
1.50 Lingfield Ballygarvey 7/1 There has already been a little bit of money around for Philip Hobbs's handicap chasing debutant and it's not hard to see why he has been already backed in from 10/1 as I think he could take an awful lot of beating off a mark of 110. Formerly with Henrietta Knight, this former Irish Point To Point winner showed some very useful form over hurdles and I think this unexposed 7 year old certainly has the potential to score off his mark on what is just his 2nd start over the larger obstacles and 2nd start for his current handler. A winner of his last of 4 starts in P2Ps back in 2010, (no great form) he stepped up really nicely on his 3rd start under rules for Henrietta Knight over hurdles when finishing an 11L 2nd behind the very talented and easy winner Broadbackbob at Newbury over 19f in December 2011. Under Will Kennedy, Ballygarvey got into a really nice rhythm as he made all until the 2nd last before being headed by Broadbackbob but he stayed on resolutely to hold 2nd and finish 8L clear of 3rd. In addition to the winner being a very talented horse who had defeated subsequent Supreme Novice winner Cinders And Ashes on his hurdling debut on his previous start, the horses in behind were very good animals as well. The 3rd Carrigmorna King is now a 134 rated chaser/127 rated hurdler and the 4th Same Difference is now a 137 rated hurdler and it was a really nice effort despite being sent off a 125/1 shot. He proved that was no fluke on his next start over 19f at tomorrow's course in January 2012 when again making all to score a little easier than the 1.75L margin suggests and although the form of that race is only ok and nothing special he beat what was in front of him and that is all you can ask. Ballygarvey had 3 more starts over hurdles for his former handler between March and April when he was pretty disappointing including when pulled up in a handicap hurdle off a mark of 115 at Plumpton on his last start for Knight but I certainly think he was always going to prove a better chaser. On the back of a 6 month absence, Ballygarvey made his stable and chasing debut at the end of October last year over an extended 2m at Taunton on good ground when set a pretty stiff task in the Novices Chase. Held up in midfield, Ballygarvey was hampered at the first flight and his jumping was a little sticky for the first half of the race but he did warm to the task in what was clearly a spin over fences to both gain some experience and indeed blow away some cobwebs. That race has worked out to be very strong with the 2nd Changing Times winning both his subsequent starts over fences including impressively off a mark of 132 whilst the well beaten 3rd Bally Legend followed Changing Times home in 2nd on his only subsequent start in a handicap off a mark of 129. For that effort, Ballygarvey has been assigned an opening handicap mark of 110 which I think looks potentially quite lenient for this former Point winner based on his hurdling form. Ballygarvey is stepped back up to 2m4f which should certainly suit as well as a return to heavy ground which should allow him more time to get into a rhythm. I also think its very interesting that he returns to the track of his only success as Lingfield is not a track that Philip Hobbs visits very often. In the past 5 seasons, Hobbs has only had 9 runners at the track scoring with 3 of those and he has a 1-2 record with his chasers at Lingfield and this represents his only runner of the day. Although there seems as if a couple of horses in the field like to be prominent, I'm hopeful that Ballygarvey is ridden more positively tomorrow as he certainly seemed more at home from the front over hurdles. Tom O'Brien takes the ride tomorrow on what is his only ride of the day tomorrow and with the ground, track and distance all suiting I'm hopeful that Ballygarvey makes a successful start to handicap chases on just his 2nd start for Philip Hobbs to start of 2013 very nicely.
Cheers ROTO, the trip was my slight concern but when you look through his form you see the comment "stayed on well" appear quite often. I had a good look at Lingfield and couldnt find anything to be confident about. Many of the runners there today are running over what seems unsuitable trips. A number are having handicap debuts which really is a journey into the unknown. I really dont fancy Valley View in your race, he isnt particularly well treated. Good luck with yours! PS; Sunny Ledgend against the odds on Maringo Bay, hold a gun to my head and I know which one I would be on (again).
After a quick scan of Lingfield's cards I'm interested in an Alan King double in the 2 divisions of the bumper. Bobbyjack and Soixante Six. In the Musselburgh bumper, Peter Niven's Rev Up RUby catches the eye. Time for coffee, breakfast and a decent study. Not looking forward to going back to work next week
Whats for breakfast Oddy? I'm feeling a massive Latte is in order for me this morning. I really fancy a good round of toast and a smidgen of Lurpak but the morning commute has sadly deprived that!
Right, today is all about waiting to see the cards for tomorrow!! I am off to Wincanton all being well, hopefully we have some big fields for the handicaps. Over at Chepstow we have a quality card and Sandown probably tops it with quality racing once more.
2 horses I'm really looking forward to tomorrow at Sandown Nass (if running) - William's Wishes and Melodic Rendezvous
Aegean Dawn and Minella Class both entered up at Wincanton, both have jockeys nominated too, so hopefully they will run. If Grandioso/Keppols Hill runs in the same race it could be very interesting.
Morning, troops. Pretty dull racing today with the exception of the 2 National Hunt Flat heats at Kempton Park which in my view are both well, well, well, well, well, and I do mean well, well, well, well, well, above average. Hardly surprising that trainers are sending decent looking sorts to these races because if you’ve got a potential useful one on your hands you aren’t going to want to inflict a run on very heavy ground on them so early in there fledgling careers. Kempton Park’s polytrack, by contrast, offers a much kinder run for these youngsters. In these 2 races I like FEASTS OF FIRE (3.20) and SGT RECKLESS (3.50). The former has moved across the water to old boy Jonjo O’Neill following a highly promising debut at Punchestown whilst the latter was an effortless winner on his debut back in May and appears potentially quite special. Regular readers may want to note that the double, re this pair, is currently paying around 8.5/1. Good luck all.
Sorry, Stick, it is indeed Lingfield Park. Well spotted, old boy. I hope the regular readers read your post before writing Kempton Park on their betting slips!
Today's bet to set the bookies trembling with fear is a €0.74 e/w Lucky 15: 1.50 Lingfield - Good Order. Tom George in decent form at the moment and this fella won almost exactly 1 year ago on soft ground at Wincanton (3m1f) off a mark of 105. He was subsequently upped 6lbs and pulled up at Haydock on Gd/soft and has not been seen since. He should relish conditions today and will hopefully be fit and ready to exploit what looks a manageable handicap mark. 3.20 Lingfield - Bobbyjack doesn't exactly jump off the page on breeding so just picked this based on connections. The Alex Ferguson runner was ultra-impressive on debut and will take all the beating here but I'm hoping Alan King will have his runner well forward and maybe a place can be grabbed. 3.50 Lingfield - Soixante Six should definitely be spot on for this and it will be close between him and the Henderson runner but I just fancy Alan King's charge to prevail. 3.40 Musselburgh - Rev Up Ruby should go well here for Peter Niven who knows how to get a bumper winner ready. €22.20 total stake which I won on the Ayr bumper yesterday Good luck to all
