Considering ground conditions there is actually very good racing on tomorrow with some very nice horses out! Newbury 1.20 - Calipto - Nicholls Triumph horse, he was very bullish about him on a column i read on either the Racing post or sportinglife. Won on debut nicely and plenty of winners have come out of that race including Dawalan. Short odds and should hose up. 2.25 - Katenko 11/4 - Frustrating to back so far this season, i figured he had an outside chance of running a place in the big 1. Gets his ground tomorrow and has proven stamina, especially when staying on strongly last time out over 3m 1f. Perhaps the large weight was an issue. Gets weight from his main rivals and aslong as he jumps nicely(Hennesey) and unlike his race behind Unioniste he should go close. 3.00 - Dodging Bullets 11/8 - He steps out of novice races for the first time over fences and has to give weight to the useful Module. However he has done absolutely nothing wrong so far over the larger obstacles. Gave Grandeout a lesson in jumping last time out(albeit slightly left handed in 1st half of race) and back to a left handed track tomorrow would suit even more. That form over Grandeout looks top class especially giving him 6 pounds. He is 2nd favourite for the Arkle currently and i fully expect him to shorten after this. His 1 run on heavy ground was in the Xmas hurdle behind Darlan, he was finishing strongly over 2m and doesnt seem to mind the ground. 3.35 - Totalize 14/1 - Absolute minefield of a race with some very useful horses lined up. Totalize has a very decent record on heavy going of 2 wins and a 2nd place out of 3 runs. He sneaks in at the bottom of the handicap and has 1 of the jockeys of the moment Aidan Coleman on board. He ran a good race last time out to finish 2nd but he no doubt 'Ran into 1' as Lac Fontana is clearly well handicapped and will go on to win again. Ill be having a saver on Chris Pea Green 25/1 who is ever consistent and will go well on the ground. 4.10 - Sam Winner 2/1 - Very impressive win over Le Bec last time out, albeit receiving weight that day, jumped smoothly that day and won going away in the end. Mendip Express looks all about stamina and will probably struggle to keep up with Sam winner & Smad Place, whos jumping doesnt look the greatest and may struggle to go in the ground. 4.40 - Thomas Brown - Stable have been doing well in bumpers and won this race with Oscar Rock last year. Warwick 2.05 - L'Unique 6/1 - As mentioned above King Yard were having issues tail end of 2013 into the new year and she run a couple of weak races. The yard is back in the winners enclosure now though and reading Wayne Hutchisons blog on sportinglife he seems very confident she will get the trip and that she is best seen around this time of the year. With the step up in trip i can see Mischievous Milly reversing form with Glens Melody and may prove to be the biggest danger. 2.40 - Balder Success 6/4 - Yet another King horse. Cost me a bomb when falling at the 2nd last at Cheltenham however he put things right next time out. Yard are back in form and he should have far too much class for these.
13/8 Al Ferof seems really fair. I don't see why Glens Melody won't like the trip and ground and is better than that field. 11/8 also seems fair. I'm doing a double.
Hope both these meetings go ahead. With you on L'Unique, Wardy - one of my favs, I always back her and hopeful tomorrow is the day she shows what she is all about. A similar sentiment about Cheltenian in the Betfair Hurdle, but this race is hugely trappy, so not super confident (in fact I have a couple of "savers", going the hedging route ) Al Ferof and Dodging Bullets make a compelling double for me, and back at Warwick, I'm liking Hobb's Persian Snow at 7-2, lovely weight and C&D winner
Im with Bob on them two and ill spice things up by adding Dodging Bullets for a voluptuous treble Betfair Hurdle im taking a speculative e/w plunge on Poet who I find a intriguing runner, admittedly the form stinks including being behind Alaivans backside by a fair few lengths. But can handle whats likely to be testing ground tomorrow as his flat form confirms and if he can get a clear round in think he could be nicely weighted and at 25/1 be rude not to have a nibble
If Al Ferof is going to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup, then he really should win this. Katenko is the main danger but Al Ferof's form looks more solid. As for the big race of the day, it is a minefield but Smashing trained by Willie Mullins is unbeaten in two starts for the yard, he won't mind the conditions but I have my doubts on whether he's good enough to win this. But he's relatively unexposed so I'll have a saver on him. Other runners to note are Dell'Arca and Vendor.
Just one bet for me and its on already in the Betfair hurdle. I really should be leaving the race alone as its so competitive and you could make a case for quite a few of them. I could well regret not backing Dell Arca....but anyway the choice is Recession Proof at 25/1 E.W BPG . Won the race in 2011 off a mark identical to what he will run off later today but jocked up is a good 3lb claimer on board so, actually he's on a lower mark!! He showed signs of a return to form when going very well in the Ladbroke Hurdle before falling 3 out. Will go in the ground and his record at Newbury is:3 runs - 2 wins. The nowhere was on unsuitable good to firm ground. I think the horse has an outstanding chance at a big price and is screaming to be backed. The trainer is also in form with 2 wins and 4 places from 9 runners over the last 2 weeks.. In the 2.25pm will be fascinating to see how Al Ferof goes. Not convinced heavy ground is his bag so we could well see Katenko return t winning ways....
Garde Feu in the 350 War-12/1-lightly.raced, was just behind Harrys Farewell lto-trainer and jock teamedup yesterday with a winner, and talking of Harry-I am backing the Topper to do just that -cannot forget how he won over CD last year -ground will favour him and I hope his jumpingIimproves! -Just got to mention sovento in the dips
Sovento in the first at ling -after a pipe opener at Kemp he gets a chance to earn his corn -predictive phone is a pain
1.50 Newbury Rydon Pynes 4/1 I think Martin Hills' 6 year old Rydon Pynes looks to be on a really nice mark of 125 for his handicap debut and with the step up to an extended 3m sure to suit I think he's going to take a lot of beating if handling the very heavy ground. Having showing solid form in bumpers, Rydon Pynes ran a really nice race on hurdling debut when 2nd behind the easy winner Whisper (now rated 153) and after falling on his 2nd hurdles outing he landed a bit of an on course touch (14s into 7s) when winning a Novices Hurdle at Exeter over an extended 2m5f in a race that has worked out very well. Despite two bad jumps in the contest and being hampered by a loose horse up the run in, he stayed on powerfully to beat the talented Flemenson (received 6lb) by 1L. The runner up Flemenson looks an exciting prospect for Jonjo O'Neill and is now 3-4 in his career (one P2P victory) whilst the 3rd home Junction Fourteen (hurdling debutant) has won twice since including when absolutely bolting up off a mark of 121 before starting favourite for the Lanzarote off a mark of 137. With an Albert Bartlett entry to his name, this absolute bargain £800 purchase looks to be held in very high regard by his trainer and I think he'll take a stack of beating here today if the testing conditions don't adversely effect him too much.
It looks quite interesting that Conor O'Farrell goes to Warwick to ride 1.35 Bohemian Rhapsody 9/2 for Seamus Durack before dashing off to Newbury to ride Swing Bowler for his boss David Pipe in the Betfair Hurdle at 3.35
Dell Arca 15/2 is a must for me but I fancy him more for the festival, the one I really like for this is Deep Trouble 25/1, bit of a nutcase and 7 pounds for getting beat last time was harsh but the race is tailor-made for him and 25s is just insanely big. Probably the back to lay of the season if your into that game, he will come there on the snaff looking the winner, be up to him whether he wants to throw it away or not.
Irish Saint was so impressive last time out and I don't see a 5lb penalty stopping him - he is still the best handicapped horse in the field. 3/1 shot in my opinion.
The overall form of Irish Saint wouldn't stand out by any means, but he jumps well and I'm very curious as to what trainer Paul Nicholls thinks of his chances of winning the Betfair Hurdle, likewise of stable companion Far West - I think he's better value and best priced at 10/1. Montbazon was a promising novice hurdler in the 2011/12 season (4th in the Supreme Novices at the Festival, entered in this season's Champion) and best priced at 25/1. But he's making it's reappearance after 697 days off the track so I'd rather back Recession Proof at similar odds to be placed. But to win the race, yes it is a minefield but how good is Smashing trained by Willie Mullins? He's the only runner trained in Ireland, but rather offputting he won just once in 14 starts over hurdles and fences in France - but unbeaten in two starts for Willie Mullins. Watched The Morning Line earlier, I've never heard of Lucy Stack before today but 28 is no age at all. R.I.P. Lucy. http://www.racingpost.com/news/hors...ck/1602350/top/#newsArchiveTabs=last7DaysNews
Dodging bullets and al ferocity double for me Reebs can't open the comp thread as it keeps crashing, hopefully you see this vendor ew
Scoop 6 and ew lucky 63 1:50 Newbury - Pateese 13/2 2:35 Lingfield - Fair Value 5/1 3:10 Lingfield - Lowther 10/1 3:35 Newbury - Gibb River 20/1 3:45 Lingfield - Rivellino 6/1 4:20 Lingfield - Top Cop 4/1
Morning all, Off to Newbury today, really looking forward to seeing Sprinter Sacre and Denman today in the prelims. I haven't really spent too much time looking at the racing, I think following the Venetia bandwagon might be the way forward on the heavy going, but I also really like Vendor too in the Betfair. A day of watching mainly, but its a good day out (for free too).
