Last weekend was the start of the turf flat season at Doncaster. It was great to see it back especially as it took place in some delightful spring sunshine and unseasonably quick ground particularly on the Sunday.
This weekend it’s back to jumps with Aintree centre stage. Which of course means one thing the world most famous horse race the Grand National.
Before we focus on the Aintree action lets to look back at the Doncaster action and my first six flat horses for the tracker.
This Horses To Follow
Saturday 30th March
Doncaster
Ripp Orf, trained by David Elsworth. Before the race I thought the gelding was probably in the grip of the handicapper. Now, I am not so sure. Held up as normal, the 5-year-old was tanking along in the hands of Hayley Turner. Making good headway two out he didn’t get the best of passages and had to be switched to make his effort.
It didn’t affect his winning chance although he might well have finished runner-up. Still it was good to see him finish his race off as strongly as he did to grab 5th. Given how well he performs at Ascot, on good to firm going 2 wins from 3 runs 3 placed with form figures 131 and on good to firm going 3 wins from 7 runs 6 placed with form figures 1212314. It’s not hard to his optimum conditions are a straight 7f or 1m on quick ground.
The gelding is 5lb higher than for the last of those wins but on the evidence of his Lincoln run he remains on a competitive mark for one of those big field handicaps at Ascot in the coming months.
Kempton
Now a couple from Kempton’s valuable all-weather card. Both were making their seasonal reappearances.
Whitefountainfairy, trained Andrew Balding, was having her first start since putting in an eyecatching performance when 7th of 17 in big field Goodwood handicap back in August. Her run on Saturday was similarly worth noting. Slightly hampered at the start which didn’t help her cause. The 4-year-old made steady headway in the straight and managed to grab 4th.
Given she had been off the track for 217-days she was entitled to need the run although it’s worth stating she did win first time up last season. There should be races in filly this summer at around 6f or 7f.
Soto Sizzler, trained by William Knight, the son of Mastercratsman improved on each of his first five starts last year. Culminating in a win at Glorious Goodwood in a Class 2 handicap. He looked a horse worth following as 4-year-old on the back of that win.
Not so good on his last two starts of 2018, whilst heavy ground could be excused for his Haydock defeat. Not sure what to blame for his poor run in the Old Rowley Cup at Newmarket on his final run.
A good seasonal reappearance when finishing 5th of 16 in 1m 3f Roseberry Handicap. He should come on for this run and he’s just 4lb higher than for his Goodwood win. So, he starts this season on a competitive mark for a decent handicap over 1m 4f to 1m 6f.
Sunday 31st March
Doncaster
Proud Archi, trained by Michael Dods. The five-year-old has won 5 of his 27 starts on the grass so he holds no secrets from the handicapper. However, he starts 2019 off his last winning mark. This was an encouraging start to the season from the gelding in finishing 6th of 19, beaten just 2 lengths at the line.
All five of his career wins have come at Beverley & Thirsk. He’s 3 wins from 8 starts 4 placed at Beverley and 2 wins from 3 starts at Thirsk. I am sure he will a handicap or two this season at around 7f at either of those two Yorkshire tracks.
Green Power, trained by John Gallagher, a winner of an Ascot 3-year-old handicap last August before running just as well against the older horses back at the same track.
Starts this season off just 1lb higher than for that Ascot win. Given, he’s no great record going fresh he was entitled to need his first start for 177-days on Sunday. Still, it was highly encouraging that he was able to run as well as he did here in finishing 4th of 17. The 4-year-old looks capable of winning a handicap or two in the coming months.
Guildhall, trained by Ralph Beckett, one win from three starts as a 2-year-old. That win came on heavy ground at Ayr back in September. He looked like a juvenile who could make into a useful 3-year-old.
Returning from a 163-day break, he was well backed before the off into 100/30 favourite on his handicap debut and his first start since a winter gelding operation. He just lacked a bit of speed when required in the final two furlongs but still ran well to finish 3rd.
He should come on for this run and at least he showed that he could be effective on quicker ground although some juice in the ground might see him in an even better light. An opening handicap mark of 78 looks more than workable.
Weekend Betting Preview
Friday 5th April
Aintree
It’s the second day of the Randox Health Grand National Festival and like day one I won’t be going into heavy, especially as rain on Thursday has turned the going soft.
1:45 – Merseyrail Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) – 2m 4f
A field of 22 are declared to go to post for what looks a very competitive renewal.
Mont Des Avaloirs was an eyecatcher on his 7th of 14 in the rescheduled Betfair Handicap Hurdle at Ascot. The 6-year-old looks worth a go at 2m 4f and he looks capable of some more improvement. No issues with the soft ground for the gelding and he did win a novice hurdle back in December 2017. Has each way claims, although trainer Paul Nicholls record in the race is 0 wins from 15 runners 3 placed in the past 11-years which tempers enthusiasm slightly.
Canardier, trained by Dermot McLoughlin, a novice hurdle winner at Cheltenham on his last start back in October returned to C&D to run a cracker in finishing 5th in the Coral Cup on his handicap hurdle debut. The 7-year-old has only had the nine career starts, winning three of them. Prior to this run his best form had come on a sound surface but he showed here that he can be effective on soft to. His record on good to yielding or quicker is 3 wins from 5 runs +8.75 5 placed with form figures 11231.
The ground could be even more testing than at Cheltenham so it’s going to be interesting how he handles it. Barry Geraghty has won on the horse and he’s back in the saddle again.
Of the rest.
Kobrouk, trained by Nicky Henderson whose won this race three times since 2013, is having his first start for his new trainer and first run since May 2017. Hard to say how well handicapped he is but he’s won fresh in the past so I doubt fitness will be an issue and there will be no problems with rain softened ground.
Esprit Du Large, trained by Evan Williams, has won two of his three starts over hurdles, including a ten-length win at Hereford 27-days ago. Handicap Hurdle debut off a mark of 132 looks tough enough but he’s got scope for further improvement.
Mont Des Avaloirs – 12/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – each way (both paying 5 places 1/5 odds)
Canardier – 8/1 @ Coral & Bet365
Kobrouk – 20/1 @ Paddy Power – each way (paying 5 places 1/5 odds)
2:20 – Rouge Vif – The 5-year-old has really improved for the fitting of the hood winning three of his last four starts over hurdles. Made all to win a Grade 2 novice hurdle at Kelso 34-days ago. Could get an uncontested lead here and would be hard to peg back if he does. Clearly needs to improve further but he missed Cheltenham and his trainer Harry Whittington has had this race in mind ever since Kelso.
Rouge Vif – 9/1 @ William Hill & Bet365
2:50 – On form this looks a match between Topofthegame and Lostintranslation. But I wouldn’t underestimate the chances of Chris’s Dream trained by Henry De Bromhead. The 7-year-old made it two form three over fences when winning a 3m Grade 2 Novices’ chase at Navan 47-days. Missed Cheltenham, which could be a positive and, he’s effective on soft ground. Need to find more improvement to beat the market leaders, which is possible, or both of them to underperform. What impressed me when at looking his Navan win was his jumping which was excellent.
Chris’s Dream – 9/1 @ Coral & William Hill
4:05 – Randox Health Topham Handicap Chase (Grade 3) – 2m 5f
A field of 29 are declared for this race over the Grand National fences.
Call It Magic – Keeps knocking on the door, and he looks more than capable of landing a handicap chase like this. Ran well for a long way in the Becher Chase last December and the drop back to 2m 5f should be fine. The rain that has fallen look a major positive for the light weight. He will do for me.
Call It Magic – 8/1 – Gen
In addition to the Aintree selections a previous Eyecatcher Speaker Connolly goes for confidence booster back hurdling at Wexford. A faller in the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival. He’s being running well over the larger obstacles. Races of a 14lb lower hurdle mark and looks capable of winning this.
Wexford
5:20 – Speaker Connolly – 5/2 @ William Hill & Ladbrokes
Always check with an odds comparison service like Oddschecker to get the best prices available
All selections win only unless indicated as each way.
Cheers
John