Hi all,
There’s some excellent money on offer at Kelso this afternoon and it’s good to see the course has been rewarded with some good field sizes. The best of the action is being covered by the ITV cameras who make a rare visit to Scottish track. And it’s there that I start today’s preview.
Kelso
2:05 – bet365 Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) – 2m 5f
Flash Collonges a future chaser has done well to win two of his four starts over hurdles this season. Won despite looking green at Wincanton 56-days ago. Handicap debut and capable of more improvement with racing but probably won’t find it easy to dominate this field as he did last time
Mega Yeats, twice a winner over hurdles when trained by Ruth Jefferson, ran a promising race on her first start for new trainer Mark Walford when runner-up in “Jumpers’ bumper” at Kempton last month. That was the mares’ first run since wind surgery and her first start for 425-days so she’s entitled to better today and must be high on the shortlist.
3:15 – bet365 Morebattle Hurdle (A Handicap Hurdle) (GBB Race) (Class 2) – 2m
The feature race of the Kelso card and indeed the day and it’s attracted a good-sized field of 14.
Your eyes are quickly drawn to Irish raider The Shunter. Trainer Emmet Mullins bought over Cape Gentlemen over to win at Kempton last Saturday and has a good chance of another winner in the best race on the Kelso card. The Shunter won the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham on his last start over the smaller obstacles and despite being 7lb higher looks set for another big run. The fancy prices available early in the week have long gone and it’s worth remembering that the 8-year-old will need a good strong gallop to chase like he got at Cheltenham.
Faivoir comes into the race looking for a hat trick after wins at Ludlow (soft) and latterly in Grade 2 novice hurdle at Haydock (heavy) back in January. No real surprise to see the 6-year-old so high up in the betting even though the ground is likely to be the livelier than last time. He did win a good ground maiden at Cheltenham in October. A strong traveller he needs to improve again he should be seen to even better effect in a strongly run race.
Tommy’s Oscar, a winner of his first three starts over hurdles, wasn’t suited by the slow early gallop at Musselburgh last time but finished his race off nicely enough to finish runner-up to the progressive Bareback Jack. Handicap debut off what looks a workable mark and a strongly run 2m can bring out a big performance in the promising 6-year-old.
Solo looked a smart juvenile prospect when winning the Grade 2 Adonis Hurdle 12 months ago.He’s not really built on that performance on four subsequent starts but he was rated 157 going into last season’s Triumph Hurdle and has now dropped down to 141 which looks more realistic. The 20/1 available early in the week has gone but anything above 12/1 looks fair.
Hunter’s Call doesn’t hold any secrets from the handicapper but the 11-year-old has run well on all three starts this season. He was 4th behind the Shunter in the Greatwood and gets a 5lb pull for 6 ½ lengths. A strong traveller who doesn’t always find as much in a finish as he promises. He was travelling as well as the eventual winner two out but is effort flattened out at the last when 3rd of 20 in the Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle back in January.
Verdict: Given the prize money on offer and the bonus of winning here and at Cheltenham. It’s not surprising the race has attracted a competitive field of handicap hurdlers. The Shunter’s claims are clear for all to see but at the prices I can let him win. Solo has dropped down to a workable mark but has been disappointing this season and improving novices Faivoir and Tommy’s Oscar look the ones to be with.
1pt win – Tommy’s Oscar – 9/1 @ Bet365 & Coral
1pt win – Faivoir – 6/1 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook
Newbury
1:15 – BetVictor Veterans’ Handicap Chase (Leg 3 Of The Veterans’ Chase Series) (Class 2) – 3m 2f
Shantou Village is my idea of the best bet on Saturday. The 11-year-old showed he remains capable of a big performance in this type of race when a close-up 4th of 12 in veterans chase at Chepstow back in October. His jumping has sometime let him down none more so than when making a mistake at the last when challenging in the 2019 Kerry National at Listowel, off 9lb higher. Seven of his eight career wins have come on good ground so underfoot conditions are in his favour here. Millie Wonnacott takes off a handy 7lb and trainer Neil Mulholland is among the winners so there’s plenty to like about his chance in this.
2pts win – Shantou Village – 4/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
1:50 – BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Grade 3) – 2m 4f
Despite the drying ground fourteen have been declared for Newbury’s feature race and it looks a competitive renewal. Paul Nicholls has a tremendous record in the race winning eight of the last 11 renewals – 8 winners from 23 runners +52.83 10 placed and all eight winners were aged six to eight.
He saddles two Grand Sancy & Capeland. Not surprising then that he has the market leader in Grand Sancy. The 7-year-old is 2-6 over fences and makes his handicap debut off what looks a competitive mark off 149. He returns from a 119-day break, has won twice off longer absences in the past and goes well on decent ground. Plenty to like about his chance here. Stablemate Capeland can’t be totally dismissed but all his wins over fences have come right-handed and the favourite looks the stables number one.
Umbrigado made it 2-3 over fences when winning on his handicap chase debut at Wetherby 17-days ago. He’s only been raised 5lb for that success and remains on a winnable mark for s return to 2m 4f. Slight concern about good ground, both chase wins have come on soft and heavy, but apart from that the strong travelling 7-year-old is going the right way.
Killer Clown is another promising handicap chaser going the right way. The 6-year-old seemed well suited by a flat track and better ground (good to soft) when winning at Kempton on Boxing Day. A good jumper of fence, when he gets his conditions. He’s been hiked up 15lb for his Kempton win but remains a strong contender.
Pistol Whipped returned from a 301-day break with a promising 2nd of 8 at Kempton 56-days ago. Having travelled powerfully he looked to be coming to win his race at the last but the winner found a bit more on the run in. Unexposed over fences going/distance are fine and although he’s 5lb higher he remains a winnable mark.
Senior Citizen is also suited by going and distance. The Alan King trained 8-year-old beat four rivals on his seasonal return in a novice chase at Newton Abbot (good) back in September before finishing runner-up under a double penalty at Huntingdon. Looked the most likely winner coming to three out in the Grand Sefton Chase at Aintree but likely found the ground to soft and eventually faded to finish 7th. Has been given a 91-day break and if he jumps as well as he did at Aintree has a good chance.
Another Crick jumped and travelled well when comfortably winning at Kemptonin February 2019. Returned from 654-day absence when a promising second over hurdles at Uttoxeter back in December and built on that promise when 4th of 12 behind Two For Gold at Warwick 19-days ago. He should be spot on fitness wise today. He’s won here over fences will enjoy the sounder surface and likely has a decent pot in him
The Big Bite beat Senior Citizen in a Doncaster beginners’ chase last January although it was Senior Citizen’s first start over fences. The 8-year-old made a winning first start for new trainer Henry Oliver when winning at Aintree in November and bettered that performance when putting a career best effort on RPR’s when runner-up to the improving Ibleo at Doncaster. Going the right way and if his jumping holds up should be in the mix.
Verdict: If all fourteen take their place in the line-up then this looks the toughest race of the day and I can make a case for more than half of the field. Grand Sancy looks on a decent mark for his handicap debut and can give trainer Paul Nicholls yet another win in the race. Both Umbrigado and Killer Clown are going the right way although but the former may find the going lively enough. Another Crick could be looks set to be on the premises on ground that suits, if building on his recent Warwick effort. A sounder surface will also suit Senior Citizen who travelled through the Grand Sefton like he was on a good mark.
1pt each way – Another Crick – 11/1 @ Coral (Paying 4 places 1/5 odds)
1pt win – Senior Citizen – 7/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
1pt win – Grand Sancy – 5/1 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook
Doncaster
It’s the two handicap chases that have interested me at Doncaster this afternoon. The field sizes are disappointingly small, just seven declared for each race, but that hopefully has made it easier for my two fancies.
2:55 – Virgin Bet Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) – 2m ½ f
Ballywood sixth in last season’s Grand Annual Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, off 7lb higher, hasn’t built on the promise of his seasonal return at Fontwell back in September. A previous C&D winner over fences the 7-year-old returned from a wind-op with an encouraging run in a “Jumpers’ Bumper” at Kempton last month. Best form on a sound surface. If he can build on that Kempton run back over fences, he’s feasibly handicapped here.
1pt win – Ballywood – 4/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
3:30 – Virgin Bet Grimthorpe Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) – 3m 2f
A disappointing turn out of just seven for this year’s Grimthorpe Handicap Chase. Clashing with the Kelso Premier Chase (2:40) clearly hasn’t helped with the race numbers with Cloth Cap heading up to Scotland rather coming here for which he was a shot priced favourite early in the week.
Chidswell is thoroughly exposed handicap chaser but did win this race, off 3lb lower two years ago and finished 3rd of 12 in last years Sky Bet Chase here last season. The 12-year-old made a promising return to action after a 273-day break when 3rd of 8 at Kelso back on October. Drying ground is a big positive, race win came on good ground, and he looks weighted for a big run.
The outsider of the field is Special Prep who’s another who likes good ground and is a previous C&D winner has had a couple of down the field efforts in “Jumpers’ bumpers” in 2021 and should at least be spot on fitness wise. The 9-year-old isn’t totally out of what looks a weak renewal of the race, if returning to his best form of two seasons back and Jack Tudor takes off a handy 3lb.
1pt win – Chidswell – 6/1 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook
1pt win – Special Prep – 12/1 @ Bet365
Cheers
John