Hi all,
Shandoz got the week’s tipping off to a good start. The 4-year-old got a perfect ride from jockey David Egan. Hopefully you got on at 9/1 as the money really spoke in the selections favour as he was returned at just 9/2.
There’s a good card for a Tuesday at Exeter this afternoon for Haldon Gold Cup Day.
Exeter
The going is being described as good to soft, soft in places for Exeter’s Haldon Gold Cup fixture. Sadly, this year’s renewal has only attracted six runners.
1:55 – Betway Haldon Gold Cup (A Limited Handicap Chase) (Grade 2) – 2m 1 ½ f
Last year’s winner Greaneteen bids for back-to-back wins. The 7-year-old beat Altior in a Grade 1 chase at Sandown in April which means he’s now 17lb higher than when successful 12 months ago. Must give plenty of weight away to his rivals here but does have a touch of class and the 7-year-old could be capable of better.
The bookies make Greaneteen’s stablemate Hitman the overnight favourite. A second season chaser the 5-year-old won two of his five starts over fences last season and finished the campaign with a respectable 3rd of 7 in the Grace 1 Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree in April. The drop back form 2m 4f is a positive and given his age he’s capable of more progress this season. He could well be the new Greaneteen.
Eldorado Allen finished two places behind Hitman at Aintree. The 7-year-old had made a good start to his chasing career winning his first two starts including a Grade 2 at Cheltenham last season and finished a 12-length 2nd of 5 to Shishkin in the Arkle Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March. The ease in the ground will suit him and the yard brought back Fiddlerontheroof to win at Carlisle on Sunday so he can’t be easily dismissed.
Moonlighter ran Greaneteen to a neck in last year’s race and won at Sandown in February. He races off 6lb higher. Has had wind surgery since pulling up in the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival in March. Has an 11lb pull in the weights with Greaneteen which must make makes him of plenty of interest.
Verdict: A fascinating racing. Greaneteen must give weight all round but does have a touch of class. Stablemate Hitman is the one with the upside. Moonlighter is handicapped to reverse placings with Greanetee. Eldorado Allen doesn’t have much to find at the weights with the other three mentioned and he could be capable of a better performance.
1pt win – Greaneteen – 4/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
2:55 – A competitive field of 13 are set to line up for this 3m stayers handicap chase.
Poppa Poutine has the scope to do better over fences than hurdles but he will have to be a decent horse to win this on his chase debut against more experienced handicappers.
It may pay to look at three that are all well handicapped horses if returning to their best.
Lamanver Pippin lost his way last season after running Storm Control to 1 length in a 3m 1f Cheltenham handicap chase on his seasonal return last season. He’s now 9lb below that mark and the 8-year-old could yet to fulfill his potential for staying handicap chases.
Django Django is another lurking on a good mark if bouncing back to his best. Well below his best on four starts last season the 8-year-old is now 2lb below his last winning mark. First start since pulling up in the valuable Classic Handicap Chase (7/1) at Warwick in January but the yard can prepare one for their seasonal return.
Just A Sting was another to lose his way last season. Has switched to the Tom George yard and although he didn’t show much on his stable debut over hurdles 23-days ago. He’s a well handicapped horse over fences if the stable change has the desired effect. A former C&D winner he’s now 11lb below his last winning mark. Risks attached but does get the first-time blinkers today.
Verdict: My main pick here is Lamanver Pippin but I can’t really key either Django Django or Just A Sting go unbacked here.
1pt win – Lamanver Pippin – 10/1 @ Bet365
0.5pts win – Django Django – 11/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
0.5pts win – Just A Sting – 25/1 @ Bet365
Cheers
John