Hi all,
The Russian Doyen made it a profitable a profitable weekend for the service when winning at Newbury on Sunday. Navan’s decent Sunday card which was cancelled due to waterlogging has been re-scheduled for today. On Sunday, I gave you three selections on the Navan card and I might as well put them up again although I have to say the price on one of them isn’t as good as it was on Sunday. There’s also a Class 2 handicap hurdle at Taunton that interests me.
Navan
2:20 – BetVictor Boyne Hurdle (Grade 2) – 2m 5f
Ronald Pump, an 8-length runner-up to Honeysuckle in the Grade 1 Hatton’s Grace at Punchestown on his seasonal return, needs to bounce back from two dismal races in December. If he can return to form, he would have a good chance here.
Ashdale Bob, a smart hurdler, hadn’t really taken to fences on his first three starts this season. However, he was back to something like his best when 9 ¾ length 3rd of 9 to Royal Kahala in the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park last time.
Longhouse Poet is an interesting contender returned to the smaller obstacles. The 8-year-old jumped well to to win the Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park last month. He’s not out of this on his old hurdles form and if he reproduces his improved chase form to the smaller obstacles, he would go close.
1pt win – Longhouse Poet – 7/1 @ Bet365 or 6/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
4:05 – BetVictor Ten Up Novice Chase (Grade 2) – 3m
This looks between the Gordon Elliott pair of Farouk D’alene & Run Wild Fred. Farouk D’alene has 8lb to find with the latter on official ratings but he’s only had three starts over fences. A winner here (2m 4f) on his chase debut. He’s since finished runner-up to Master McShee in a Grade 1 at Limerick and a 1 ¼ length 2nd of 7 to Stattler in Grade 3 novice at Naas last time. He was just beaten by a stronger stayer on the run-in at Naas but he looks a Graded chase winner in waiting. Run Wild Fred won the Troytown Handicap Chase over C&D and is better than he was able to show in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas.
Beacon Edge won the Grade 1 Drinmore Novices Chase at Fairyhouse in November. He fell at the sixth in the Grade 1 won by Galopin des Champs at the Dublin Racing festival last time. He’s got to be respected but does have to give the Elliott pair 7lb here which will be no easy task.
There are also three big field handicaps on the card and I have fancies in two of them
2:55 – Uknowcarty has been a steady improver on his last four starts over hurdles. The 5-year-old posted a career best when a 12-length 2nd of 16 in a Fairyhouse maiden hurdle 22-days ago. Today’s extra furlong should suit on his handicap hurdle debut.
1pt win – Uknowcarty – 9/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
4:40 – All Class bid for the hat trick after wins at Punchestown and back over hurdles here in December. Likely to be a short-priced favourite even though she’s been raised 18lb after her Punchestown handicap chase success. However, given connections there’s every chance that there’s more to come from the mare.
I’m going to take on the favourite with another improving handicap chaser in Call The Tune. The 8-year-old has only had three starts over fences and put in his best performance over the larger obstacles when a ½-length 3rd of 18 in a novice handicap chase at Naas three weeks ago. The step up to 3m looks ideal, as his best performance over hurdles came over 3m on heavy ground. With a decent round of jumping, he looks sure to go well. Call The Tune was 6/1 when I put up on Sunday but sadly a more skinny price now.
1pt win – Call The Tune – 4/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Taunton
3:40 – Timberman & Fontana Ellissiare the front two in the overnight betting. Timberman won a handicap hurdle at Kempton (good) on his last start back in November. Up 6lb and not out of this but he was well suited by a strong gallop that day which he doesn’t seem likely here.
Fontana Ellissi was back to his best when winning a Ffos Las handicap hurdle three weeks ago. The 6-year-old has been raised 5lb for that success but can remain competitive if this sharp track isn’t an inconvenience.
Top weight Langer Dan is the class horse in the race. The 6-year-old is having his first start since finishing a 2 ¼ length second of 22 to Galopin des Champs in Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at last season’s Cheltenham Festival. A race at the festival is on his agenda again should come through this race ok. He would have a decent chance but will likely need this run to blow away the cobwebs.
Ajero an improving hurdler at this last time last year, winning at Market Rasen and Huntingdon (off today’s mark). The 7-year-old wasn’t at his best when pulling up on his seasonal return at Ascot in October but shaped a little better when a 7 ½ length 4th of 5 to Onemorefortheroad at Huntingdon 105-days ago. This track should suit him and hopefully he will be ridden more prominently than he was last time. He’s weighted to go close here if trainer Kim Bailey has him back to last season’s best.
1pt win – Ajero – 13/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Cheers
John