Hi all,
Cape Du Nord & Our Power were first & third respectively in the big Kempton Handicap Chase yesterday. A small profit on the day and the service will end the month with another profit following on from January’s. How much profit will be decided today as I have a handful of selections running today.
The race of the day either side of the Irish Sea this afternoon is the Grade 2 National Spirit Hurdle (2:50) at Fontwell. A race where the Paul Nicholls trained Monmiral bids to get his career back on track. Its not Fontwell that provides today’s selections but Naas and Hereford.
Naas
2:30 – BetVictor Novice Handicap Chase (Grade B) – 2m 4 ½ f
Street Value seemed to relish the heavy ground when making a winning handicap chase debut at Cork 50-days ago. He’s up 11lb for that success but the 7-year-old has only had 10 starts over fences and hurdles and is open further progress.
Krabat is also lightly raced and got off the mark at the fifth attempt when winning at Clonmel 10-days ago. Prior to his Clonmel success he had finished a neck 2nd of 18 over C&D. Now 6lb higher but remains on a competitive mark.
Ballyshannon Rose 4-9 over hurdles has made a bright start to chasing making it 2-3 over the larger obstacles when winning a mares’ only Grade 2 contest at Thurles last month. The runner-up won last week so the form looks solid. Despite being a 9-year-old there should be more to come from her on handicap debut.
King Alex an improving handicap hurdler early last season. The 8-year-old got off the mark on his fifth go over fences when successful in a Limerick novice chase over Christmas and this was race was mentioned as a target after his win. Got a 14lb rise in the weights but should go close for an inform yard.
1pt win – King Alex – 7/1 @ Bet365 or 13/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
5:00 – Palace Rock comes into the race with arguably the best recent form having run well on his last three starts, including when posting a career best effort when a 1 ¼ length 2nd of 17 to The Very Man in a better race than this at Navan last month. The 5-year-old did seem suited by the step up to 2m 4f last time and is up 5lb for that effort but is high on the shortlist.
Cosa Ban returned from a 15-month layoff and was having his first start for ‘Shark’ Hanlon when a good 5-length 2nd of 15 at Punchestown last month. Likely to be sharper today but will face pace pressure here.
Aarons Day won this race in 2020 and can be considered a very unlucky horse when bidding for back-to-back wins last year. He lost many lengths at the start and did remarkably well to finish runner-up and within 4 ¼ lengths of the winner. The 8-year-old made a perfectly respectable seasonal reappearance when 4th of 15 at Punchestown in December. However, he regressed at Thurles last time. Return to C&D is of course a plus and he’s got place claims on going that will suit.
Big King hails from the inform Barry Connell yard. The 8-year-old was in good form in handicap hurdles last seasons, including when a 1 ¾ length 3rd of 14 here over 2m 3f last March. Looked sure to win when leading at the last that day but his stamina seemed to run out in the final 50yds. Disappointed when last of 8 (9/4 fav) at Galway on his seasonal return. A much better effort when a 8 ¼ length 6th off 11 over C&D 28-days ago. Ran better than the result suggests having not got the best if run between the final two hurdles.
1pt win – Big King – 13/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
1pt win – Palace Rock – 4/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Hereford
2:40 – Town Parks has dropped down to a tempting handicap mark due to being well below par on his three starts in 2021. Twice a winner and a two-time runner-up here in the past. The 11-year-old is 7lb below his last winning mark here in November 2020 and a further 10lb is claimed off the horses back. Clearly, he comes with risks attached but has each-way claims if bouncing back to form.
0.5pts each way – 12/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes (paying 3 places 1/5 odds)
Cheers
John