Hi all,
I have written a couple more Cheltenham Festival race previews in my Thursday Daily Punt column. There are no selections up yet but you may find the previews interesting. You will of course be the first to get them when I post them up.
There’s a decent card at Ludlow this afternoon. And it’s to the Shropshire track that I head to in search of a winner.
Ludlow
2:05 – Wandrin Star won a good ground Wincanton handicap chase first time up last season. He also put in a cracking effort first time up this season when finishing a head 2nd of 11 at Ascot (soft) back in November. Very disappointing when only 6th of 8 in the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby last time but has been given a 68-day break to freshen him up. If it has, he’s got a good chance of getting into the money.
Calipso Collonges was a four-length runner-up in this race two years ago and is 2lb lower this time around. On a losing run of nine but was a good 3rd of 7 behind Deise Aba 26-days ago. Seems ground versatile and shouldn’t far away in this company.
As You Like is a good ground horse, all five chase wins have come on good, so wouldn’t want the going to ease any further. He has dropped down to 2lb below his last winning mark though and could be ready to strike when the ground is really in his favour.
Nicky Henderson saddles Valtor & Champagne Mystery. The former has become well handicapped but he’s run poorly on all three starts this season.
Champagne Mystery is the more of the interesting of the Henderson pair. He was a decent novice chaser last season winning at Aintree on his chase debut before finishing runner-up to the likes of Dashel Drasher and Greaneteen. The 7-year-old fell early in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup on his seasonal return and was pulled up at Sandown (heavy) 26-days ago. Needs to jump better here but is on a very workable mark when it all clicks.
Verdict: Wandrin Star is probably best after a decent break and won’t far away if reproducing his best form. Champagne Mystery needs to jump better than he has done on either start this season but is a winnable mark and maybe worth a saver.
1pt win – Wandrin Star – 6/1 @ Bet365
1pt win – Champagne Mystery – 11/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Cheers
John