Hi all,
There’s some good racing on offer on Friday at Down Royal & Dundalk but today’s preview focuses on Exeter where the highlight of a seven race card is the Betway Haldon Gold Cup Handicap Chase (3:30), which has £47,552 on offer to the winner and is the most valuable race either side of the Irish Sea.
Besides the feature race there’s an interesting enough undercard. Albert Bartlett winner Stay Away Fay makes his chase debut in the ‘Future Stars’ Silver Bowl Novices’ Chase (2:55). He faces four rivals including the Dan Skelton trained Grey Dawning who was a useful novice hurdler himself last season and should progress further over fences.
It used to be a real midweek treat to have the Haldon Gold Cup meeting run on Tuesday. Then the course management switched it to a Friday because they got live coverage on ITV. Well, there’s no ITV Racing this year and the meeting has continued in its new Friday slot. Return to a Tuesday fixture please Exeter!
Exeter
1:10 – Betway ‘Challenger’ Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (Challenger Mares’ Hurdle Series Qualifier) (Class 4) – 2m 5 ½ f
For the grade this looks a competitive little heat with six of the eight runners having won last time out and the other two finishing runner-up.
Cast’s Tasha got off the mark at the ninth attempt when winning a novice’s handicap hurdle at Chepstow in April. Now 4lb higher but there could be more to come from her up in trip and after a summer wind operation. First run for 209 days so you have to take fitness on trust but if she’s ready to roll has solid claims.
3:30 – Betway Haldon Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Grade 2) (Limited Handicap Chase) – 2m 1 ½ f
The days when the likes of Best Mate, Flagship Uberalles and Kauto Star (runner-up in 2005) ran in the race seem long gone looking at today’s line-up. It’s now, what it is, a good solid ‘Saturday’ handicap.
Six have been declared for the race. However, the bookies were going 100/30 the field on Thursday morning which underlines the competitive nature of the race despite the small field.
There should be a good pace on with the likes of Editeur Du Gite, Solo and Elixir De Nutz all liking to be out in front.
Solo bids to give Paul Nicholls a ninth win in the race and he’s been installed the 100/30 favourite in the early bird betting. He’s got a good record fresh and has strong claims given his trainers record in the race.
Top weight Editeur Du Gite is at his very best when able to bowl along. He won the Grade 2 Desert Orchid and Grade 1 Clarence House Chase last season from the front and drops in class here for his seasonal return. No great record fresh and with pace pressure the percentage call is to oppose.
Elixir De Nutz, a winner at Wincanton in January looks on a competitive mark with Freddie Gingell taking off a further 7lb. He has race fitness on his side and all his six career wins having come in field sizes of six or less.
With the likelihood of good gallop, it could set the race up for one more patiently ridden that brings into the mix War Lord and Brave Seasca and Irish Challenger Indiana Jones.
War Lord a useful novice chaser two seasons back but struggled last season. He’s another returning from wind surgery but is 5lb out of the handicap here. If the breathing procedure has had the desired effect, he can win races this season.
Brave Seasca ended last season with three disappointing efforts, but the 8-year-old impressed when winning an Aintree handicap under top weight (12-1) on his seasonal return last December. He’s just 2lb higher here and makes his seasonal reappearance after a summer wind-op.
Indiana Jones, trained by ‘Mouse’ Morris who will be hoping to follow up Gentlemansgame’s win in last Saturday’s Charlie Hall Chase and take more winner’s prize money back across the Irish Sea. A winner of 2 of his 13 starts over fences Indiana Jones shaped like the run was needed when 6th of 10 at Cork 26 days ago.
Haldon Gold Cup Verdict: Solo has solid enough claims for a trainer who knows what’s needed to win the race. If the front runners go off at two strong a pace that could set things up for Brave Seasca who made a winning return to action first time up last season and War Lord who is on a good mark if wind surgery has had the desired effect. Brave Seasca would have been a bet at 5/1 but the early money has come in for him and 100/30 doesn’t appeal. That leaves War Lord and Elixir De Nutz and the latter is a tentative selection.
4:00 – Betway ‘Challenger’ Stayers’ Handicap Chase (Challenger Staying Chase Series Qualifier) (Class 3) – 3m
This could turn out to be a good race and plenty of future winners should come out of it. Plenty of experienced handicap chasers like Notachance and dual C&D winner Run to Milan taking on unexposed rivals with little or no chasing experience.
Ask Me Early looked regressive on his last three starts after a good seasonal return when a 13 length 3rd of 12 to Le Milos at Bangor 12 months ago. I know nothing of today’s jockey Miss Megan Bevan. However, he goes well fresh and is on a good mark if bouncing back to form.
Top weight Collectors Item won twice in novice hurdle company last season and was thrown in the deep end on chase debut when last of four in a Chepstow Listed novice chase (2m 3 ½ f) 27 days ago. Given he stayed 3m over hurdles that would have been on the short side for the 6-year-old. Likes soft ground and is capable of better over fences over a more suitable trip.
Philip Hobbs won this race four times between 2013 & 2022, so you must respect Iberio. The 6-year-old won a Taunton handicap hurdle (heavy) in March and shaped with promise on his chase debut over C&D 17 days ago. He made a bad mistake at halfway that day and in the circumstances did well to finish 6 ½ lengths behind the winner.
Just A Dime, a course winner here over hurdles, didn’t build on his reappearance 2nd of 6 at Carlisle last November on two subsequent efforts last season. However, he returns after wind surgery and doesn’t look badly treated on chase debut. Stays well, like soft ground and has gone well fresh in the past.
Broomfield Present is another making his chase debut off what looks a workable mark. A winner of an Irish Point two years ago he won two of his three starts over hurdles last season for Kim Bailey. Won first time up last season so goes well fresh. He clearly stays well as he showed when winning on handicap debut at Haydock (3m) in March and should have a future over fences.
Verdict: The bookies were going 6/1 the field on Thursday evening and that’s about right as I had five on my shortlist. Collectors Item, Just A Dime and Broomfield Present appeal most and I’m just leaning towards the first two named.
Betting Advice:
Exeter
1:10 – Cast’s Tasha – 1pt win – 7/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
3:30 – Elixir De Nutz – 1pt win – 7/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
4:00 – Collectors Item – 1pt win – 7/1 @ Bet365 and Just A Dime – 1pt win – 10/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Cheers
John