Hi all,
Two-day meetings at both Newbury and Doncaster get under way on Friday and although it looks one of the weakest weekends of the winter jumps season quality wise. We are in the “pre-Cheltenham fallow period” and if the field sizes hold up the racing remains competitive and still offers plenty of good betting opportunities.
All the Cheltenham trials are done and dusted and now it’s time for the Aintree hopefuls to put in final preparations for next month’s meeting. At Doncaster the feature race is Grimthorpe Handicap Chase (3.30) at Doncaster. There’s also a decent card at Newbury with the highlights being another Veterans Series Handicap Chase Qualifier (1:15) and the Greatwood Gold Cup (1:50).
The best meeting of the weekend though is up at Kelso. The Scottish track plays host to a bumper eight race card with some good prize money on offer. The feature race of the card is a competitive looking Morebattle Handicap Hurdle (2.40). The ITV cameras are covering four races form Kelso as well as the best of the action from Doncaster & Newbury, as part of nine race programme.
No joy yesterday so I’m going to Newbury and Doncaster to regain the winning thread.
Newbury
Heavy showers at Newbury means the firm has gone out of the going description and it’s back to good to soft, good in places.
3:00 – Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Handicap Chase (For The Geoffrey Gilbey Trophy) (Class 3) – 2m ½ f
The slight ease in the ground will suit previous C&D winner Defi Sacre who has eased back to a winnable mark. He came up against a couple of progressive rivals when 3rd of 9 at Musselburgh 27-days ago. It was a joint career best effort from the 8-year-old and if there is some soft in the going description he can win again.
Shut The Box ran Funambule Sivola to ½ length over C&D on just his second start over fences two starts back and ran well when 3rd of 13 in a “Jumpers’ bumper” at Kempton 22-days ago. A sound surface suits and the 7-year-old looks on a good mark back over fences.
Verdict: Shut The Box is on a good mark and looks a worth favourite. However, I’m going with Defi Sacre. He might be vulnerable to any improvers in the field but is back down to a winnable mark and the yard has it’s horses in the winners.
1pt win – Defi Sacre – 5/1 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook
3:35 – Outonpatrol returned from a 291-day break to win a Warwick handicap hurdle (good) back in September. The mare also went on run well on her two subsequent starts in the autumn. Returns from a 113-day break here and today’s sounder surface will be in her favour. First run beyond an extended 2m 5 ½ f under rules but she did win a point over 3m (good) so has a decent chance of staying 3m.
Howling Milan’s four best RPR’s have come at Newbury. He was three lengths clear and looked set to win here last December, off 3lb higher, and finished 2nd of 16 over C&D 12-days ago. Can race off the same mark and capable of going close here although he did have a hard race last time.
1pt win – Howling Moon – 4/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
4:10 – Song Of The Hunter & Guernesey were second & third at Warwick 18-days ago. The former finished 3 ½ lengths ahead that day but at the revised weights there shouldn’t be much between the pair. Over this slightly longer trip and at the prices I think Guernesey can reverse placings with his old rival here.
1pt win – Guernesey – 7/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Doncaster
4:30 – Normandy Soldier – Shaped with promise when 4th of 11 on his chase debut at Taunton back in November. All the fences had been omitted in the back straight that day due to low sun and the race developed into a sprint for home coming to the third last. Never got involved on his next start at Exeter but it was very testing that day. A sounder surface and a decently run race should see a much better run from the 7-year-old who gets a first-time tongue tie and cheekpieces and looks on a decent mark. It will be interesting to see if there is any market support for him today.
1pt win – Normandy Soldier – 11/1 @ Bet365
Cheers
John