Hi all,
Plenty of good action either side of the Irish Sea on Saturday. ITV are covering the best of the action at Musselburgh & Haydock as part of a seven-race programme. It’s also day one of the Irish Grand National meeting at Fairyhouse.
Haydock
2:40 – Betway Challenger Staying Chase Series Final Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) – 3m 1 ½ f
Debece caught the eye when 2nd of 8 at Sandown three weeks ago. The ground was soft that day and he’s a better horse on a sounder surface. The track should suit this prominent racer who has a favourites chance. Slight concern that this previously fragile horse had a hard race at Sandown just three weeks ago. Preference is for DEFUTURE IS BRIGHT a Warwick winner (good) back in November improved to post a career best when upped to 3m at Fakenham (good to soft) 15-days ago. The 7-year-old has only had four starts over fences, and with his stamina for 3m now confirmed, he can continue to improve over fences.
2pts win – Defuture Is Bright – 13/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
3:15 – Betway Challenger Stayers Hurdle Series Final Handicap Hurdle – 3m ½ f
Iwilldoit & Colonial Dreams were second and third at Newbury last month. The latter gets 1lb for 1 ¾ length beating and was having his first start since November. There shouldn’t be much between the pair again here. Colonial Dreams will like the good ground and is on a good mark if building on his Newbury run.
Trainer Jeremy Snowden is 6 winners from 15 runners 40% +15.58 at Haydock in the past five years. He saddles a very lively outsider in Exod’ela. The 7-year-old put in a cracking effort when 5th of 19 at Cheltenham (good) back in October. He was finishing his race of strongly that day and is 5lb lower today.
1pt win – Iwilldoit – 9/1 @ Bet365
1pt each way – Exod’ela – 33/1 @ Bet365 (paying 4 places ¼ odds)
Musselburgh
It’s back to flat turf action at Musselburgh this afternoon.
1:50 – Betway Musselburgh Silver Arrow Handicap (Class 3) – 7f
Stone Soldier heads the betting. The 4-year-old has been in excellent form since joining the Archie Watson yard. Winning three of his four starts at Southwell. The last of those wins 30-days ago came after a gelding operation. He’s only 1-11 on turf so at the prices looks worth taking on despite his fibresand improvement.
The one I like is Marshall Dan who won over C&D (soft) last October. He’s ground versatile. Having won on going from soft to good to firm and 7f is his optimum distance. This will be the 6-year-old’s first run since December but he’s gone well fresh in the past. He’s now 5lb higher than when winning over C&D but looks to have solid claims.
1pt win – Marshall Dan – 5/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
2:25 – Betway Royal Mile Handicap (Class 2) – 1m
Plenty of potential improving 3-year-olds among the seven runners. The likes of Forest Falcon, Colonel Faulkner both make their handicap debut off what look fair marks. The former made all to win at York on his final start as 2-year-old. The son of Raven’s Pass has the size and scope to make a better 3-year-old. Colonel Faulkner a winner at Deauville in December and is having his first start since a gelding operation. Tornadic a winner at Salisbury (1m) in September went down by a short head on his nursery debut at Kempton. He’s up 6lb for that effort but is another progressive sort. and is the first runner at the track in the past five years for trainer Eve Johnson Houghton. Heights Of Abraham won here over 7f last season and ended his juvenile season by winning a Doncaster nursery off 5lb lower. Another with the scope to do better this year.
3:00 – Betway Scottish Sprint Cup Handicap (Class 2) – 5f
This looks a cracking sprint handicap. Three of the four, I like here have high draws which is real positive at the track. Justanotherbottle (11) overcame soft ground to win the Catterick Dash in October. The 7-year-old will be sharper after a recent prep at Wolverhampton 14-days ago. Just 2lb higher than for his last win and should go well again.
Just a head behind Justanotherbottle at Catterick was Count D’orsay (4). He gets a 1lb from that one here so there shouldn’t be much between the pair. However, his best form has come on soft ground and drying ground wouldn’t play to his strengths.
Zarzyni (12) had some good form as a juvenile when trained in Ireland by Michael Halford. The 4-year-old struggled last year but he made a promising start for new trainer David Barron when a close-up 3rd of 8 at Wolverhampton three weeks ago. If he runs on Saturday, he will strip fitter than last time and looks on a handy mark.
Jabbarockie (10), trained by Eric Alston, has come in for support in the ante post market this week and you can see why. The 8-year-old is a previous C&D winner and made all to win on his seasonal reappearance at Newmarket last season. He’s now 1lb below his Newmarket winning mark and his prominent style of racing is well suited to the track. He could be hard to peg back from his high draw.
1pt win – Jabbarockie – 5/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
3:35 – Betway Queen’s Cup (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) – 1m 6f
Nate The Great, represents the inform Andrew Balding stable who had three winners on Good Friday. The 5-year-old has been in good form on the all-weather over the winter and last time out won at Wolverhampton, off 3lb lower. His Wolverhampton win came over an extended 2m so stamina is assured. Balding also saddles Diocletian who has been running over hurdles and looks on fair mark on his best form flat form last season. Mark Johnston saddled the last winner of the race in 2019 and has five of the thirteen declared runners. The best of his five could be Themaxwecan who was a good 4th of 16 at Royal Ascot last season and ran well when runner-up in the 2m 2f Cesarewitch Trial at Newmarket. He might be better over 2m but he’s down to his last winning mark. Alright Sunshine was a progressive staying handicapper in 2019. Struggled for form on his four starts last season but he’s back to a competitive mark and is 2-2 Musselburgh¸ including C&D. Glencadam Glory finished runner-up in last season’s Ebor Handicap, off today’s mark, the 7-year-old must be respected if reproducing his York run here.
1pt win – Themaxwecan – 8/1 @ Bet365
Fairyhouse
Two handicap hurdles that interest me today at Fairyhouse.
3:30 – I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Novice Handicap Hurdle Series Final (Grade B) – 3m
Jacksons Gold was a good winner of a handicap hurdlerat Naas 20-days ago. He didn’t look like would win two out but finished his race off powerfully after the last to get up in the final strides. That Naas success came over 2m 3f but he stays 2m 7f and on a decent surface should stay 3m. Raised 5lb for his last win and has solid each way claims here.
1pt each way – Jacksons Gold – 16/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes (both paying 5 places 1/5 odds)
4:05 – RYBO Handicap Hurdle (Grade A) – 2m
Eskylane won a Punchestown maiden on his seasonal reappearance in October (yielding). Not so good in graded company on his next two starts but put in some decent late work when 10th of 22 in handicap company at the Dublin Racing Festival last time. Besides Eskylane trainer Denise Foster also saddles handicap hurdle debutant Magic Tricks. The 5-year-old was impressive when winning on his hurdle debut at Navan in December although he’s struggled in Grade 2 & Grade 1 company. Lacks the experience of plenty of the twenty declared runners but makes his handicap debut off what could be a lenient mark. Previous C&D winner. She also saddles Eclair De Beaufeu the previous C&D winner was an excellent 4th of 25 in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. He’s 1lb lower here and Jordon Gainford takes off a further 7lb. Big player if reproducing his Cheltenham run. Golden Jewel goes well in big field handicap hurdles. He was an eyecatcher when finishing best of all when 5th of 22 in the Leopardstown handicap hurdle that Eskylane was 10th in. He made a mistake three out that day and would probably have finished closer but for that error. The 9-year-old doesn’t win very often but has each way claims again off just 1lb higher than last time. Hurricane Cliff has been steadily progressive since going over hurdles and posted a career best when beating 16 rivals in a Naas maiden hurdle 49-days ago. Needs to improve again to defy a mark of 130 on his handicap hurdle debut but he’s only had four starts so could be capable of finding the necessary progress and Hugh Morgan takes off a handy 5lb.
1pt win – Eskylane – 10/1 @ Bet365
1pt win – Hurricane Cliff – 11/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Cheers
John