Hi all,
I had to wait until the last race of the Cheltenham Festival to find a value winner as Banbridge landed the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle with another selection Cobblers Dream finishing runner-up.
The Cheltenham Festival is over for another 12 months. However, that doesn’t mean the end of the big race action. Today its Midlands Grand National Day at Uttoxeter and there’s also a competitive looking card at Kempton. ITV are covering the best of the action from Kempton and Uttoxeter as part of an eight programme this afternoon.
In today’s preview I have looked at five of today’s races. As ever my betting advice is at the end of today’s preview.
Uttoxeter
2:25 – Create Novices’ Handicap Chase (GBB Race) – 3m
Saint Palais was no match for Ahoy Senor in the Grade 2 Towton Novices Chase at Wetherby. Prior to that the 5-year-old had completed the hat trick over fences when winning the Mandarin Handicap Chase at Newbury over 2f further. He’s 10lb higher but very much respected back in handicap company.
Harry Whittington has two strong contenders in Docpickedme & Young Bull. The first named made it 2-4 over fences, both wins here over 2m 4f and latterly 3m 2f. Interestingly the first-time visor replaces the cheekpieces he’s worn on the last three starts. Up 6lb demands more but he’s an unexposed staying chaser. Young Bull, off for 15 months, shaped with plenty of promise when a 17 ¼ lengths 3rd of 6 to Nestor Park at Newbury 27-days ago. The 8-year-old will be sharper today and he surely win a race or two over fences.
3:00 – Optimum Pay Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) – 2m 4f
Beauport has finished runner-up on his three starts this season and last time he put in a personal best when a ¾ length 2nd to 17 to Green Book at Sandown last time. He has a 6lb in the rise in the weights to overcome if he’s to prevail today. The soft ground will suit the 6-year-old but will the drop back to 2m 4f.
Boothill must be respected on his 2 ½ length 3rd of 14 to Soaring Glory at Ascot on his seasonal return. Off for off 10 weeks, after a disappointing first go over fences, when a 8th length 9th of 14 in the Betfair Hurdle last month. The step up to 2m 4f should suit on pedigree although he my prefer less testing ground.
The Paul Nicholls trained Red Risk managed to win over C&D last time when most of his yard’s runners were performing poorly. This is deeper race but he’s still respected.
Teescomponentsyess seemed to enjoy the return hurdles and the application of the first time cheekpieces when a 2-length 4th of 16 at Fairyhouse three weeks ago. The going will suit the 6-year-old and if the cheekpieces continue to work he’s in the mix.
3:35 – Boulton Group Midlands Grand National (Listed Race) (Class 1) – 4m 2f
The Midlands National is the second longest race in the National Hunt calendar and on soft ground it will test the eighteen runners’ stamina to the max.
Last year’s winner Time To Get Up is just 4lb higher this time around and gets the addition of the first time cheekpieces. Returned from 105-day break and ran better than his much better than his 33 lengths last of 3 finishers behind The Galloping Bear suggests in Haydock’s Grand National Trial. He travelled through the race like he remains a well-handicapped horse but just got very tired on heavy ground. Big chance for the favourite, if the last time hasn’t left a mark.
The favourite faces plenty of rivals with claims though and will have to be at his best to win. Screaming Colours was a 5-length 4th in the race last year. Seemed to improve when a 3-length 2nd of 12 to Braeside in Cork National when last seen in action at the end of October. Stays very well and like soft ground but he’s worse off at the weights with Time To Get Up this time around. Still very much in the mix.
Truckers Lodge comfortably won the 2020 renewal. He finished a 7 ½ length 7th in the race last year but he’s 8lb better of with the winner this time. The 10-year-old was 1 ¾ length 3rd of 9 to Fortescue at Ascot last time. That was over 3m and he’ll be better suited by a return to a marathon trip.
Final Nudge finished runner-up in the veterans chase final last time and was a 3 ½ length 3rd in this 12 months ago. He’s a through stayer and can’t be dismissed once more but he is 1lb worse off with the winner.
Given the form of the Venetia Williams yard this week you can’t rule out a big run from Achille. The 12-year-old ran poorly, didn’t seem to enjoy the good to soft ground when well beaten in the Eider Chase three weeks ago. He was a 7 ½ length 7th in last year’s race but is 9lb lower today and does get a healthy pull in the weights with those that finished in front of him. The first-time blinkers replace the cheekpieces and he’s well treated if bouncing back to form.
De Young Warrior won his first two starts over fences. However, he didn’t jump with the same fluency when 8 ½ length 2nd of 4 at Exeter last time. The first time cheekpieces are applied today and although the 9-year-old is 4lb out of the weights here, he’s unexposed over fences and marathon trip could well suit.
Hewick improved for the step up to 3m 5f when winning the Durham National Handicap Chase back in October. He’s 8lb higher now and is probably better on a sound surface but is unexposed over marathon trips and is capable of more improvement.
Young Dev like Hewick comes over from Ireland for this. He’s been running well in handicap hurdles this season and this is first start over the larger obstacles since he pulled up at the Punchestown Festival. Stamina unproven, does stays 3m well, but jockey Mark McDonagh takes off a handy 7lb and will be on a high after his win in yesterday’s Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle.
Another Irish raider Hear No Evil beat the useful Empire Steel over fences last season. Two low key efforts over hurdles after a 12-month absence but the 10-year-old was back on track over fences when a neck 2nd of 9 at Navan two weeks ago.
Verdict: Last year’s winnerTime To Get Upis handicapped to go close again and is a worthy market leader. De Young Warrior has a nice light weight and open to better over today’s marathon trip. Achille is down to very good mark if the first blinkers have the desired effect he won’t be far away. The 2020 winner Truckers Lodge will relish a return to today’s stamina test. The Irish have some lively contenders. Hewick is open to further improvement over marathon trips but want the ground to dry out more. Young Dev has no weight, has been running well over hurdles and is interesting back over fences. Screaming Colours ran a cracker when 4th here 12 months ago and if he isn’t ridden too far back, looks be the pick of the Irish contenders on soft ground.
Kempton
2:40 -Virgin Bet Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) – 2m 5f
Jay Jay Reilly is 15lb higher than when making all to win a Doncaster handicap hurdle last time. The 6-year-old was well suited by good ground at Doncaster. He looked well handicapped horse when successful last time but he well face competition for the lead today.
Brief Times won his first two starts over hurdles in November before a career best effort when a length 2nd of 7 on his handicap hurdle debut at Wincanton last time. The drying ground is a plus and he could improve further for the step up to 2m 5f.
Another who will be suited by a return to a sounder surface is Carys’ Commodity. The 7-year-old bounced back from a poor run at Hereford when a neck 2nd of 11 over C&D three weeks ago. Fresher than most at this time of the year and is very much on the shortlist.
Press Your Luck was a good winner at Wincanton last month. This is better race but that was a career best from the 7-year-old and he’s only been raised 2lb for that win. Should be in the shake up again.
Dorking Boy a winner at Taunton in January, off 5lb lower, has since finished runner-up on his last two starts. Not sure how he will go back on quicker ground but the forecast strong pace will suit the 8-year-old and he’s not ruled out.
Annsam jumped poorly over fences here last time so this is a likely confidence booster for the 7-year-old. That said he wasn’t disgraced when a 5 ¼ length 3rd of 11 over hurdles in similar handicap at Newbury in November.
3:15 – Virgin Bet Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) – 2m 4 ½ f
There could be plenty of pace on here with four of the ten runners liking to race prominently. Debece was back to form to form when 2 ¼ length 3rd of 7 at Newcastle last time. Comes into the race fresher than most and looks on a winnable mark, However, he’s likely to face competition for the lead here.
Another who like to get on with it is the Nicky Henderson trained Pistol Whipped. The 8-year-old won twice on good ground last April and went down by a nose in his hat trick attempt at Uttoxeter a month later. Now 2lb higher and was said to have bled when pulling up at Ascot in November.
Diego Du Charmil often travels well through his races but tends to find less than expected at the finish of his races as he did when a 9 ½ length 2nd of 9 at Ascot 91-days ago. This sharper should suit him better over this trip.
Emma Lavelle saddles a couple of live ones in Killer Clown & Manofthemountain. The former won a C&D handicap chase last season. He returned to winning ways in good style at Wincanton two starts back. Couldn’t back that up at Ascot two weeks later but the ground was more testing that day and that race may have come to quick for him. The drying ground will suit the 8-year-old better and he has been given a 56-day break. Manofthemountain is the choice of Tom Bellamy. He finished runner-up in this race 12 months ago, albeit off 8lb lower. Back from a 126-day absence today and his form figures when returning from a 121 to 365-day break are 112. He’s a three-time winner on good ground so a big run should be forthcoming from the 9-year-old.
Paddy’s Poem is now 5lb below his last winning mark. Much better than on his seasonal return when a 19 ¼ lengths 3rd of 6 at Newbury last time. Shaped like run was needed at Newbury and the ground would have plenty soft enough for him that day. Dropping down the weights and has a race in him on this sort of ground but it might be another day.
Up The Straight is another who will be suited by the good ground. A winner over hurdles here. The 8-year-old, a winner of a Plumpton novice chase on his seasonal return. He hasn’t been in the same form on his last three starts and was pulled up at Sandown (9/2) on heavy ground in January. The return to 2m 4f is a positive as is the going. He’s a well-treated horse when bouncing back to form.
Betting Advice:
Uttoxeter
2:25 – 1pt win – Young Bull – 9/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
3:00 – 0.5pts each way – Teescomponentsyess – 20/1 @ Bet365 (paying 4 places 1/5 odds)
3:35 – 1pt win – Screaming Colours – 12/1 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook and 1pt win – Hewick – 10/1 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook
Kempton
2:40 – 1pt win – Brief Times – 10/1 @ Bet365
3:15 – 1pt win – Up The Straight – 8/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes and 1pt win – Manofthemountain – 13/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Cheers
John