John
Hi all,
Two races have caught my eye today. One at Catterick and the other Wexford. Fingers crossed they haven’t had to much rain at Catterick.
Catterick
4:15 – Cooking Fat was a promising 4th at Doncaster, returning from 613-day break. He travelled well to three out, before a lack of condition took its toll on the 10-year-old. Off for another 71-days since but he’s two from two at the track, including C&D and is 2lb below his last winning mark.
Be My Sea hails from the very much inform Tony Carroll yard. The 10-year-old is well suited good to soft ground and all his four career wins have come within 30-days of his last run. Not disgraced when 5th of 10 at Ascot on his last two starts over hurdles. Back down to his last winning mark and hasn’t been running to badly on the all-weather at Southwell on his last two starts.
Verdict: Both Cooking Fat and Be My Sea may have reached the veteran stage but they have dropped down to winnable marks.
1pt win – Cooking Fat – 7/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
1pt win – Be My Sea – 7/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Wexford
3:25 – A tricky little handicap puzzle but just the sort of race I like to get stuck into.
Hybery won a maiden hurdle over C&D last August. He’s been running respectably in handicaps since and two starts back was an excellent 4th of 13, in a much better handicap at Fairyhouse. The drying ground will be in his favour today.
Humaniste beat Hybery by four lengths at Tipperary in October (good). Another who will be suited by good ground but Hybery gets a 5lb pull today and can reverse placings today.
Stand Off won a Clonmel maiden hurdle (heavy) three starts back. He’s been steadily progressive on RPR’s on two subsequent starts. And posted a career best when 5th of 18 at Naas on his handicap debut 10-days ago. He’s got a bit to find with one of today’s rivals Bythesametoken but he remains unexposed in handicaps.
Bythesametoken is up 2lb for his excellent second at Naas. That was the 7-year-old’s first run for 112-days and both his career wins have come when racing within 16-days of his latest start. There could be more to come from him today and he’s high on the short list.
Feelgood Island looked set for a breakthrough win over hurdles when falling two out at Clonmel but duly won in maiden company at Down Royal on his next start. He might we’ll have followed up on his next start in novice company but for a mistake at the last when 3rd of 13 at Naas 25-days ago. The winner You Raised Me Up is well fancied for next week’s Coral Cup (16/1) so the form looks solid enough. Handicap debut off a mark of 125 which looks more than fair to me.
Verdict: Course & distance winner Hybery has been run respectably in better handicaps and must be respected from the Willie Mullins yard. At the prices my two against the field are Bythesametoken and Feelgood Island. I find it hard to split the pair.
1pt win – Feelgood Island – 4/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
1pt win – Bythesametoken – 11/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Cheers
John