Hi all,
Well that’s the end of the Cheltenham Festival for another year and it’s been a dramatic one that’s for sure. More importantly it was a profitable one, both for my ante post selections and bets on the day. It would have been a better one, if Column Of Fire hadn’t fallen when challenging at the last.
Hey, that’s jumps racing for you and I would have taken that level of profit on Tuesday morning. I have had better festivals but I have had a lot worse too.
I will be taking a look back at Cheltenham next week in my latest notebook post.
For now, we have racing taking place behind closed doors in Ireland & Scotland, I doubt England will be to far away.
Will the Aintree Grand National Festival take place without spectators or not at all?
How will the Codiv-19 virus effect the start of the flat season at Doncaster? Which is just two weeks away.
Those are two questions that will be on the minds of most racing fans in the coming days with the Cheltenham Festival now done and dusted. For now, we have a couple of decent cards at Kempton & Uttoxeter. The latter course hosts it’s biggest meeting of the season with the latest running of the Midlands Grand National.
Uttoxeter
3:00 – Faire Part Sivola, beat nine rivals to win a heavy ground Leicester novice hurdle in December before improving further to finish runner-up at Wincanton. Struggled when stepped up to Grade 2 company at Kempton last month. Handicap hurdle debut today off what looks a workable mark. First go left-handed, all five previous starts the other way and first try beyond 2m but goes well on heavy. Veteran Theo’s Charm can never be discounted over a C&D that he goes well at and he looked as good as ever when runner-up here 35-days ago.
1pt win – Faire Part Sivola – 11/1 @ Bet365
0.5pts each way – Theo’s Charm – 16/1 @ Bet365 (paying 4 places ¼ odds)
3:35 – Marston’s 61 Deep Midlands Grand National (An Open Handicap Chase) (Listed Race) – 4m 2f
Fourteen chasers at set to meet the starter for what will be a gruelling stamina test on heavy ground.
The eyes are drawn to the lightly raced Truckers Lodge who finished runner-up in the Welsh Grand National last time and is just 2lb higher here. Prime Venture was 4th that day and also filled the same spot in this race last year. No problem with the going or trip for the 9-year-old but he’s 0 wins from 11 runs over fences now and needs the application of the first-time blinkers to work the oracle.
De Rasher Counter won the Ladbroke Trophy at Newbury and carried top weight to victory here 12 months ago in the 3m novices handicap chase. No issues with heavy ground and has the class to win this but his stamina for the distance has to be taken on trust.
Irish horses have done well in this race in the past so the mud loving Se Mo Laoch has to be a contender off bottom weight, if he stays.
Dominateur looks a useful staying novice handicap chaser. Twice a winner on heavy at Chepstow he found Grade 2 company too hot when 3rd of 6 at Wetherby last time and should find this test more suitable.
Captain Drake is another novice who should relish this test. A winner at Exeter two starts before falling at Ascot last time. He needs to improve on what he’s shown so but he could do so and Bryan Carver takes off a handy 5lb. Trainer Harry Fry has had this race in mind for the for the 7-year-old since the autumn.
Verdict: If the classy De Rasher Counter can defy top weight it will be a hell of a weight carrying performance. I wouldn’t put anyone of Truckers Lodge. However. I’m just siding with the novices Dominateur & Captain Drake.
1pt win – Dominateur – 11/1 @ Bet365
1pt win – Captain Drake – 11/1 @ Bet365 & Coral
1pt win – Truckers Lodge – 5/1 @ Bet365
Kempton
2:40 – The lightly raced Downtown Getaway showed a good attitude to hold off Palmers Hill over C&D three weeks ago and off just 5lb higher looks capable of going close again.
Tamaroc Du Mathan’s 5th of 24 in the Betfair Hurdle is solid form. The lightly raced 5-year-old seemed to enjoy the sounder surface at Newbury and if he stays today’s longer trip won’t be far away.
1pt win – Downtown Getaway – 7/2 @ Bet365
Bootlegger is in deeper waters here after his recent win at Doncaster but he’s another who seemed to enjoy the better ground and looks to be going the right way.
3:15 – Drumconner Lad is in the form of his life after wins at Leopardstown & Ayr and can go well again. Pistol Whipped looks capable of defying his present mark over fences if his jumping holds up and the return to handicap company and a sounder surface are in his favour. Legal Eyes made it two from three since going chasing when an impressive winner of a 3m handicap chase here last. Up 9lb for that success and dropping back in trip today but he’s on the upgrade and is the one they all must beat.
1pt win – Legal Eyes – 9/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Cheers
John