Hi all,
An action-packed winter jumps season at Cheltenham kicks off with its annual two-day Showcase Meeting. There’s also some interesting racing on the flat at Doncaster & Newbury. I have selections from Cheltenham & Doncaster.
Cheltenham
3:45 – Dinons, trained by Gordon Elliott, made it three from five over fences when making all to win at Limerick 11-days ago. He jumped well that day and is effective in small fields. Best form had been on a sound surface, won a novice hurdle on good at this meeting 12 months ago, but showed he was just as effective on heavy at Limerick.
2pts win – Dinons – 10/3 @ William Hill
4:20 – Trainer Paul Nicholls has made a good start to the month and his record at this meeting is 9 winners from 30 runners 30% +13.03 A/E 1.38 13 placed 43% in the past 5-years. Five of those winners from seven runners +11.53 came with runners that were having their first run at the track. That makes Cap Du Mathan of some interest on his first start for the trainer since arriving from France. No mention of the 4-year-old in any of the stable tours is a slight concern but the trainer is 2-5 in the race in the past 10-years and he’s worth chancing here.
1pt win – Cap Du Mathan – 13/2 @ William Hill & Unibet
5:30 – Trainer Fergal O’Brien is among the winners 4-19 21% in the past 14-days and his runner Benny’s Bridge is of interest in this handicap hurdle. The 6-year-old won two of his seven start over hurdles last season, including here over 2m 1f (good to soft) in January. The form of that Cheltenham win was franked when runner-up Flash Of Steel won the Silver Trophy at Chepstow early this month. He later went on to win at Market Rasen. Disappointed when only 9th of 15 at Sandown in valuable handicap hurdle on his final start of the season. Returns from a 181-day absence here but won on his debut under rules in 2017 and was runner-up on his return last October. Capable of going close here.
1pt win – Benny’s Bridge – 5/1 @ Bet365 & Coral
Doncaster
3:35 – I’m going to take a chance with recent Ascot eyecatcher Call Me Ginger in this 6f Class 2 handicap. A half-brother to the trainers Tommy G, he made a highly promising handicap debut when running on from the behind to finish 6th of 17, beaten just 1 ¾ lengths in the 5f handicap that concluded Ascot’s Saturday card. The 3-year-old a winner over 6f at Redcar two starts back found things happening a shade to quick on his first start over the minimum trip. The soft ground posed no problems for him as his pedigree suggested, given his sire Orientor’s best performances came on an easy surface and he also sired ‘mudlark’ Jack Dexter. Looks the sort to improve with racing and will be suited by a return to 6f.
Triggered, trained by Ed Walker, wasn’t disgraced when 4th of 12 over C&D back in May, off 2lb higher. The 3-year-old returned from an 84-day lay off to finish a close-up 3rd of 7 at Thirsk, over 5f, 48-days ago. He will be better suited by today’s extra furlong, but soft ground is a bit of a unknown, has yet to race on worse than good to soft and his best performances have come on good. If handles the going has claims.
1pt win – Call Me Ginger – 8/1 @ Bet365
1pt win – Triggered – 9/1 @ Bet365
Cheers
John