Nothing yesterday, from our perspective a poor days racing, a full all-weather National Hunt Flat card at Newcastle, did little to stir the emotions, I mentioned to my brother that the standard of the racing was awful, however I didn’t expect it to be this bad:
I’m of course being unfair, still, made me laugh.
Right, onto Super Saturday, the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton and the Welsh National at Chepstow head a bumper day of racing.
To keep it short, where nothing of interest tomorrow I will merely confirm as such, with only brief comments, without showing you the working-out, this allows me to focus on races where we will have an interest.
Kempton
12:35 – probably the right favourite, nothing of interest, The Domino Effect would be a play if a bigger price (ran best speed figure) and low in weights for market principles.
13:10 – SMARTY WILD is a selection, running the best speed figure in the race, he performs well on soft and at 11.2 is nicely handicapped.
In addition, PRINCETON ROYALE, the elder statesman of the field (12) is simply the wrong price, a likely front-runner at the prices is worth a small play.
SMARTY WILD 9/2 1PT WIN
PRINCETON ROYALE 33/1 0.5PT EW
13:45 – TWO FOR GOLD, down in class after a good effort in Class 1 company at the end of October at Wetherby and pulled up last time out at Newbury, has stand out figures and is treated favourably by the handicapper. As with the last race we expect TWO FOR GOLD to lead from the front and set a solid pace with David Bass doing the steering.
West Approach, having ran 4 times at Cheltenham in 2020 is a horse which is forever the bridesmaid, a consistent type for the Tizzard yard but one that is always worth considering, pulled up at the International Meeting, let us hope that was for better things to come with today being the effort we know he is capable of.
TWO FOR GOLD 5/1 1PT WIN
WEST APPROACH 16/1 0.5PT EW
14:20 – McFabulous had a fantastic 2020 for the Paul Nicholls yard, however because of that he sets atop the market as a red-hot favourite, however his speed figures are relatively comparative to the field and whilst the price reflects his performances in 2020, we simply must take him on. We do so triple handed, first off at the bottom of the weights, INDEFATIGABLE has the best speed figures for Paul Webber, we will then turn to the Nicky Henderson duo of CALL ME LORD and ON THE BLIND SIDE, Nicky had a great Christmas period and has consistently had a 20% strike-rate for the past few months, let’s hope ON THE BLIND SIDE, notably ridden by Nico De Boinville leads from the front, giving the favourite something to think about and hopefully bringing 1 (if not) all of 3 into the race at the last.
CALL ME LORD 14/1 O.5PT EW
ON THE BLIND SIDE 18/1 0.5PT EW
INDEFATIGABLE 16/1 0.5PT EW
14:55 – Nothing of interest, Kim Bailey horse is very good.
15:30 – The Lanzarote Hurdle
Triple handed again, THE WHITE MOUSE and SOLO are our first two, the former seen last time out when winning at the International Meeting, the Lucy Wadham trained horse, from King’s Theatre is looking to do the hat-trick.
Solo at the top of the weights, is an absolute mystery, winning on debut in February of last year (at Kempton) and never really performing thereafter to any sort of standard, Paul Nicholls is the man however to turn fortunes around at the prices is too tempting.
THE CASHEL MAN much like Solo is another who promised much hitting a rich vein of form December 2019 through early 2020, let’s hope Nicky Henderson has him primed again to perform early on in the year and having posted excellent speed-figures last time out at Newbury in November in a hot-contest.
SOLO 18/1 0.5PT EW
THE WHITE MOUSE 12/1 0.5PT EW
THE CASHEL MAN 28/1 0.5PT EW
15:57 – The Harry Bannister trained MILLERS BANK, is down in class, having ran in a Class 1 at Newbury at the end of November and posting speed-figures comparative to those towards the top of the market, should he be trained by one of the bigger names, the Alex Hales hurdler would be a much shorter price.
MILLERS BANK 11/1 1PT EW
Chepstow
12:17 – GALA BALL is the stand-out in the race, performing well throughout 2020, Philip Hobbs has a nigh on 30% strike rate at course and distance.
GALA BALL 5/1 1PT WIN
12:50 – Nothing of interest.
13:25 – ELHAM VALLEY a winner last time out on Heavy at Sandown, having been withdrawn at Cheltenham during the International Meeting, is a promising horse for Fergal O’Brien, having showed a speed equivalent to the odds-on favourite Nassalam at the price is a firm play.
YGGDRASIL who followed ELHAM VALLEY home in the referred race at Sandown is the other speed horse in the race and is the wrong-price.
ELHAM VALLEY 9/1 1PT EW
YGGDRASIL 16/1 0.5PT EW
13:58 – Nothing of interest.
14:30 – REVELS HILL, down in class, has figures as good as the top two in the market and trained by the in-form Harry Fry, he should be more like 3/1 in my opinion so at 15/2 is a clear selection and one of the strongest fancies of the day.
REVELS HILL 15/2 2PT EW
15:10 – WELSH GRAND NATIONAL
YALA ENKI, always yala enki, at the top of the weights, but consistent as anything over these sorts of gruelling slogs, with the wonderful Bryony Frost on board at at 14/1 its an obvious selection, can Bryony lead from the front again and leave the other jockeys red-faced?
Turning to one of the older horses in the field, the David Pipe trained VIEUX LION ROUGE at 22/1 is a nonsense, winning last time out at Aintree, confirming he had plenty left last time out.
CAPTAIN DRAKE at a even bigger price, trained by Harry Fry now a full stone lighter when last winning at Uttoxeter in October the 33/1 is too tempting to ignore.
YALA ENKI 14/1 0.5PT EW
VIEUX LION ROUGE 22/1 0.5PT EW
CAPTAIN DRAKE 22/1 0.5PT EW
Wincaton
13:30 – Nothing of interest.
14:05 – Nothing of interest.
14:35 – The Paul Nicholls trained CAPELAND is fancied, on the basis that he only hold one entry whilst the vast majority of the others in the field have multiple entries, this gives us the chance to get a bigger price as the race is not expected to look like the card at the off.
CAPELAND 15/2 1PT EW
15:45 – GARDEFORT , Venetia Williams is as ever in top-form around this time of year and has found a race for the consistent course and distance winner, seemingly reinvigorated after a nigh on 2 year break last time out at Ascot, should that form be replicated it should be enough to challenge the well fancied fave, Glajou.
GARDEFORT 2PT EW
No fancies over at Chelmsford or Lingfield on the All-Weather
Horse Racing Selections 