As we enter the last week of January, still under National Lockdown, good news about the vaccination program and leaks in the press of life reopening again somewhat in April with July the aimed date for pre-COVID normality. We shall see, racing continues but after plenty of snow yesterday across the country, expect plenty of inspections and cancellations of fixtures this week (Market Rasen already cancelled today).
As of today we are 38 points in profit, losing 4 points yesterday over at Lingfield on the All-Weather.
Kempton (All-Weather)
Plumpton hopes to pass a third inspection, at mid-day, in 30 minutes or so (at time of writing), hence we will look at the Kempton card first with Chelmsford offering us nothing, Class 3 standard or above.
18:15 – BRAVADO is the selection for the in-form Mark Johnston, a 50% strike-rate in the last 14 days (a 38% strike-rate in the last month with nearly 50 runners), when teamed up with Joe Fanning at Kempton he performs well.
Bravado is a distance winner and preferred over the favourite, Mighty Gurkha (course and distance winner) due to price and being better off at the weights, receiving 5 pounds at 9.2 from the 6/4 favourite.
Our selection is well drawn from stall 2 and will look to get out and hopefully give the Archie Watson trained top-of-the market something to think about at the line.
BRAVADO 10/3 2.5PTS EW
18:45 – SOAR ABOVE, is favoured to overcome a less than ideal draw from stall 7, having set figures that would trouble all of these in his last two runs at Kempton. The horse likes it here, with a 30% strike-rate and looking refreshed when winning before Christmas and performing well in a placed effort at the start of the year.
Equitation is another selection, towards the bottom of the weights, well drawn and setting figures in defeat in December of 2020 that would concern all of these, the Stuart Williams yard is in form over the last 28 days (nigh on 30% strike-rate).
SOAR ABOVE 6/1 1.5PT EW
EQUITATION 7/1 1PT EW
Plumpton
15:20 – Poker Play for the in-form David Pipe, is a selection despite at the top of the weights, a known-front runner in what might be testing conditions, the 14/1 on offer at the moment is to tempting to pass-up, despite a poor run at Bangor at the end of the year, having performed in Class 1 company at Cheltenham, exclusively for much of 2020, if he is as good as they thought he was, he should be in the mix in a race of this standard.
Poker Play 14/1 0.5PT EW
Horse Racing Selections 