Darran

Its a non-runner now anyway. My hunter chase previews are always on separate threads so today's is titled hunter chase 3.50 Ludlow. 

A look back at yesterday's action first which was very profitable to continue the good run. Alcala had a pretty simple task in the end with Looking Well not really performing anywhere near his best. Point The Way ran a lot better when pulling up behind the winner last time, but it's pretty weak form really.
Captain Buck's was very much on a going day as he always looked the winner. I think this was the better of the two performances at Musselburgh. It was a shame to see Absainte come down because she was going to finish 2nd and it would have meant that every bet would have been a winner. She deserves to win one of these because she has bumped into some useful rivals so far in hunter chases and this was probably a personal best. Dark Mahler was well backed and landed e/w money for coming 2nd and was obviously a step up on what he had shown so far this season. Six A Side never really threatened and he came 3rd, whilst Bletchley Castle made it a strong pace, but had nothing left after 4 out.
What a ride by Bryony Frost on Caid Du Berlais at Wincanton. I think everyone probably expected Dashing Perk to make the running, but Bryony made sure that he didn't get the chance to by being very aggressive early on. As we have seen over the years Bryony is very good from the front and when you know your horse stays a bit further than this she knew she was likely to get away with it. He put in some great leaps on the way round and he never looked like getting beat. He has been entered at Cheltenham, but after his last two efforts in the race that did surprise me. Clearly he can be a player at Punchestown though and surely his campaign should be based around that. Golden Tobouggan landed the e/w support that had happened the night before and to be fair it was a hell of an effort and a big step up from his Maisemore win. He can surely win a hunter chase after this effort. Dashing Perk somehow ended up going off favourite in the end and he's run a solid race in 3rd. If he finds a race where he can get to the front then I am sure he will be winning.
Onto today's race and it is one of the more competitive ones we have had so far this season. The important thing though is I want to be against the front two in the market. We all know that Nicholls can get one ready after a lay off so the fact Copain De Classe has been off for 2 years isn't a concern, but the trip has to be a big one. He's never been anywhere near this far before and it isn't even as if he was really good before. His last win came over 2m2f at Kempton in October 2018 off 130 and he is currently off 127. To me if Nicholls thought he was well handicapped he would have gone down that route and there are some useful horses in this. I'm not saying he can't win, but he is a shocking price all things considered.
Another horse who is a shocking price is Maitree Express. How on earth a maiden winner is shorter than hunter chase and open winners I don't know. The horse who beat him at Kimble was 3rd next time and although he finally broke his maiden at Larkhill in December chances are it wasn't a strong race and certainly nothing like this. I can't have him at all and is clearly priced up by the fact he is in the Waley-Cohen colours.
Dieu Vivant won this race last year although he didn't really have much to beat in the end with the Evs money favourite unseating and the 6/4 2nd in disappointing. He did run well in a handicap here last week when finishing 2nd off 124 and that brings him right into this. The concern I have is that anytime he has been on ground quicker than soft he has been a big disappointment. That is enough for me to pass him over, but again he could easily win this.
Miss Seagreen ran well behind Hazel Hill in the opening hunter chase of the season and that was on the back of beating Captain Bucks at Larkhill. She made a bad mistake at the water last time and that didn't help her cause. Also the ground was a massive worry about her that day so the fact she will have quicker ground here should be a big plus. She is a big player for me.
Diamond King won a bad hunter chase at Worcester in May 2019 and was well beaten in his only start last season at Cocklebarrow. I find it hard to see him being good enough to win this even though the jockey change is a big plus.
Master Dancer has won on the flat, over hurdles and in a point, but this is his first try over rules fences. He had decent enough form over hurdles and his two point runs were solid last season. First of all Silsol beat him and then he won a novice riders race. I'd be a bit surprised if he was good enough to win this, but I can see him running well enough.
Trio For Rio had become a bit disappointing for Warren Greatrex, but on his first pointing start for his new trainer he ran really well to finish a close 3rd to Salvatore at Larkhill in December. That race was won in a quicker time than Miss Seagreen's race on the same card and they carried 21lbs more than she did. That run makes him a big player for me here.
Fishy Story has won 9 of his 19 point starts, but I would be a bit surprised if he was up to this. One who I do think is over priced though is Garde Ville. Granted there is a concern that he will bounce, but as I wrote at the time I thought he ran a really promising race against Bob And Co at Haydock. There is every chance he blew up in what was obviously a very strong contest, but he would have finished a creditable 4th if allowed to complete the race. The last couple of seasons he has been in action (he missed 2020) he has come on massively for his seasonal return so that also bodes well. 
Given I think the front two in the betting are there to be taken on with I am going to put up 3 against them. First of all Miss Seagreen will surely go close on this better ground as she should be able to build on the course and distance run from last time. I think Garde Ville is the most over priced horse in the race and hopefully he doesn't bounce as I think he is capable of hitting the frame here. I am also backing Time For Rio as his Larkhill run makes him a player and he also looks over priced to me.
Miss Seagreen 1.5pts @ 7/2 with most bookies
Garde Ville 0.75pts e/w @ 33/1 with William Hill
Time For Rio 0.5pts e/w @ 17/2 with William Hill
NB this was written last night to be posted this morning so it was written before the Nicholls horse came out.

A look back at yesterday's action first which was very profitable to continue the good run. Alcala had a pretty simple task in the end with Looking Well not really performing anywhere near his best. Point The Way ran a lot better when pulling up behind the winner last time, but it's pretty weak form really.
Captain Buck's was very much on a going day as he always looked the winner. I think this was the better of the two performances at Musselburgh. It was a shame to see Absainte come down because she was going to finish 2nd and it would have meant that every bet would have been a winner. She deserves to win one of these because she has bumped into some useful rivals so far in hunter chases and this was probably a personal best. Dark Mahler was well backed and landed e/w money for coming 2nd and was obviously a step up on what he had shown so far this season. Six A Side never really threatened and he came 3rd, whilst Bletchley Castle made it a strong pace, but had nothing left after 4 out.
What a ride by Bryony Frost on Caid Du Berlais at Wincanton. I think everyone probably expected Dashing Perk to make the running, but Bryony made sure that he didn't get the chance to by being very aggressive early on. As we have seen over the years Bryony is very good from the front and when you know your horse stays a bit further than this she knew she was likely to get away with it. He put in some great leaps on the way round and he never looked like getting beat. He has been entered at Cheltenham, but after his last two efforts in the race that did surprise me. Clearly he can be a player at Punchestown though and surely his campaign should be based around that. Golden Tobouggan landed the e/w support that had happened the night before and to be fair it was a hell of an effort and a big step up from his Maisemore win. He can surely win a hunter chase after this effort. Dashing Perk somehow ended up going off favourite in the end and he's run a solid race in 3rd. If he finds a race where he can get to the front then I am sure he will be winning.
Onto today's race and it is one of the more competitive ones we have had so far this season. The important thing though is I want to be against the front two in the market. We all know that Nicholls can get one ready after a lay off so the fact Copain De Classe has been off for 2 years isn't a concern, but the trip has to be a big one. He's never been anywhere near this far before and it isn't even as if he was really good before. His last win came over 2m2f at Kempton in October 2018 off 130 and he is currently off 127. To me if Nicholls thought he was well handicapped he would have gone down that route and there are some useful horses in this. I'm not saying he can't win, but he is a shocking price all things considered.
Another horse who is a shocking price is Maitree Express. How on earth a maiden winner is shorter than hunter chase and open winners I don't know. The horse who beat him at Kimble was 3rd next time and although he finally broke his maiden at Larkhill in December chances are it wasn't a strong race and certainly nothing like this. I can't have him at all and is clearly priced up by the fact he is in the Waley-Cohen colours.
Dieu Vivant won this race last year although he didn't really have much to beat in the end with the Evs money favourite unseating and the 6/4 2nd in disappointing. He did run well in a handicap here last week when finishing 2nd off 124 and that brings him right into this. The concern I have is that anytime he has been on ground quicker than soft he has been a big disappointment. That is enough for me to pass him over, but again he could easily win this.
Miss Seagreen ran well behind Hazel Hill in the opening hunter chase of the season and that was on the back of beating Captain Bucks at Larkhill. She made a bad mistake at the water last time and that didn't help her cause. Also the ground was a massive worry about her that day so the fact she will have quicker ground here should be a big plus. She is a big player for me.
Diamond King won a bad hunter chase at Worcester in May 2019 and was well beaten in his only start last season at Cocklebarrow. I find it hard to see him being good enough to win this even though the jockey change is a big plus.
Master Dancer has won on the flat, over hurdles and in a point, but this is his first try over rules fences. He had decent enough form over hurdles and his two point runs were solid last season. First of all Silsol beat him and then he won a novice riders race. I'd be a bit surprised if he was good enough to win this, but I can see him running well enough.
Trio For Rio had become a bit disappointing for Warren Greatrex, but on his first pointing start for his new trainer he ran really well to finish a close 3rd to Salvatore at Larkhill in December. That race was won in a quicker time than Miss Seagreen's race on the same card and they carried 21lbs more than she did. That run makes him a big player for me here.
Fishy Story has won 9 of his 19 point starts, but I would be a bit surprised if he was up to this. One who I do think is over priced though is Garde Ville. Granted there is a concern that he will bounce, but as I wrote at the time I thought he ran a really promising race against Bob And Co at Haydock. There is every chance he blew up in what was obviously a very strong contest, but he would have finished a creditable 4th if allowed to complete the race. The last couple of seasons he has been in action (he missed 2020) he has come on massively for his seasonal return so that also bodes well. 
Given I think the front two in the betting are there to be taken on with I am going to put up 3 against them. First of all Miss Seagreen will surely go close on this better ground as she should be able to build on the course and distance run from last time. I think Garde Ville is the most over priced horse in the race and hopefully he doesn't bounce as I think he is capable of hitting the frame here. I am also backing Time For Rio as his Larkhill run makes him a player and he also looks over priced to me.
Miss Seagreen 1.5pts @ 7/2 with most bookies
Garde Ville 0.75pts e/w @ 33/1 with William Hill
Time For Rio 0.5pts e/w @ 17/2 with William Hill
NB this was written last night to be posted this morning so it was written before the Nicholls horse came out.

Never for one second did I think BOG would be needed to get a bigger price on Fumet D'oudairies, indeed I thought he would go off odds on. So for him to return 5/2 was staggering. It was a really impressive performance and although the bare form isn't strong, the time was good and you could see him as a possible Cheltenham contender next season as there should be more to come. I'm Wiser Now was 2nd again and I will keep saying that he will always find something to beat him no matter what the opposition. There were two big surprises in the race. The first was Barrack Hill finishing 3rd. Hard to know if we should take it on face value or not, but not sure I would be in a rush to back him. The 2nd surprise was the massive gamble on The Triple Pillar which never looked like landing. It was a strange gamble and to be fair he did well to finish 4th as he was really struggling a one stage. Captain McGinley got tired after helping make the running and the Wincanton race continues to work out poorly. Rebel Dawn Rising finished last after also being at the front and he will need to come on a lot for the run.
I put in the preview that Cat Tiger would need another run to qualify for Aintree, but it seems his last win in France will actually count towards qualification and he put in a really good performance here. His owner will be back aboard at Aintree, but he looks an uncomplicated ride and Maxwell will have a strong chance of completing a Cheltenham/Aintree double as an owner. Fair play to Venetia Williams for the training performance to get Tango De Juilley to put in the performance he did and I suspect he would have won at Kelso had he not unseated at the 1st based on this effort. He will need another run to qualify for Aintree. Killaro Boy stumbled very badly after 5 out and that didn't help him although hard to think he still wouldn't have finished 3rd. Dr Des was really well backed and he well as well as could have been expected given the 3 ahead of him in the betting all ran up to form. It was another boost to the Warwick form though and he will find easier races than this. He will continue to be on my radar.
3 hunter chases today with two at Musselburgh and one at Wincanton. The 3.35 at Musselburgh looks a 2 horse race between Alcala and Looking Well. It is hard to see Federici closing the gap on Alcala so I don't fancy him. Alcala was outstayed by Salvatore in the Scottish Foxhunter, but he was given a very attacking ride that day and I suspect Cobden won't be quite so bold on him. He was also beaten by a progressive horse who has been entered at Cheltenham so it wasn't a bad performance by any means.
There are no stamina doubts about Looking Well although jumping isn't always foot perfect. His last win was 2 years ago off 133 at Doncaster. He ran in the Grimthorpe after that although he fell at the last when in 2nd. He wasn't seen until last November when running a sound enough race at Kelso over hurdles. He then ran in a race at Market Rasen which he had no chance in.
I think on balance the prices are right and I do think Alcala is the most likely winner of the race. I think he is the better horse and whilst he isn't the strongest of stayers the ground is better here and I don't think it will be as big a stamina test as the race last month was.
I think the 4.35 is all about if Captain Buck's shows he's form or not. He clearly has his quirks, but he looked good when winning at Larkhill over 2m4f a year ago and I put him up when he went back into handicap company for Paul Nicholls at Stratford in July. He won there and I thought Harry Cobden gave him a good ride. He then finished a close 3rd to Seddon at Cartmel before not going a yard at Newton Abbot. He went back pointing again in December when 3rd to Miss Seagreen at Larkhill when ridden by an inexperienced rider and he was never really put in the race until it was too late. He certainly sets the standard.
Six A Side has stuck to pointing since he was 3rd at Cheltenham in May 2017 and he won his only other hunter chase at Kelso the year before. Both runs saw him make mistakes and he isn't exactly foot perfect in points either. He has won his last 4, but he's 13 now and hasn't run for a year. The form of those wins isn't as strong as the favourites and it is hard to see how he beats an on form Captain Buck's.
Absainte is a likeable mare at the right level and she ran well enough to finish 2nd to Wishing And Hoping a year ago at Catterick. I think this sort of trip will suit her better especially as she likes to be handy. She usually runs her race and should do again, but I'm not sure she can beat the favourite.
Bletchley Castle also likes to be at the front end in his races and he should have his ideal conditions here. He was running well at Warwick when he was last seen and back in a hunter chase I can also see him going well.
Dark Mahler is the other one of note and he should be better on this better ground than he has been able to show in his two hunter chases so far this season. Even so on a line through Miss Seagreen he has got a fair bit of ground to make up on the favourite. 
If Captain Buck's runs his race then he wins as on form he is the best horse in the race. I do think we have the wrong 2nd favourite though so there is some value a bit further down the market and I can see Absainte enjoying this test and could be the one to finish 2nd to him.
So how to play the two races. I am going to double up the two favourites to start with. I think Absainte is worth an e/w saver and I will also have a small bet on the forecast as well.
Alcala/Captain Buck's 2pts double @ 6/4 with BetVictor
Abasinte 0.5pts e/w @ 15/2 with Bet365
Captain Buck's to beat Absainte f/c 0.5pts
In between the 2 Musselburgh races we have the 3.45 at Wincanton which looks a good contest. Regular followers will know I am a big fan of Caid Du Berlais having put him up in the last two Foxhunters (pulled up both times) as well as putting him up for both his superb victories at Punchestown. Both wins in Ireland were ultra impressive and I would imagine a hat-trick bid will be the target this season. He is 12 now, but he has run well fresh in points in the past so there is no reason to think he won't perform. The slight question mark would be the drop in trip, but he has plenty of speed so it might not be an issue.
Dashing Perk is an interesting hunter chase newcomer as he ran well in a couple of Aintree handicaps in November and December. Both those efforts would see him have a good chance here. He was pulled up last time at Doncaster, but he finished lame and that run can be easily overlooked for me. This trip is his best one as well.
Capitaine probably didn't see 3m out at Larkhill in his first point in December and it was also his first run for 13 months. He was running OK over hurdles when last seen under rules, but he's never really found a great deal under pressure and I would be a bit surprised if he bit the current front two in the betting.
The horse with the highest handicap rating in the race is Conrad Hastings who has a mark of 140. He won a Kilbeggan handicap off that mark 3 starts ago over this trip although that was in June 2019 and his last run was August that year. First run with new connections and whilst I wouldn't rule him out he will have to be at the top of his game to win this.
I know it doesn't take much money to shorten one up the night before at big prices, but even so the move on Golden Tobouggan was pretty big and surprising. His best runs were his 3 2nds in the 2019 season as he finished 2nd to Virak, Haymount and Caryto Des Brosses all 3 good horses. He missed last season and then won in October at Maisemore beating Silent Man by 1/2L. Now that won has won 2 handicaps since, but both from lowly marks so he is going to have to improve massively on that to play a part here. 33s was possibly too big, but unless someone knows something I don't then he makes little appeal at his current price.
Conrad Hastings is the unknown and it wouldn't surprise if he did win. I am fully expecting Dashing Perk to put his Doncaster effort behind him and he will surely make a bold bid from the front, but I have to stick with Caid Du Berlais here. This looks a good starting place for him and he can have the class to peg back Dashing Perk to give his trainer the first part of a possible across the card double.
Caid Du Berlais 1pt @ 5/4 with Bet365
Finally on a busy day I have to have something on Apple's Queen in the 1.00 at Wincanton. She is potentially very well handicapped on her pointing form. She had lost her way a bit last season, but bounced back in style at Larkhill in December where she clocked a faster winning time than Miss Seagreen carrying 21lbs more than she did. She would have a chance in an average hunter chase and for the first time today she gets her ground under rules. Her two hunter chase runs were both on soft ground and then at Exeter last time in her first handicap she ran well enough on heavy ground. On much quicker ground this afternoon she has to be backed at a double figure price in what is a pretty weak contest.
Apple's Queen @ 22/1 with Bet365

Couldn’t believe when she came down as she looked booked for 2nd still another good day.

Great stuff today @Darran , well done mate. It was close to being even better, thanks once again.

Never for one second did I think BOG would be needed to get a bigger price on Fumet D'oudairies, indeed I thought he would go off odds on. So for him to return 5/2 was staggering. It was a really impressive performance and although the bare form isn't strong, the time was good and you could see him as a possible Cheltenham contender next season as there should be more to come. I'm Wiser Now was 2nd again and I will keep saying that he will always find something to beat him no matter what the opposition. There were two big surprises in the race. The first was Barrack Hill finishing 3rd. Hard to know if we should take it on face value or not, but not sure I would be in a rush to back him. The 2nd surprise was the massive gamble on The Triple Pillar which never looked like landing. It was a strange gamble and to be fair he did well to finish 4th as he was really struggling a one stage. Captain McGinley got tired after helping make the running and the Wincanton race continues to work out poorly. Rebel Dawn Rising finished last after also being at the front and he will need to come on a lot for the run.
I put in the preview that Cat Tiger would need another run to qualify for Aintree, but it seems his last win in France will actually count towards qualification and he put in a really good performance here. His owner will be back aboard at Aintree, but he looks an uncomplicated ride and Maxwell will have a strong chance of completing a Cheltenham/Aintree double as an owner. Fair play to Venetia Williams for the training performance to get Tango De Juilley to put in the performance he did and I suspect he would have won at Kelso had he not unseated at the 1st based on this effort. He will need another run to qualify for Aintree. Killaro Boy stumbled very badly after 5 out and that didn't help him although hard to think he still wouldn't have finished 3rd. Dr Des was really well backed and he well as well as could have been expected given the 3 ahead of him in the betting all ran up to form. It was another boost to the Warwick form though and he will find easier races than this. He will continue to be on my radar.
3 hunter chases today with two at Musselburgh and one at Wincanton. The 3.35 at Musselburgh looks a 2 horse race between Alcala and Looking Well. It is hard to see Federici closing the gap on Alcala so I don't fancy him. Alcala was outstayed by Salvatore in the Scottish Foxhunter, but he was given a very attacking ride that day and I suspect Cobden won't be quite so bold on him. He was also beaten by a progressive horse who has been entered at Cheltenham so it wasn't a bad performance by any means.
There are no stamina doubts about Looking Well although jumping isn't always foot perfect. His last win was 2 years ago off 133 at Doncaster. He ran in the Grimthorpe after that although he fell at the last when in 2nd. He wasn't seen until last November when running a sound enough race at Kelso over hurdles. He then ran in a race at Market Rasen which he had no chance in.
I think on balance the prices are right and I do think Alcala is the most likely winner of the race. I think he is the better horse and whilst he isn't the strongest of stayers the ground is better here and I don't think it will be as big a stamina test as the race last month was.
I think the 4.35 is all about if Captain Buck's shows he's form or not. He clearly has his quirks, but he looked good when winning at Larkhill over 2m4f a year ago and I put him up when he went back into handicap company for Paul Nicholls at Stratford in July. He won there and I thought Harry Cobden gave him a good ride. He then finished a close 3rd to Seddon at Cartmel before not going a yard at Newton Abbot. He went back pointing again in December when 3rd to Miss Seagreen at Larkhill when ridden by an inexperienced rider and he was never really put in the race until it was too late. He certainly sets the standard.
Six A Side has stuck to pointing since he was 3rd at Cheltenham in May 2017 and he won his only other hunter chase at Kelso the year before. Both runs saw him make mistakes and he isn't exactly foot perfect in points either. He has won his last 4, but he's 13 now and hasn't run for a year. The form of those wins isn't as strong as the favourites and it is hard to see how he beats an on form Captain Buck's.
Absainte is a likeable mare at the right level and she ran well enough to finish 2nd to Wishing And Hoping a year ago at Catterick. I think this sort of trip will suit her better especially as she likes to be handy. She usually runs her race and should do again, but I'm not sure she can beat the favourite.
Bletchley Castle also likes to be at the front end in his races and he should have his ideal conditions here. He was running well at Warwick when he was last seen and back in a hunter chase I can also see him going well.
Dark Mahler is the other one of note and he should be better on this better ground than he has been able to show in his two hunter chases so far this season. Even so on a line through Miss Seagreen he has got a fair bit of ground to make up on the favourite. 
If Captain Buck's runs his race then he wins as on form he is the best horse in the race. I do think we have the wrong 2nd favourite though so there is some value a bit further down the market and I can see Absainte enjoying this test and could be the one to finish 2nd to him.
So how to play the two races. I am going to double up the two favourites to start with. I think Absainte is worth an e/w saver and I will also have a small bet on the forecast as well.
Alcala/Captain Buck's 2pts double @ 6/4 with BetVictor
Abasinte 0.5pts e/w @ 15/2 with Bet365
Captain Buck's to beat Absainte f/c 0.5pts
In between the 2 Musselburgh races we have the 3.45 at Wincanton which looks a good contest. Regular followers will know I am a big fan of Caid Du Berlais having put him up in the last two Foxhunters (pulled up both times) as well as putting him up for both his superb victories at Punchestown. Both wins in Ireland were ultra impressive and I would imagine a hat-trick bid will be the target this season. He is 12 now, but he has run well fresh in points in the past so there is no reason to think he won't perform. The slight question mark would be the drop in trip, but he has plenty of speed so it might not be an issue.
Dashing Perk is an interesting hunter chase newcomer as he ran well in a couple of Aintree handicaps in November and December. Both those efforts would see him have a good chance here. He was pulled up last time at Doncaster, but he finished lame and that run can be easily overlooked for me. This trip is his best one as well.
Capitaine probably didn't see 3m out at Larkhill in his first point in December and it was also his first run for 13 months. He was running OK over hurdles when last seen under rules, but he's never really found a great deal under pressure and I would be a bit surprised if he bit the current front two in the betting.
The horse with the highest handicap rating in the race is Conrad Hastings who has a mark of 140. He won a Kilbeggan handicap off that mark 3 starts ago over this trip although that was in June 2019 and his last run was August that year. First run with new connections and whilst I wouldn't rule him out he will have to be at the top of his game to win this.
I know it doesn't take much money to shorten one up the night before at big prices, but even so the move on Golden Tobouggan was pretty big and surprising. His best runs were his 3 2nds in the 2019 season as he finished 2nd to Virak, Haymount and Caryto Des Brosses all 3 good horses. He missed last season and then won in October at Maisemore beating Silent Man by 1/2L. Now that won has won 2 handicaps since, but both from lowly marks so he is going to have to improve massively on that to play a part here. 33s was possibly too big, but unless someone knows something I don't then he makes little appeal at his current price.
Conrad Hastings is the unknown and it wouldn't surprise if he did win. I am fully expecting Dashing Perk to put his Doncaster effort behind him and he will surely make a bold bid from the front, but I have to stick with Caid Du Berlais here. This looks a good starting place for him and he can have the class to peg back Dashing Perk to give his trainer the first part of a possible across the card double.
Caid Du Berlais 1pt @ 5/4 with Bet365
Finally on a busy day I have to have something on Apple's Queen in the 1.00 at Wincanton. She is potentially very well handicapped on her pointing form. She had lost her way a bit last season, but bounced back in style at Larkhill in December where she clocked a faster winning time than Miss Seagreen carrying 21lbs more than she did. She would have a chance in an average hunter chase and for the first time today she gets her ground under rules. Her two hunter chase runs were both on soft ground and then at Exeter last time in her first handicap she ran well enough on heavy ground. On much quicker ground this afternoon she has to be backed at a double figure price in what is a pretty weak contest.
Apple's Queen @ 22/1 with Bet365

Never for one second did I think BOG would be needed to get a bigger price on Fumet D'oudairies, indeed I thought he would go off odds on. So for him to return 5/2 was staggering. It was a really impressive performance and although the bare form isn't strong, the time was good and you could see him as a possible Cheltenham contender next season as there should be more to come. I'm Wiser Now was 2nd again and I will keep saying that he will always find something to beat him no matter what the opposition. There were two big surprises in the race. The first was Barrack Hill finishing 3rd. Hard to know if we should take it on face value or not, but not sure I would be in a rush to back him. The 2nd surprise was the massive gamble on The Triple Pillar which never looked like landing. It was a strange gamble and to be fair he did well to finish 4th as he was really struggling a one stage. Captain McGinley got tired after helping make the running and the Wincanton race continues to work out poorly. Rebel Dawn Rising finished last after also being at the front and he will need to come on a lot for the run.
I put in the preview that Cat Tiger would need another run to qualify for Aintree, but it seems his last win in France will actually count towards qualification and he put in a really good performance here. His owner will be back aboard at Aintree, but he looks an uncomplicated ride and Maxwell will have a strong chance of completing a Cheltenham/Aintree double as an owner. Fair play to Venetia Williams for the training performance to get Tango De Juilley to put in the performance he did and I suspect he would have won at Kelso had he not unseated at the 1st based on this effort. He will need another run to qualify for Aintree. Killaro Boy stumbled very badly after 5 out and that didn't help him although hard to think he still wouldn't have finished 3rd. Dr Des was really well backed and he well as well as could have been expected given the 3 ahead of him in the betting all ran up to form. It was another boost to the Warwick form though and he will find easier races than this. He will continue to be on my radar.
3 hunter chases today with two at Musselburgh and one at Wincanton. The 3.35 at Musselburgh looks a 2 horse race between Alcala and Looking Well. It is hard to see Federici closing the gap on Alcala so I don't fancy him. Alcala was outstayed by Salvatore in the Scottish Foxhunter, but he was given a very attacking ride that day and I suspect Cobden won't be quite so bold on him. He was also beaten by a progressive horse who has been entered at Cheltenham so it wasn't a bad performance by any means.
There are no stamina doubts about Looking Well although jumping isn't always foot perfect. His last win was 2 years ago off 133 at Doncaster. He ran in the Grimthorpe after that although he fell at the last when in 2nd. He wasn't seen until last November when running a sound enough race at Kelso over hurdles. He then ran in a race at Market Rasen which he had no chance in.
I think on balance the prices are right and I do think Alcala is the most likely winner of the race. I think he is the better horse and whilst he isn't the strongest of stayers the ground is better here and I don't think it will be as big a stamina test as the race last month was.
I think the 4.35 is all about if Captain Buck's shows he's form or not. He clearly has his quirks, but he looked good when winning at Larkhill over 2m4f a year ago and I put him up when he went back into handicap company for Paul Nicholls at Stratford in July. He won there and I thought Harry Cobden gave him a good ride. He then finished a close 3rd to Seddon at Cartmel before not going a yard at Newton Abbot. He went back pointing again in December when 3rd to Miss Seagreen at Larkhill when ridden by an inexperienced rider and he was never really put in the race until it was too late. He certainly sets the standard.
Six A Side has stuck to pointing since he was 3rd at Cheltenham in May 2017 and he won his only other hunter chase at Kelso the year before. Both runs saw him make mistakes and he isn't exactly foot perfect in points either. He has won his last 4, but he's 13 now and hasn't run for a year. The form of those wins isn't as strong as the favourites and it is hard to see how he beats an on form Captain Buck's.
Absainte is a likeable mare at the right level and she ran well enough to finish 2nd to Wishing And Hoping a year ago at Catterick. I think this sort of trip will suit her better especially as she likes to be handy. She usually runs her race and should do again, but I'm not sure she can beat the favourite.
Bletchley Castle also likes to be at the front end in his races and he should have his ideal conditions here. He was running well at Warwick when he was last seen and back in a hunter chase I can also see him going well.
Dark Mahler is the other one of note and he should be better on this better ground than he has been able to show in his two hunter chases so far this season. Even so on a line through Miss Seagreen he has got a fair bit of ground to make up on the favourite. 
If Captain Buck's runs his race then he wins as on form he is the best horse in the race. I do think we have the wrong 2nd favourite though so there is some value a bit further down the market and I can see Absainte enjoying this test and could be the one to finish 2nd to him.
So how to play the two races. I am going to double up the two favourites to start with. I think Absainte is worth an e/w saver and I will also have a small bet on the forecast as well.
Alcala/Captain Buck's 2pts double @ 6/4 with BetVictor
Abasinte 0.5pts e/w @ 15/2 with Bet365
Captain Buck's to beat Absainte f/c 0.5pts
In between the 2 Musselburgh races we have the 3.45 at Wincanton which looks a good contest. Regular followers will know I am a big fan of Caid Du Berlais having put him up in the last two Foxhunters (pulled up both times) as well as putting him up for both his superb victories at Punchestown. Both wins in Ireland were ultra impressive and I would imagine a hat-trick bid will be the target this season. He is 12 now, but he has run well fresh in points in the past so there is no reason to think he won't perform. The slight question mark would be the drop in trip, but he has plenty of speed so it might not be an issue.
Dashing Perk is an interesting hunter chase newcomer as he ran well in a couple of Aintree handicaps in November and December. Both those efforts would see him have a good chance here. He was pulled up last time at Doncaster, but he finished lame and that run can be easily overlooked for me. This trip is his best one as well.
Capitaine probably didn't see 3m out at Larkhill in his first point in December and it was also his first run for 13 months. He was running OK over hurdles when last seen under rules, but he's never really found a great deal under pressure and I would be a bit surprised if he bit the current front two in the betting.
The horse with the highest handicap rating in the race is Conrad Hastings who has a mark of 140. He won a Kilbeggan handicap off that mark 3 starts ago over this trip although that was in June 2019 and his last run was August that year. First run with new connections and whilst I wouldn't rule him out he will have to be at the top of his game to win this.
I know it doesn't take much money to shorten one up the night before at big prices, but even so the move on Golden Tobouggan was pretty big and surprising. His best runs were his 3 2nds in the 2019 season as he finished 2nd to Virak, Haymount and Caryto Des Brosses all 3 good horses. He missed last season and then won in October at Maisemore beating Silent Man by 1/2L. Now that won has won 2 handicaps since, but both from lowly marks so he is going to have to improve massively on that to play a part here. 33s was possibly too big, but unless someone knows something I don't then he makes little appeal at his current price.
Conrad Hastings is the unknown and it wouldn't surprise if he did win. I am fully expecting Dashing Perk to put his Doncaster effort behind him and he will surely make a bold bid from the front, but I have to stick with Caid Du Berlais here. This looks a good starting place for him and he can have the class to peg back Dashing Perk to give his trainer the first part of a possible across the card double.
Caid Du Berlais 1pt @ 5/4 with Bet365
Finally on a busy day I have to have something on Apple's Queen in the 1.00 at Wincanton. She is potentially very well handicapped on her pointing form. She had lost her way a bit last season, but bounced back in style at Larkhill in December where she clocked a faster winning time than Miss Seagreen carrying 21lbs more than she did. She would have a chance in an average hunter chase and for the first time today she gets her ground under rules. Her two hunter chase runs were both on soft ground and then at Exeter last time in her first handicap she ran well enough on heavy ground. On much quicker ground this afternoon she has to be backed at a double figure price in what is a pretty weak contest.
Apple's Queen @ 22/1 with Bet365

Before I get to the two hunter chases at Leicester today I will have a quick look back at Fontwell on Sunday. It was a very good performance from The Galloping Bear who was well backed late on. I didn't think he would be up to beating Sametegal, but in the end I think he just stayed better than the favourite. The winner wasn't always foot perfect, but he looks a really strong stayer and it would be interesting to see where the go with him. The John Corbet Cup at Stratford could be an option for him. Sametegal has qualified for Cheltenham, but it seems like he will be going to Aintree now which was the original plan. He clearly didn't see the trip out and it has to put a big doubt on the Wincanton form in reference to Porlock Bay's chances at Cheltenham with the 3rd also beaten last week. Sonneofpresenting landed the e/w money and obviously in the end it would have been more profitable to have backed him in the normal market, but profit is profit. I thought at one stage he was going to drop backwards as Tanit River took up the running with a circuit to go, but he kept going for 3rd. I'm not sure he will be up to winning a hunter chase though and the same goes for Kashmir Peak. Speaking of Tanit River he ran a good race until he unseated at 2 out. He probably would have been 3rd, but it was a step up on his pointing form and he might be able to build on this. 
At Hereford it was good to see Tinkers Hill Tommy land the bonus bet with ease and although it was a weak contest he is clearly well handicapped.
Not sure why Leicester have decided to move the big race to the last race on the card, but first of all we have the maiden hunter chase at 4.10 so I will deal with that first. Fumet D'oudairies is the favourite and he looked a very promising horse last season when winning 4/4 in points. The times were decent as well and not many horses go through the grades like he does. In his last race a year ago he beat Getting Closer in an Intermediate and that one finished 2nd at Fakenham behind this ones stablemate so there is some depth to his form. Having watched the race he looked value for more than the 2L it was at the line. 2 of his wins were at Horseheath which I think is a good jumping test for a horse and his other two wins were at Cottenham which is a speed test so I don't have any concern about him over this trip (his maiden win was over 2m4f as well) and hopefully his jumping will be up to this test.
Captain McGinley has been well backed and I can certainly see why from an e/w point of view. We know his trainer is in red hot form and he showed up well for a long way at Wincanton which would suggest he wants the drop down in trip, but the rest of his form wouldn't really back that up especially his 2nd to Latenightpass at Cheltenham. Also as I mention above that Wincanton form has had all sorts of holes placed in it. The winner was beaten at Fontwell, the 3rd was stuffed at Doncaster and the 6th somehow managed to finish 3rd at Wetherby having been tailed off last week. He only beat Teeton Surprise by 5L although he did try to win the race which might have left him with nothing left late on. It was also his first run for over a year so you could possibly upgrade the performance, but the worth of the form concerns me.
I'm Wiser Now not surprisingly placed here last time as that is what he is good at. As I said in the preview and in the review he looks just the type of horse who will find something to beat him whatever grade his running in. No doubt he will run his race again, but hard to see him winning.
The Triple Pillar won a maiden point at Garthorpe a couple of years ago, but failed to finish in two Restricted's the following season. He then went under rules at the back end of last year and did run well in a novice hurdle at Warwick in September. After that though it wasn't so good and a mark off 112 looks on the high side. Even if it wasn't I think he would need to run to a higher mark than that to win.
Rebel Dawn Rising has only had 4 starts in his life and he won on the 3rd of them which was his debut for David Kemp. That was his only run in 2019 and he ran once last season when 2nd to Getting Closer in a slower time than the favourite win in on the same Horseheath card. I find it hard to believe that his trainer would run him in this if points were able to run at the moment and although he could go well he might need more experience before he is capable of winning a hunter chase. He has been the one for money this morning.
There has been money for Where Now at a big price, but given he is rated 87 I find it hard to think that connections wouldn't run him in a handicap if they thought he was capable of winning something like this. 
I think the race is between Captain McGinley and Fumet D'Oudairies and I am siding with the favourite as he looks to be very progressive and his yard can get one ready first time out as they have already proven this season. At the price he currently is though I will have a saver bet on Captain McGinley as we cover losses if he does happen to win which given I don't fancy anything else in the race seems sensible.
Fumet 'Oudairies 2pts @ 15/8 with BetVictor
Captain McGinley 0.5pts @ 4/1 with Bet365
The 4.40 is one of the richer hunter chases on the calendar, but I am a bit disappointed by the quality of the field given the money on offer. No doubting the class of the favourite Cat Tiger though and he does look like he will be very hard to beat. He hasn't been seen over fences in Britain, but he landed a Grade 3 over fences at Auteuil under his owner on 2018 and was a close 4th in a Grade 1 there as well. Both those came over today's trip and he looked promising over hurdles last season when starting life out for Paul Nicholls. Given his French form you would think he ought to be even better over fences and he has been given a wind op in the summer. I'm guessing he will be aimed at Aintree although he would need to run again before March 22nd to do qualify and finish in the first 4 on both occasions.
Killaro Boy was a very impressive winner of a hunter chase at Warwick in May 2019 on his first start for Henry Oliver and then he was beaten a nose in the Summer Cup at Uttoxeter that summer. After that he finished 2nd at Aintree in October the same year before finishing 8th in the Grand Sefton. He's not been seen since although obviously he can win off a long lay off. Like Cat Tiger though you would be thinking he could be seen at Aintree next month and he might find it hard to beat Cat Tiger here.
Tango De Juilley unseated at the 1st at Kelso after being off the track for nearly 4 years which was a shame. He was quite well backed before the off though so connections must have been expecting something decent. Like that day though it is hard to know what to expect and if Cat Tiger is at his best it is hard to see him beating him.
Straidnahanna was all about stamina when he was trained by Sue Smith and won the North Yorkshire National at Catterick in 2017. He was last seen running in Irish points and did win the last of his 5 runs over there. Back here for new connections and I would imagine this will be a sharp enough test and I couldn't see him being good enough anyway.
Another regional National winner is Henri Parry Morgan who landed the West Wales one at Ffos Las in 2018, but he was pretty poor after that and again hard to think he will have the speed for this.
Wes Hardin is on a hattrick after two pointing wins back in 2018 and it will be a pretty big surprise if he landed it after being off the track for 1009 days! They were fair efforts, but a fair way below the front two's form.
As much as I don't think he can win I reckon Dr Des could outrun his odds. He's never won a race over fences, but still has a rating off 120 and given how many horses pulled up at Warwick I thought he did well to finish especially as he jumped out to his right. Going this way round will help on the jumping front and it wouldn't surprise me if he was able to finish 3rd or 4th.
I think it is a hard race to get an angle on and win or lose I won't include this bet on the figures as only Bet365 offer the market but I am going to have a small bet on Dr Des e/w in the betting without the front two market.
Dr Des 0.5pts e/w in the betting without the front two market @ 11/2 with Bet365

Before I get to the two hunter chases at Leicester today I will have a quick look back at Fontwell on Sunday. It was a very good performance from The Galloping Bear who was well backed late on. I didn't think he would be up to beating Sametegal, but in the end I think he just stayed better than the favourite. The winner wasn't always foot perfect, but he looks a really strong stayer and it would be interesting to see where the go with him. The John Corbet Cup at Stratford could be an option for him. Sametegal has qualified for Cheltenham, but it seems like he will be going to Aintree now which was the original plan. He clearly didn't see the trip out and it has to put a big doubt on the Wincanton form in reference to Porlock Bay's chances at Cheltenham with the 3rd also beaten last week. Sonneofpresenting landed the e/w money and obviously in the end it would have been more profitable to have backed him in the normal market, but profit is profit. I thought at one stage he was going to drop backwards as Tanit River took up the running with a circuit to go, but he kept going for 3rd. I'm not sure he will be up to winning a hunter chase though and the same goes for Kashmir Peak. Speaking of Tanit River he ran a good race until he unseated at 2 out. He probably would have been 3rd, but it was a step up on his pointing form and he might be able to build on this. 
At Hereford it was good to see Tinkers Hill Tommy land the bonus bet with ease and although it was a weak contest he is clearly well handicapped.
Not sure why Leicester have decided to move the big race to the last race on the card, but first of all we have the maiden hunter chase at 4.10 so I will deal with that first. Fumet D'oudairies is the favourite and he looked a very promising horse last season when winning 4/4 in points. The times were decent as well and not many horses go through the grades like he does. In his last race a year ago he beat Getting Closer in an Intermediate and that one finished 2nd at Fakenham behind this ones stablemate so there is some depth to his form. Having watched the race he looked value for more than the 2L it was at the line. 2 of his wins were at Horseheath which I think is a good jumping test for a horse and his other two wins were at Cottenham which is a speed test so I don't have any concern about him over this trip (his maiden win was over 2m4f as well) and hopefully his jumping will be up to this test.
Captain McGinley has been well backed and I can certainly see why from an e/w point of view. We know his trainer is in red hot form and he showed up well for a long way at Wincanton which would suggest he wants the drop down in trip, but the rest of his form wouldn't really back that up especially his 2nd to Latenightpass at Cheltenham. Also as I mention above that Wincanton form has had all sorts of holes placed in it. The winner was beaten at Fontwell, the 3rd was stuffed at Doncaster and the 6th somehow managed to finish 3rd at Wetherby having been tailed off last week. He only beat Teeton Surprise by 5L although he did try to win the race which might have left him with nothing left late on. It was also his first run for over a year so you could possibly upgrade the performance, but the worth of the form concerns me.
I'm Wiser Now not surprisingly placed here last time as that is what he is good at. As I said in the preview and in the review he looks just the type of horse who will find something to beat him whatever grade his running in. No doubt he will run his race again, but hard to see him winning.
The Triple Pillar won a maiden point at Garthorpe a couple of years ago, but failed to finish in two Restricted's the following season. He then went under rules at the back end of last year and did run well in a novice hurdle at Warwick in September. After that though it wasn't so good and a mark off 112 looks on the high side. Even if it wasn't I think he would need to run to a higher mark than that to win.
Rebel Dawn Rising has only had 4 starts in his life and he won on the 3rd of them which was his debut for David Kemp. That was his only run in 2019 and he ran once last season when 2nd to Getting Closer in a slower time than the favourite win in on the same Horseheath card. I find it hard to believe that his trainer would run him in this if points were able to run at the moment and although he could go well he might need more experience before he is capable of winning a hunter chase. He has been the one for money this morning.
There has been money for Where Now at a big price, but given he is rated 87 I find it hard to think that connections wouldn't run him in a handicap if they thought he was capable of winning something like this. 
I think the race is between Captain McGinley and Fumet D'Oudairies and I am siding with the favourite as he looks to be very progressive and his yard can get one ready first time out as they have already proven this season. At the price he currently is though I will have a saver bet on Captain McGinley as we cover losses if he does happen to win which given I don't fancy anything else in the race seems sensible.
Fumet 'Oudairies 2pts @ 15/8 with BetVictor
Captain McGinley 0.5pts @ 4/1 with Bet365
The 4.40 is one of the richer hunter chases on the calendar, but I am a bit disappointed by the quality of the field given the money on offer. No doubting the class of the favourite Cat Tiger though and he does look like he will be very hard to beat. He hasn't been seen over fences in Britain, but he landed a Grade 3 over fences at Auteuil under his owner on 2018 and was a close 4th in a Grade 1 there as well. Both those came over today's trip and he looked promising over hurdles last season when starting life out for Paul Nicholls. Given his French form you would think he ought to be even better over fences and he has been given a wind op in the summer. I'm guessing he will be aimed at Aintree although he would need to run again before March 22nd to do qualify and finish in the first 4 on both occasions.
Killaro Boy was a very impressive winner of a hunter chase at Warwick in May 2019 on his first start for Henry Oliver and then he was beaten a nose in the Summer Cup at Uttoxeter that summer. After that he finished 2nd at Aintree in October the same year before finishing 8th in the Grand Sefton. He's not been seen since although obviously he can win off a long lay off. Like Cat Tiger though you would be thinking he could be seen at Aintree next month and he might find it hard to beat Cat Tiger here.
Tango De Juilley unseated at the 1st at Kelso after being off the track for nearly 4 years which was a shame. He was quite well backed before the off though so connections must have been expecting something decent. Like that day though it is hard to know what to expect and if Cat Tiger is at his best it is hard to see him beating him.
Straidnahanna was all about stamina when he was trained by Sue Smith and won the North Yorkshire National at Catterick in 2017. He was last seen running in Irish points and did win the last of his 5 runs over there. Back here for new connections and I would imagine this will be a sharp enough test and I couldn't see him being good enough anyway.
Another regional National winner is Henri Parry Morgan who landed the West Wales one at Ffos Las in 2018, but he was pretty poor after that and again hard to think he will have the speed for this.
Wes Hardin is on a hattrick after two pointing wins back in 2018 and it will be a pretty big surprise if he landed it after being off the track for 1009 days! They were fair efforts, but a fair way below the front two's form.
As much as I don't think he can win I reckon Dr Des could outrun his odds. He's never won a race over fences, but still has a rating off 120 and given how many horses pulled up at Warwick I thought he did well to finish especially as he jumped out to his right. Going this way round will help on the jumping front and it wouldn't surprise me if he was able to finish 3rd or 4th.
I think it is a hard race to get an angle on and win or lose I won't include this bet on the figures as only Bet365 offer the market but I am going to have a small bet on Dr Des e/w in the betting without the front two market.
Dr Des 0.5pts e/w in the betting without the front two market @ 11/2 with Bet365

Before I get to the two hunter chases at Leicester today I will have a quick look back at Fontwell on Sunday. It was a very good performance from The Galloping Bear who was well backed late on. I didn't think he would be up to beating Sametegal, but in the end I think he just stayed better than the favourite. The winner wasn't always foot perfect, but he looks a really strong stayer and it would be interesting to see where the go with him. The John Corbet Cup at Stratford could be an option for him. Sametegal has qualified for Cheltenham, but it seems like he will be going to Aintree now which was the original plan. He clearly didn't see the trip out and it has to put a big doubt on the Wincanton form in reference to Porlock Bay's chances at Cheltenham with the 3rd also beaten last week. Sonneofpresenting landed the e/w money and obviously in the end it would have been more profitable to have backed him in the normal market, but profit is profit. I thought at one stage he was going to drop backwards as Tanit River took up the running with a circuit to go, but he kept going for 3rd. I'm not sure he will be up to winning a hunter chase though and the same goes for Kashmir Peak. Speaking of Tanit River he ran a good race until he unseated at 2 out. He probably would have been 3rd, but it was a step up on his pointing form and he might be able to build on this. 
At Hereford it was good to see Tinkers Hill Tommy land the bonus bet with ease and although it was a weak contest he is clearly well handicapped.
Not sure why Leicester have decided to move the big race to the last race on the card, but first of all we have the maiden hunter chase at 4.10 so I will deal with that first. Fumet D'oudairies is the favourite and he looked a very promising horse last season when winning 4/4 in points. The times were decent as well and not many horses go through the grades like he does. In his last race a year ago he beat Getting Closer in an Intermediate and that one finished 2nd at Fakenham behind this ones stablemate so there is some depth to his form. Having watched the race he looked value for more than the 2L it was at the line. 2 of his wins were at Horseheath which I think is a good jumping test for a horse and his other two wins were at Cottenham which is a speed test so I don't have any concern about him over this trip (his maiden win was over 2m4f as well) and hopefully his jumping will be up to this test.
Captain McGinley has been well backed and I can certainly see why from an e/w point of view. We know his trainer is in red hot form and he showed up well for a long way at Wincanton which would suggest he wants the drop down in trip, but the rest of his form wouldn't really back that up especially his 2nd to Latenightpass at Cheltenham. Also as I mention above that Wincanton form has had all sorts of holes placed in it. The winner was beaten at Fontwell, the 3rd was stuffed at Doncaster and the 6th somehow managed to finish 3rd at Wetherby having been tailed off last week. He only beat Teeton Surprise by 5L although he did try to win the race which might have left him with nothing left late on. It was also his first run for over a year so you could possibly upgrade the performance, but the worth of the form concerns me.
I'm Wiser Now not surprisingly placed here last time as that is what he is good at. As I said in the preview and in the review he looks just the type of horse who will find something to beat him whatever grade his running in. No doubt he will run his race again, but hard to see him winning.
The Triple Pillar won a maiden point at Garthorpe a couple of years ago, but failed to finish in two Restricted's the following season. He then went under rules at the back end of last year and did run well in a novice hurdle at Warwick in September. After that though it wasn't so good and a mark off 112 looks on the high side. Even if it wasn't I think he would need to run to a higher mark than that to win.
Rebel Dawn Rising has only had 4 starts in his life and he won on the 3rd of them which was his debut for David Kemp. That was his only run in 2019 and he ran once last season when 2nd to Getting Closer in a slower time than the favourite win in on the same Horseheath card. I find it hard to believe that his trainer would run him in this if points were able to run at the moment and although he could go well he might need more experience before he is capable of winning a hunter chase. He has been the one for money this morning.
There has been money for Where Now at a big price, but given he is rated 87 I find it hard to think that connections wouldn't run him in a handicap if they thought he was capable of winning something like this. 
I think the race is between Captain McGinley and Fumet D'Oudairies and I am siding with the favourite as he looks to be very progressive and his yard can get one ready first time out as they have already proven this season. At the price he currently is though I will have a saver bet on Captain McGinley as we cover losses if he does happen to win which given I don't fancy anything else in the race seems sensible.
Fumet 'Oudairies 2pts @ 15/8 with BetVictor
Captain McGinley 0.5pts @ 4/1 with Bet365
The 4.40 is one of the richer hunter chases on the calendar, but I am a bit disappointed by the quality of the field given the money on offer. No doubting the class of the favourite Cat Tiger though and he does look like he will be very hard to beat. He hasn't been seen over fences in Britain, but he landed a Grade 3 over fences at Auteuil under his owner on 2018 and was a close 4th in a Grade 1 there as well. Both those came over today's trip and he looked promising over hurdles last season when starting life out for Paul Nicholls. Given his French form you would think he ought to be even better over fences and he has been given a wind op in the summer. I'm guessing he will be aimed at Aintree although he would need to run again before March 22nd to do qualify and finish in the first 4 on both occasions.
Killaro Boy was a very impressive winner of a hunter chase at Warwick in May 2019 on his first start for Henry Oliver and then he was beaten a nose in the Summer Cup at Uttoxeter that summer. After that he finished 2nd at Aintree in October the same year before finishing 8th in the Grand Sefton. He's not been seen since although obviously he can win off a long lay off. Like Cat Tiger though you would be thinking he could be seen at Aintree next month and he might find it hard to beat Cat Tiger here.
Tango De Juilley unseated at the 1st at Kelso after being off the track for nearly 4 years which was a shame. He was quite well backed before the off though so connections must have been expecting something decent. Like that day though it is hard to know what to expect and if Cat Tiger is at his best it is hard to see him beating him.
Straidnahanna was all about stamina when he was trained by Sue Smith and won the North Yorkshire National at Catterick in 2017. He was last seen running in Irish points and did win the last of his 5 runs over there. Back here for new connections and I would imagine this will be a sharp enough test and I couldn't see him being good enough anyway.
Another regional National winner is Henri Parry Morgan who landed the West Wales one at Ffos Las in 2018, but he was pretty poor after that and again hard to think he will have the speed for this.
Wes Hardin is on a hattrick after two pointing wins back in 2018 and it will be a pretty big surprise if he landed it after being off the track for 1009 days! They were fair efforts, but a fair way below the front two's form.
As much as I don't think he can win I reckon Dr Des could outrun his odds. He's never won a race over fences, but still has a rating off 120 and given how many horses pulled up at Warwick I thought he did well to finish especially as he jumped out to his right. Going this way round will help on the jumping front and it wouldn't surprise me if he was able to finish 3rd or 4th.
I think it is a hard race to get an angle on and win or lose I won't include this bet on the figures as only Bet365 offer the market but I am going to have a small bet on Dr Des e/w in the betting without the front two market.
Dr Des 0.5pts e/w in the betting without the front two market @ 11/2 with Bet365

Before I get to the two hunter chases at Leicester today I will have a quick look back at Fontwell on Sunday. It was a very good performance from The Galloping Bear who was well backed late on. I didn't think he would be up to beating Sametegal, but in the end I think he just stayed better than the favourite. The winner wasn't always foot perfect, but he looks a really strong stayer and it would be interesting to see where the go with him. The John Corbet Cup at Stratford could be an option for him. Sametegal has qualified for Cheltenham, but it seems like he will be going to Aintree now which was the original plan. He clearly didn't see the trip out and it has to put a big doubt on the Wincanton form in reference to Porlock Bay's chances at Cheltenham with the 3rd also beaten last week. Sonneofpresenting landed the e/w money and obviously in the end it would have been more profitable to have backed him in the normal market, but profit is profit. I thought at one stage he was going to drop backwards as Tanit River took up the running with a circuit to go, but he kept going for 3rd. I'm not sure he will be up to winning a hunter chase though and the same goes for Kashmir Peak. Speaking of Tanit River he ran a good race until he unseated at 2 out. He probably would have been 3rd, but it was a step up on his pointing form and he might be able to build on this. 
At Hereford it was good to see Tinkers Hill Tommy land the bonus bet with ease and although it was a weak contest he is clearly well handicapped.
Not sure why Leicester have decided to move the big race to the last race on the card, but first of all we have the maiden hunter chase at 4.10 so I will deal with that first. Fumet D'oudairies is the favourite and he looked a very promising horse last season when winning 4/4 in points. The times were decent as well and not many horses go through the grades like he does. In his last race a year ago he beat Getting Closer in an Intermediate and that one finished 2nd at Fakenham behind this ones stablemate so there is some depth to his form. Having watched the race he looked value for more than the 2L it was at the line. 2 of his wins were at Horseheath which I think is a good jumping test for a horse and his other two wins were at Cottenham which is a speed test so I don't have any concern about him over this trip (his maiden win was over 2m4f as well) and hopefully his jumping will be up to this test.
Captain McGinley has been well backed and I can certainly see why from an e/w point of view. We know his trainer is in red hot form and he showed up well for a long way at Wincanton which would suggest he wants the drop down in trip, but the rest of his form wouldn't really back that up especially his 2nd to Latenightpass at Cheltenham. Also as I mention above that Wincanton form has had all sorts of holes placed in it. The winner was beaten at Fontwell, the 3rd was stuffed at Doncaster and the 6th somehow managed to finish 3rd at Wetherby having been tailed off last week. He only beat Teeton Surprise by 5L although he did try to win the race which might have left him with nothing left late on. It was also his first run for over a year so you could possibly upgrade the performance, but the worth of the form concerns me.
I'm Wiser Now not surprisingly placed here last time as that is what he is good at. As I said in the preview and in the review he looks just the type of horse who will find something to beat him whatever grade his running in. No doubt he will run his race again, but hard to see him winning.
The Triple Pillar won a maiden point at Garthorpe a couple of years ago, but failed to finish in two Restricted's the following season. He then went under rules at the back end of last year and did run well in a novice hurdle at Warwick in September. After that though it wasn't so good and a mark off 112 looks on the high side. Even if it wasn't I think he would need to run to a higher mark than that to win.
Rebel Dawn Rising has only had 4 starts in his life and he won on the 3rd of them which was his debut for David Kemp. That was his only run in 2019 and he ran once last season when 2nd to Getting Closer in a slower time than the favourite win in on the same Horseheath card. I find it hard to believe that his trainer would run him in this if points were able to run at the moment and although he could go well he might need more experience before he is capable of winning a hunter chase. He has been the one for money this morning.
There has been money for Where Now at a big price, but given he is rated 87 I find it hard to think that connections wouldn't run him in a handicap if they thought he was capable of winning something like this. 
I think the race is between Captain McGinley and Fumet D'Oudairies and I am siding with the favourite as he looks to be very progressive and his yard can get one ready first time out as they have already proven this season. At the price he currently is though I will have a saver bet on Captain McGinley as we cover losses if he does happen to win which given I don't fancy anything else in the race seems sensible.
Fumet 'Oudairies 2pts @ 15/8 with BetVictor
Captain McGinley 0.5pts @ 4/1 with Bet365
The 4.40 is one of the richer hunter chases on the calendar, but I am a bit disappointed by the quality of the field given the money on offer. No doubting the class of the favourite Cat Tiger though and he does look like he will be very hard to beat. He hasn't been seen over fences in Britain, but he landed a Grade 3 over fences at Auteuil under his owner on 2018 and was a close 4th in a Grade 1 there as well. Both those came over today's trip and he looked promising over hurdles last season when starting life out for Paul Nicholls. Given his French form you would think he ought to be even better over fences and he has been given a wind op in the summer. I'm guessing he will be aimed at Aintree although he would need to run again before March 22nd to do qualify and finish in the first 4 on both occasions.
Killaro Boy was a very impressive winner of a hunter chase at Warwick in May 2019 on his first start for Henry Oliver and then he was beaten a nose in the Summer Cup at Uttoxeter that summer. After that he finished 2nd at Aintree in October the same year before finishing 8th in the Grand Sefton. He's not been seen since although obviously he can win off a long lay off. Like Cat Tiger though you would be thinking he could be seen at Aintree next month and he might find it hard to beat Cat Tiger here.
Tango De Juilley unseated at the 1st at Kelso after being off the track for nearly 4 years which was a shame. He was quite well backed before the off though so connections must have been expecting something decent. Like that day though it is hard to know what to expect and if Cat Tiger is at his best it is hard to see him beating him.
Straidnahanna was all about stamina when he was trained by Sue Smith and won the North Yorkshire National at Catterick in 2017. He was last seen running in Irish points and did win the last of his 5 runs over there. Back here for new connections and I would imagine this will be a sharp enough test and I couldn't see him being good enough anyway.
Another regional National winner is Henri Parry Morgan who landed the West Wales one at Ffos Las in 2018, but he was pretty poor after that and again hard to think he will have the speed for this.
Wes Hardin is on a hattrick after two pointing wins back in 2018 and it will be a pretty big surprise if he landed it after being off the track for 1009 days! They were fair efforts, but a fair way below the front two's form.
As much as I don't think he can win I reckon Dr Des could outrun his odds. He's never won a race over fences, but still has a rating off 120 and given how many horses pulled up at Warwick I thought he did well to finish especially as he jumped out to his right. Going this way round will help on the jumping front and it wouldn't surprise me if he was able to finish 3rd or 4th.
I think it is a hard race to get an angle on and win or lose I won't include this bet on the figures as only Bet365 offer the market but I am going to have a small bet on Dr Des e/w in the betting without the front two market.
Dr Des 0.5pts e/w in the betting without the front two market @ 11/2 with Bet365

A quick look back at Doncaster first and it was good to get another winner on the board with a very game performance from Silsol. I think he might have got it in the stewards room anyway as Monbeg Gold didn't leave him with much room on the run in, but he out battled him anyway so it didn't matter. The jockey switch was key for me and we know he stayed well. Connections might look at at Cheltenham, but for me I would be thinking 4m race on hunter chase night instead.
There was money for Monbeg Gold before the off and it was very well placed as he put in a much improved performance from Warwick. I'm not sure he found an awful lot on the run in though and I would put a squiggle next to his name.
Law Of Gold travelled well until tiring and it was a fair enough prep for Cheltenham. Not sure what you do with Captain Cattistock after this as he found very little for pressure. Surely they have to think about retirement for Joe Farrell after his well beaten 5th. He might win a weak contest, but he clearly is nowhere near a 132 horse now.
Onto today's race at Fontwell and instead of the usual small field we have a max field of 16 for the final hunter chase that can be used to qualify for Cheltenham. Safe to say though that only Sametegal will be going to Cheltenham out of the 16. If he had been up against anything of note then I might have been worried about his stamina, but he is miles clear of these and should have no worries winning let alone finishing in the first 4.
Obviously he is very short and rightly so. Kashmir Peak is 2nd in and did run well against Minella Rocco at Warwick last January. My feeling is he was flattered by that though as his two runs after that weren't as good. Even so he should be in place contention against this lot.
The Galloping Bear looks to be improving. The winning times of his wins are nothing special, but it did show that he looks a strong stayer. He ran at Kimble back in November and finished 2nd in an Intermediate. I think it was probably his best run yet and unlike most of these he should have his best years ahead of him.
Djin Conti hasn't run since December 2019 when he was well beaten by Earth Leader. Prior to that he won a Warwick handicap off 119 for his former connections. A repeat of that would give him a place chance here, but after so long off it is hard to know what form he is still in.
Le Reve was going the wrong way when he was last seen last season and at the age of 13 I am happy to pass him over although he has the back class to hit the frame. 
Frelia looked very good when winning on Cheltenham hunter chase night in 2017, but it's been mainly downhill since then and she didn't show a great deal at Chaddesley Corbett in December. 
One at a big price who could outrun his odds is Sonneofpresenting. The slight concern is that he is likely to front run and there might be competition for that, but there will be nothing like the quality of horse who was fighting him for the lead at Warwick last time. He didn't run too badly that day on ground which would have been too soft for him and that was a hot race. The fact a pro jockey is on and not his owner/trainer is a big plus and he's been racing in much better races than this. He would need something bad to happen to the favourite to win, but I will take a chance on him to hit the frame.
Sonneofpresenting betting without fav 0.5pts e/w @ 7/1 with Bet365
Over at Hereford I think it is worth backing ex pointer/hunter chaser Tinkers Hill Tommy in the 3.50. I did think that he wanted better ground than he will get today and also at Chepstow last time, but he ran really well to finish a very good 2nd. Given that was the first time he completed a race in nearly 3 years that was a good effort. He looked a very good horse in hunter chases back in 2017/2018 and he bolted up in the Dunraven Bowl at Chepstow 3 years ago. I'm amazed the handicapper gave him a mark of 112 after that and he's even been dropped 2lbs for the Chepstow run. This is a poor race with horses on the downward spiral, but he has not had much racing and there should be more to come from him.
Tinkers Hill Tommy @ 15/8 with Willliam Hill

A quick look back at Doncaster first and it was good to get another winner on the board with a very game performance from Silsol. I think he might have got it in the stewards room anyway as Monbeg Gold didn't leave him with much room on the run in, but he out battled him anyway so it didn't matter. The jockey switch was key for me and we know he stayed well. Connections might look at at Cheltenham, but for me I would be thinking 4m race on hunter chase night instead.
There was money for Monbeg Gold before the off and it was very well placed as he put in a much improved performance from Warwick. I'm not sure he found an awful lot on the run in though and I would put a squiggle next to his name.
Law Of Gold travelled well until tiring and it was a fair enough prep for Cheltenham. Not sure what you do with Captain Cattistock after this as he found very little for pressure. Surely they have to think about retirement for Joe Farrell after his well beaten 5th. He might win a weak contest, but he clearly is nowhere near a 132 horse now.
Onto today's race at Fontwell and instead of the usual small field we have a max field of 16 for the final hunter chase that can be used to qualify for Cheltenham. Safe to say though that only Sametegal will be going to Cheltenham out of the 16. If he had been up against anything of note then I might have been worried about his stamina, but he is miles clear of these and should have no worries winning let alone finishing in the first 4.
Obviously he is very short and rightly so. Kashmir Peak is 2nd in and did run well against Minella Rocco at Warwick last January. My feeling is he was flattered by that though as his two runs after that weren't as good. Even so he should be in place contention against this lot.
The Galloping Bear looks to be improving. The winning times of his wins are nothing special, but it did show that he looks a strong stayer. He ran at Kimble back in November and finished 2nd in an Intermediate. I think it was probably his best run yet and unlike most of these he should have his best years ahead of him.
Djin Conti hasn't run since December 2019 when he was well beaten by Earth Leader. Prior to that he won a Warwick handicap off 119 for his former connections. A repeat of that would give him a place chance here, but after so long off it is hard to know what form he is still in.
Le Reve was going the wrong way when he was last seen last season and at the age of 13 I am happy to pass him over although he has the back class to hit the frame. 
Frelia looked very good when winning on Cheltenham hunter chase night in 2017, but it's been mainly downhill since then and she didn't show a great deal at Chaddesley Corbett in December. 
One at a big price who could outrun his odds is Sonneofpresenting. The slight concern is that he is likely to front run and there might be competition for that, but there will be nothing like the quality of horse who was fighting him for the lead at Warwick last time. He didn't run too badly that day on ground which would have been too soft for him and that was a hot race. The fact a pro jockey is on and not his owner/trainer is a big plus and he's been racing in much better races than this. He would need something bad to happen to the favourite to win, but I will take a chance on him to hit the frame.
Sonneofpresenting betting without fav 0.5pts e/w @ 7/1 with Bet365
Over at Hereford I think it is worth backing ex pointer/hunter chaser Tinkers Hill Tommy in the 3.50. I did think that he wanted better ground than he will get today and also at Chepstow last time, but he ran really well to finish a very good 2nd. Given that was the first time he completed a race in nearly 3 years that was a good effort. He looked a very good horse in hunter chases back in 2017/2018 and he bolted up in the Dunraven Bowl at Chepstow 3 years ago. I'm amazed the handicapper gave him a mark of 112 after that and he's even been dropped 2lbs for the Chepstow run. This is a poor race with horses on the downward spiral, but he has not had much racing and there should be more to come from him.
Tinkers Hill Tommy @ 15/8 with Willliam Hill

A quick look back at Doncaster first and it was good to get another winner on the board with a very game performance from Silsol. I think he might have got it in the stewards room anyway as Monbeg Gold didn't leave him with much room on the run in, but he out battled him anyway so it didn't matter. The jockey switch was key for me and we know he stayed well. Connections might look at at Cheltenham, but for me I would be thinking 4m race on hunter chase night instead.
There was money for Monbeg Gold before the off and it was very well placed as he put in a much improved performance from Warwick. I'm not sure he found an awful lot on the run in though and I would put a squiggle next to his name.
Law Of Gold travelled well until tiring and it was a fair enough prep for Cheltenham. Not sure what you do with Captain Cattistock after this as he found very little for pressure. Surely they have to think about retirement for Joe Farrell after his well beaten 5th. He might win a weak contest, but he clearly is nowhere near a 132 horse now.
Onto today's race at Fontwell and instead of the usual small field we have a max field of 16 for the final hunter chase that can be used to qualify for Cheltenham. Safe to say though that only Sametegal will be going to Cheltenham out of the 16. If he had been up against anything of note then I might have been worried about his stamina, but he is miles clear of these and should have no worries winning let alone finishing in the first 4.
Obviously he is very short and rightly so. Kashmir Peak is 2nd in and did run well against Minella Rocco at Warwick last January. My feeling is he was flattered by that though as his two runs after that weren't as good. Even so he should be in place contention against this lot.
The Galloping Bear looks to be improving. The winning times of his wins are nothing special, but it did show that he looks a strong stayer. He ran at Kimble back in November and finished 2nd in an Intermediate. I think it was probably his best run yet and unlike most of these he should have his best years ahead of him.
Djin Conti hasn't run since December 2019 when he was well beaten by Earth Leader. Prior to that he won a Warwick handicap off 119 for his former connections. A repeat of that would give him a place chance here, but after so long off it is hard to know what form he is still in.
Le Reve was going the wrong way when he was last seen last season and at the age of 13 I am happy to pass him over although he has the back class to hit the frame. 
Frelia looked very good when winning on Cheltenham hunter chase night in 2017, but it's been mainly downhill since then and she didn't show a great deal at Chaddesley Corbett in December. 
One at a big price who could outrun his odds is Sonneofpresenting. The slight concern is that he is likely to front run and there might be competition for that, but there will be nothing like the quality of horse who was fighting him for the lead at Warwick last time. He didn't run too badly that day on ground which would have been too soft for him and that was a hot race. The fact a pro jockey is on and not his owner/trainer is a big plus and he's been racing in much better races than this. He would need something bad to happen to the favourite to win, but I will take a chance on him to hit the frame.
Sonneofpresenting betting without fav 0.5pts e/w @ 7/1 with Bet365
Over at Hereford I think it is worth backing ex pointer/hunter chaser Tinkers Hill Tommy in the 3.50. I did think that he wanted better ground than he will get today and also at Chepstow last time, but he ran really well to finish a very good 2nd. Given that was the first time he completed a race in nearly 3 years that was a good effort. He looked a very good horse in hunter chases back in 2017/2018 and he bolted up in the Dunraven Bowl at Chepstow 3 years ago. I'm amazed the handicapper gave him a mark of 112 after that and he's even been dropped 2lbs for the Chepstow run. This is a poor race with horses on the downward spiral, but he has not had much racing and there should be more to come from him.
Tinkers Hill Tommy @ 15/8 with Willliam Hill

A quick look back at Doncaster first and it was good to get another winner on the board with a very game performance from Silsol. I think he might have got it in the stewards room anyway as Monbeg Gold didn't leave him with much room on the run in, but he out battled him anyway so it didn't matter. The jockey switch was key for me and we know he stayed well. Connections might look at at Cheltenham, but for me I would be thinking 4m race on hunter chase night instead.
There was money for Monbeg Gold before the off and it was very well placed as he put in a much improved performance from Warwick. I'm not sure he found an awful lot on the run in though and I would put a squiggle next to his name.
Law Of Gold travelled well until tiring and it was a fair enough prep for Cheltenham. Not sure what you do with Captain Cattistock after this as he found very little for pressure. Surely they have to think about retirement for Joe Farrell after his well beaten 5th. He might win a weak contest, but he clearly is nowhere near a 132 horse now.
Onto today's race at Fontwell and instead of the usual small field we have a max field of 16 for the final hunter chase that can be used to qualify for Cheltenham. Safe to say though that only Sametegal will be going to Cheltenham out of the 16. If he had been up against anything of note then I might have been worried about his stamina, but he is miles clear of these and should have no worries winning let alone finishing in the first 4.
Obviously he is very short and rightly so. Kashmir Peak is 2nd in and did run well against Minella Rocco at Warwick last January. My feeling is he was flattered by that though as his two runs after that weren't as good. Even so he should be in place contention against this lot.
The Galloping Bear looks to be improving. The winning times of his wins are nothing special, but it did show that he looks a strong stayer. He ran at Kimble back in November and finished 2nd in an Intermediate. I think it was probably his best run yet and unlike most of these he should have his best years ahead of him.
Djin Conti hasn't run since December 2019 when he was well beaten by Earth Leader. Prior to that he won a Warwick handicap off 119 for his former connections. A repeat of that would give him a place chance here, but after so long off it is hard to know what form he is still in.
Le Reve was going the wrong way when he was last seen last season and at the age of 13 I am happy to pass him over although he has the back class to hit the frame. 
Frelia looked very good when winning on Cheltenham hunter chase night in 2017, but it's been mainly downhill since then and she didn't show a great deal at Chaddesley Corbett in December. 
One at a big price who could outrun his odds is Sonneofpresenting. The slight concern is that he is likely to front run and there might be competition for that, but there will be nothing like the quality of horse who was fighting him for the lead at Warwick last time. He didn't run too badly that day on ground which would have been too soft for him and that was a hot race. The fact a pro jockey is on and not his owner/trainer is a big plus and he's been racing in much better races than this. He would need something bad to happen to the favourite to win, but I will take a chance on him to hit the frame.
Sonneofpresenting betting without fav 0.5pts e/w @ 7/1 with Bet365
Over at Hereford I think it is worth backing ex pointer/hunter chaser Tinkers Hill Tommy in the 3.50. I did think that he wanted better ground than he will get today and also at Chepstow last time, but he ran really well to finish a very good 2nd. Given that was the first time he completed a race in nearly 3 years that was a good effort. He looked a very good horse in hunter chases back in 2017/2018 and he bolted up in the Dunraven Bowl at Chepstow 3 years ago. I'm amazed the handicapper gave him a mark of 112 after that and he's even been dropped 2lbs for the Chepstow run. This is a poor race with horses on the downward spiral, but he has not had much racing and there should be more to come from him.
Tinkers Hill Tommy @ 15/8 with Willliam Hill

A quick look back at Doncaster first and it was good to get another winner on the board with a very game performance from Silsol. I think he might have got it in the stewards room anyway as Monbeg Gold didn't leave him with much room on the run in, but he out battled him anyway so it didn't matter. The jockey switch was key for me and we know he stayed well. Connections might look at at Cheltenham, but for me I would be thinking 4m race on hunter chase night instead.
There was money for Monbeg Gold before the off and it was very well placed as he put in a much improved performance from Warwick. I'm not sure he found an awful lot on the run in though and I would put a squiggle next to his name.
Law Of Gold travelled well until tiring and it was a fair enough prep for Cheltenham. Not sure what you do with Captain Cattistock after this as he found very little for pressure. Surely they have to think about retirement for Joe Farrell after his well beaten 5th. He might win a weak contest, but he clearly is nowhere near a 132 horse now.
Onto today's race at Fontwell and instead of the usual small field we have a max field of 16 for the final hunter chase that can be used to qualify for Cheltenham. Safe to say though that only Sametegal will be going to Cheltenham out of the 16. If he had been up against anything of note then I might have been worried about his stamina, but he is miles clear of these and should have no worries winning let alone finishing in the first 4.
Obviously he is very short and rightly so. Kashmir Peak is 2nd in and did run well against Minella Rocco at Warwick last January. My feeling is he was flattered by that though as his two runs after that weren't as good. Even so he should be in place contention against this lot.
The Galloping Bear looks to be improving. The winning times of his wins are nothing special, but it did show that he looks a strong stayer. He ran at Kimble back in November and finished 2nd in an Intermediate. I think it was probably his best run yet and unlike most of these he should have his best years ahead of him.
Djin Conti hasn't run since December 2019 when he was well beaten by Earth Leader. Prior to that he won a Warwick handicap off 119 for his former connections. A repeat of that would give him a place chance here, but after so long off it is hard to know what form he is still in.
Le Reve was going the wrong way when he was last seen last season and at the age of 13 I am happy to pass him over although he has the back class to hit the frame. 
Frelia looked very good when winning on Cheltenham hunter chase night in 2017, but it's been mainly downhill since then and she didn't show a great deal at Chaddesley Corbett in December. 
One at a big price who could outrun his odds is Sonneofpresenting. The slight concern is that he is likely to front run and there might be competition for that, but there will be nothing like the quality of horse who was fighting him for the lead at Warwick last time. He didn't run too badly that day on ground which would have been too soft for him and that was a hot race. The fact a pro jockey is on and not his owner/trainer is a big plus and he's been racing in much better races than this. He would need something bad to happen to the favourite to win, but I will take a chance on him to hit the frame.
Sonneofpresenting betting without fav 0.5pts e/w @ 7/1 with Bet365
Over at Hereford I think it is worth backing ex pointer/hunter chaser Tinkers Hill Tommy in the 3.50. I did think that he wanted better ground than he will get today and also at Chepstow last time, but he ran really well to finish a very good 2nd. Given that was the first time he completed a race in nearly 3 years that was a good effort. He looked a very good horse in hunter chases back in 2017/2018 and he bolted up in the Dunraven Bowl at Chepstow 3 years ago. I'm amazed the handicapper gave him a mark of 112 after that and he's even been dropped 2lbs for the Chepstow run. This is a poor race with horses on the downward spiral, but he has not had much racing and there should be more to come from him.
Tinkers Hill Tommy @ 15/8 with Willliam Hill

I agree. Your comments are most enjoyable and give me a greater interest in these races. Thank you

Went with the wrong one yesterday as Road To Rome was way below the form he showed a couple of years ago. Obviously he will come on for the run, but even so he clearly isn't as good as he was and I would be thinking twice before backing him again. That meant Duhallow Tornado had a very easy task, but with the blinkers on he looked a completely different horse from the one we saw last week. In addition to travelling well he also jumped well and ran out a comfortable winner. The 2nd has run well, but I wouldn't want to go overboard on the form. If you did happen to back Teeton Surprise e/w then amazingly you did collect on the e/w part which given he was tailed off entering the home straight was some effort. He was well beaten again though so hard to say there was any promise in the run.
Onto to today's race at Doncaster and it looks a pretty decent contest. Captain Cattistock is favourite as I write this and runs in this race for the 2nd year running after unseating his then owner at the 2nd last. I think he probably would have won as I thought he was idling as he had been in front for a long time and wasn't helped by Mustmeetalady's (who also runs today) departing at the 5th. He ran well when 3rd behind Sametegal and Porlock Bay at Wincanton on his debut for the yard and I think a repeat or an improvement should see him go close.
Joe Farrell hasn't won since landing the 2018 Scottish National and although this is a massive step down in grade I don't really fancy him on what he has done this season. We know he will stay well and last seasons form would be good enough to go close, but he's down to a mark of 132 now and he would need to pretty much run up to that sort of mark to win this.
Law Of Gold is the improver in the field and managed a very creditable 7th in last year's Foxhunter. He was quite well fancied by some as he only went off a 12/1 shot, but for me he ran as well as could have been hoped. He won the 2019 John Corbet Cup at Stratford and was impressive on his seasonal return at Horseheath last season so we know he can perform 1st up. The concern for me is the ground though. He is a good ground horse and although it could dry out I still just wonder if it might be on the testing side for him. We also have to consider that this is no doubt a prep run ahead of Cheltenham next month.
Silsol is an interesting contender and his last rules run was when he was 12th in the Scottish National won by Joe Farrell. He had one run last season when he won and then in December he was a staying on 3rd after getting outpaced. Key for me is the jockey change as his jockey in those two point runs has only had 9 rides so Lorcan Williams is going to be a big improvement on Miss Orttewell. We know he stays well and I don't think he will be far away.
The other interesting one for me is Different Gravey who has a good horse for Nicky Henderson in the past. He went pointing in 2018 and won all 3 starts including beating the useful Asockastar by 20L. He missed 2019 and the 2020 season only returning at Wadebridge in December when finishing 3rd. He wasn't given an overly hard ride that day and given it was his first run for so long I thought it was a pleasing effort. Again the jockey change to Harry Skelton is a huge step up from Miss Emsley who rode him last time. I guess the concern would be stamina as his rules runs were over shorter, but otherwise he looks capable of a bold bid.
It's hard to make a case for anything else. I did actually put up Mustmeetalady in this last year, but he has left O'Neill's yard now and it is a more competitive renewal. Wykham has no chance as he can't even land a maiden point. Big Casino won at Maisemore in October, but Carter McKay has done nothing for the form since and at 15 it is hard to see how he can win this. To be fair to him though the 3rd at Musselburgh a year ago was a fair effort. Monbeg Gold pulled up at Warwick last time and is hard to fancy. Absainte is a likeable mare, but this is too good for her and Jenkins looks nowhere near as good as he was.
Apart from possibly Joe Farrell none of the other top 5 in the betting would be a huge surprise. I can see why the early 7/1 on Law Of Gold went and he is the progressive horse, but the ground first time out just puts me off actually backing him. Captain Cattistock has a good chance, but he looks around the right price to me. Therefore I am going to take a chance on Silsol and Different Gravey. Silsol we know will stay well and will benefit massively from the jockey change. Different Gravey ran perfectly well on his first start for getting on 2 years in December and again the jockey change is huge. Yes the stamina is a slight concern, but that is factored in his price for me.
Silsol 1pt @ 9/2 with Bet365
Different Gravey 1pt e/w @ 11/1 with Bet365

Went with the wrong one yesterday as Road To Rome was way below the form he showed a couple of years ago. Obviously he will come on for the run, but even so he clearly isn't as good as he was and I would be thinking twice before backing him again. That meant Duhallow Tornado had a very easy task, but with the blinkers on he looked a completely different horse from the one we saw last week. In addition to travelling well he also jumped well and ran out a comfortable winner. The 2nd has run well, but I wouldn't want to go overboard on the form. If you did happen to back Teeton Surprise e/w then amazingly you did collect on the e/w part which given he was tailed off entering the home straight was some effort. He was well beaten again though so hard to say there was any promise in the run.
Onto to today's race at Doncaster and it looks a pretty decent contest. Captain Cattistock is favourite as I write this and runs in this race for the 2nd year running after unseating his then owner at the 2nd last. I think he probably would have won as I thought he was idling as he had been in front for a long time and wasn't helped by Mustmeetalady's (who also runs today) departing at the 5th. He ran well when 3rd behind Sametegal and Porlock Bay at Wincanton on his debut for the yard and I think a repeat or an improvement should see him go close.
Joe Farrell hasn't won since landing the 2018 Scottish National and although this is a massive step down in grade I don't really fancy him on what he has done this season. We know he will stay well and last seasons form would be good enough to go close, but he's down to a mark of 132 now and he would need to pretty much run up to that sort of mark to win this.
Law Of Gold is the improver in the field and managed a very creditable 7th in last year's Foxhunter. He was quite well fancied by some as he only went off a 12/1 shot, but for me he ran as well as could have been hoped. He won the 2019 John Corbet Cup at Stratford and was impressive on his seasonal return at Horseheath last season so we know he can perform 1st up. The concern for me is the ground though. He is a good ground horse and although it could dry out I still just wonder if it might be on the testing side for him. We also have to consider that this is no doubt a prep run ahead of Cheltenham next month.
Silsol is an interesting contender and his last rules run was when he was 12th in the Scottish National won by Joe Farrell. He had one run last season when he won and then in December he was a staying on 3rd after getting outpaced. Key for me is the jockey change as his jockey in those two point runs has only had 9 rides so Lorcan Williams is going to be a big improvement on Miss Orttewell. We know he stays well and I don't think he will be far away.
The other interesting one for me is Different Gravey who has a good horse for Nicky Henderson in the past. He went pointing in 2018 and won all 3 starts including beating the useful Asockastar by 20L. He missed 2019 and the 2020 season only returning at Wadebridge in December when finishing 3rd. He wasn't given an overly hard ride that day and given it was his first run for so long I thought it was a pleasing effort. Again the jockey change to Harry Skelton is a huge step up from Miss Emsley who rode him last time. I guess the concern would be stamina as his rules runs were over shorter, but otherwise he looks capable of a bold bid.
It's hard to make a case for anything else. I did actually put up Mustmeetalady in this last year, but he has left O'Neill's yard now and it is a more competitive renewal. Wykham has no chance as he can't even land a maiden point. Big Casino won at Maisemore in October, but Carter McKay has done nothing for the form since and at 15 it is hard to see how he can win this. To be fair to him though the 3rd at Musselburgh a year ago was a fair effort. Monbeg Gold pulled up at Warwick last time and is hard to fancy. Absainte is a likeable mare, but this is too good for her and Jenkins looks nowhere near as good as he was.
Apart from possibly Joe Farrell none of the other top 5 in the betting would be a huge surprise. I can see why the early 7/1 on Law Of Gold went and he is the progressive horse, but the ground first time out just puts me off actually backing him. Captain Cattistock has a good chance, but he looks around the right price to me. Therefore I am going to take a chance on Silsol and Different Gravey. Silsol we know will stay well and will benefit massively from the jockey change. Different Gravey ran perfectly well on his first start for getting on 2 years in December and again the jockey change is huge. Yes the stamina is a slight concern, but that is factored in his price for me.
Silsol 1pt @ 9/2 with Bet365
Different Gravey 1pt e/w @ 11/1 with Bet365

Went with the wrong one yesterday as Road To Rome was way below the form he showed a couple of years ago. Obviously he will come on for the run, but even so he clearly isn't as good as he was and I would be thinking twice before backing him again. That meant Duhallow Tornado had a very easy task, but with the blinkers on he looked a completely different horse from the one we saw last week. In addition to travelling well he also jumped well and ran out a comfortable winner. The 2nd has run well, but I wouldn't want to go overboard on the form. If you did happen to back Teeton Surprise e/w then amazingly you did collect on the e/w part which given he was tailed off entering the home straight was some effort. He was well beaten again though so hard to say there was any promise in the run.
Onto to today's race at Doncaster and it looks a pretty decent contest. Captain Cattistock is favourite as I write this and runs in this race for the 2nd year running after unseating his then owner at the 2nd last. I think he probably would have won as I thought he was idling as he had been in front for a long time and wasn't helped by Mustmeetalady's (who also runs today) departing at the 5th. He ran well when 3rd behind Sametegal and Porlock Bay at Wincanton on his debut for the yard and I think a repeat or an improvement should see him go close.
Joe Farrell hasn't won since landing the 2018 Scottish National and although this is a massive step down in grade I don't really fancy him on what he has done this season. We know he will stay well and last seasons form would be good enough to go close, but he's down to a mark of 132 now and he would need to pretty much run up to that sort of mark to win this.
Law Of Gold is the improver in the field and managed a very creditable 7th in last year's Foxhunter. He was quite well fancied by some as he only went off a 12/1 shot, but for me he ran as well as could have been hoped. He won the 2019 John Corbet Cup at Stratford and was impressive on his seasonal return at Horseheath last season so we know he can perform 1st up. The concern for me is the ground though. He is a good ground horse and although it could dry out I still just wonder if it might be on the testing side for him. We also have to consider that this is no doubt a prep run ahead of Cheltenham next month.
Silsol is an interesting contender and his last rules run was when he was 12th in the Scottish National won by Joe Farrell. He had one run last season when he won and then in December he was a staying on 3rd after getting outpaced. Key for me is the jockey change as his jockey in those two point runs has only had 9 rides so Lorcan Williams is going to be a big improvement on Miss Orttewell. We know he stays well and I don't think he will be far away.
The other interesting one for me is Different Gravey who has a good horse for Nicky Henderson in the past. He went pointing in 2018 and won all 3 starts including beating the useful Asockastar by 20L. He missed 2019 and the 2020 season only returning at Wadebridge in December when finishing 3rd. He wasn't given an overly hard ride that day and given it was his first run for so long I thought it was a pleasing effort. Again the jockey change to Harry Skelton is a huge step up from Miss Emsley who rode him last time. I guess the concern would be stamina as his rules runs were over shorter, but otherwise he looks capable of a bold bid.
It's hard to make a case for anything else. I did actually put up Mustmeetalady in this last year, but he has left O'Neill's yard now and it is a more competitive renewal. Wykham has no chance as he can't even land a maiden point. Big Casino won at Maisemore in October, but Carter McKay has done nothing for the form since and at 15 it is hard to see how he can win this. To be fair to him though the 3rd at Musselburgh a year ago was a fair effort. Monbeg Gold pulled up at Warwick last time and is hard to fancy. Absainte is a likeable mare, but this is too good for her and Jenkins looks nowhere near as good as he was.
Apart from possibly Joe Farrell none of the other top 5 in the betting would be a huge surprise. I can see why the early 7/1 on Law Of Gold went and he is the progressive horse, but the ground first time out just puts me off actually backing him. Captain Cattistock has a good chance, but he looks around the right price to me. Therefore I am going to take a chance on Silsol and Different Gravey. Silsol we know will stay well and will benefit massively from the jockey change. Different Gravey ran perfectly well on his first start for getting on 2 years in December and again the jockey change is huge. Yes the stamina is a slight concern, but that is factored in his price for me.
Silsol 1pt @ 9/2 with Bet365
Different Gravey 1pt e/w @ 11/1 with Bet365

Went with the wrong one yesterday as Road To Rome was way below the form he showed a couple of years ago. Obviously he will come on for the run, but even so he clearly isn't as good as he was and I would be thinking twice before backing him again. That meant Duhallow Tornado had a very easy task, but with the blinkers on he looked a completely different horse from the one we saw last week. In addition to travelling well he also jumped well and ran out a comfortable winner. The 2nd has run well, but I wouldn't want to go overboard on the form. If you did happen to back Teeton Surprise e/w then amazingly you did collect on the e/w part which given he was tailed off entering the home straight was some effort. He was well beaten again though so hard to say there was any promise in the run.
Onto to today's race at Doncaster and it looks a pretty decent contest. Captain Cattistock is favourite as I write this and runs in this race for the 2nd year running after unseating his then owner at the 2nd last. I think he probably would have won as I thought he was idling as he had been in front for a long time and wasn't helped by Mustmeetalady's (who also runs today) departing at the 5th. He ran well when 3rd behind Sametegal and Porlock Bay at Wincanton on his debut for the yard and I think a repeat or an improvement should see him go close.
Joe Farrell hasn't won since landing the 2018 Scottish National and although this is a massive step down in grade I don't really fancy him on what he has done this season. We know he will stay well and last seasons form would be good enough to go close, but he's down to a mark of 132 now and he would need to pretty much run up to that sort of mark to win this.
Law Of Gold is the improver in the field and managed a very creditable 7th in last year's Foxhunter. He was quite well fancied by some as he only went off a 12/1 shot, but for me he ran as well as could have been hoped. He won the 2019 John Corbet Cup at Stratford and was impressive on his seasonal return at Horseheath last season so we know he can perform 1st up. The concern for me is the ground though. He is a good ground horse and although it could dry out I still just wonder if it might be on the testing side for him. We also have to consider that this is no doubt a prep run ahead of Cheltenham next month.
Silsol is an interesting contender and his last rules run was when he was 12th in the Scottish National won by Joe Farrell. He had one run last season when he won and then in December he was a staying on 3rd after getting outpaced. Key for me is the jockey change as his jockey in those two point runs has only had 9 rides so Lorcan Williams is going to be a big improvement on Miss Orttewell. We know he stays well and I don't think he will be far away.
The other interesting one for me is Different Gravey who has a good horse for Nicky Henderson in the past. He went pointing in 2018 and won all 3 starts including beating the useful Asockastar by 20L. He missed 2019 and the 2020 season only returning at Wadebridge in December when finishing 3rd. He wasn't given an overly hard ride that day and given it was his first run for so long I thought it was a pleasing effort. Again the jockey change to Harry Skelton is a huge step up from Miss Emsley who rode him last time. I guess the concern would be stamina as his rules runs were over shorter, but otherwise he looks capable of a bold bid.
It's hard to make a case for anything else. I did actually put up Mustmeetalady in this last year, but he has left O'Neill's yard now and it is a more competitive renewal. Wykham has no chance as he can't even land a maiden point. Big Casino won at Maisemore in October, but Carter McKay has done nothing for the form since and at 15 it is hard to see how he can win this. To be fair to him though the 3rd at Musselburgh a year ago was a fair effort. Monbeg Gold pulled up at Warwick last time and is hard to fancy. Absainte is a likeable mare, but this is too good for her and Jenkins looks nowhere near as good as he was.
Apart from possibly Joe Farrell none of the other top 5 in the betting would be a huge surprise. I can see why the early 7/1 on Law Of Gold went and he is the progressive horse, but the ground first time out just puts me off actually backing him. Captain Cattistock has a good chance, but he looks around the right price to me. Therefore I am going to take a chance on Silsol and Different Gravey. Silsol we know will stay well and will benefit massively from the jockey change. Different Gravey ran perfectly well on his first start for getting on 2 years in December and again the jockey change is huge. Yes the stamina is a slight concern, but that is factored in his price for me.
Silsol 1pt @ 9/2 with Bet365
Different Gravey 1pt e/w @ 11/1 with Bet365

It is great to see Road To Rome back on a racecourse because he was really badly injured when he last raced in a point in May 2019 and it was thought we wouldn't see him race again. Quite simply he wins this if he is anywhere near the level he showed 2 years ago. The 3 hunter chase wins were all impressive especially his one in the Walrus at Haydock he recorded an RPR of 149. He then ran a cracker at Cheltenham when finishing 4th to Hazel Hill and I suspect by Aintree he needed a break, but even so he still finished 5th. Nothing else in this field can get anywhere near that if if he hadn't got injured then I reckon he would be a 1/2 shot to win this.
For me the only other possible winner is Duhallow Tornado who raced very lazily last week at Catterick before eventually finishing 2nd. It's not the first time he has run like that as he did it at Cheltenham when 4th in May 2018. Blinkers for the first time is a good idea as he clearly needs something to help concentrate his mind on the job. The other slight concern is his jumping though as he was quite slow and deliberate last week and at Hexham back in November. If he does that around here then that isn't going to help him either. If Road To Rome is ridden in the same way he was before then he is going to try and make all which Rio Bravo did to Duhallow Tornado last week and he just couldn't get there. Road To Rome could well be a better version of Rio Bravo.
There isn't too much to say about the rest. Itstimeforaprint ran OK when 3rd on his only start last season, but has a fair bit to find on the top 2. Mr Pepperpot was 2nd in the African Belle/Cousin Pascal race at Alnwick which is clearly reasonable form, but he showed little in a couple of hunter chases a couple of years ago and I suspect he's only back under rules because there are no points at the moment. Snow Castle was well behind Mr Pepperpot on his final start of last season. He did beat Greensalt the time before, but that one threw the race away. The 2nd at Hexham in his only hunter chase to date was a fair effort, but I don't think he's backed that performance up since.
If the front two in the market do under perform then Teeton Surprise strikes me as the one who could take advantage. He won his Restricted at Larkhill by 30L last January although Dubai Quest did fall when in front so he probably wouldn't have beaten him given what that one has done since. He then failed to run his race at Didmarton. This season he went to Larkhill in December and ran a decent enough 6th to Salvatore. He then went to Wincanton and finished 6th again this time to Sametegal. On form he can't beat the other two, but he could well be best of the rest for me if you do want to take a chance on something at a bigger price and Bet365 offer a market where they bet without the front two in the betting so that could be an angle with him as well.
Initially I wasn't sure what I was going to do when it came to this race, but as I have written the preview and really thought about I think Road To Rome is a fair bet here. His trainer has proven time and time again that he can work wonders and I would be surprised if he lacked for fitness. I also think that if he wasn't showing something then they would have retired him. I accept you can't be certain until a horse actually runs in a race, but I actually think that is factored into the price as like I mention above I think he would be a 1/2 shot if he hadn't had a year off with injury. For me you need the blinkers to work for Duhallow Tornado as well as Road To Rome to have lost at least a stone in ability for him to win so I am rather keen on Road To Rome and happy to take a chance he can still run to a decent level of form.
Road To Rome 2pts @ 11/8 with Bet365

It is great to see Road To Rome back on a racecourse because he was really badly injured when he last raced in a point in May 2019 and it was thought we wouldn't see him race again. Quite simply he wins this if he is anywhere near the level he showed 2 years ago. The 3 hunter chase wins were all impressive especially his one in the Walrus at Haydock he recorded an RPR of 149. He then ran a cracker at Cheltenham when finishing 4th to Hazel Hill and I suspect by Aintree he needed a break, but even so he still finished 5th. Nothing else in this field can get anywhere near that if if he hadn't got injured then I reckon he would be a 1/2 shot to win this.
For me the only other possible winner is Duhallow Tornado who raced very lazily last week at Catterick before eventually finishing 2nd. It's not the first time he has run like that as he did it at Cheltenham when 4th in May 2018. Blinkers for the first time is a good idea as he clearly needs something to help concentrate his mind on the job. The other slight concern is his jumping though as he was quite slow and deliberate last week and at Hexham back in November. If he does that around here then that isn't going to help him either. If Road To Rome is ridden in the same way he was before then he is going to try and make all which Rio Bravo did to Duhallow Tornado last week and he just couldn't get there. Road To Rome could well be a better version of Rio Bravo.
There isn't too much to say about the rest. Itstimeforaprint ran OK when 3rd on his only start last season, but has a fair bit to find on the top 2. Mr Pepperpot was 2nd in the African Belle/Cousin Pascal race at Alnwick which is clearly reasonable form, but he showed little in a couple of hunter chases a couple of years ago and I suspect he's only back under rules because there are no points at the moment. Snow Castle was well behind Mr Pepperpot on his final start of last season. He did beat Greensalt the time before, but that one threw the race away. The 2nd at Hexham in his only hunter chase to date was a fair effort, but I don't think he's backed that performance up since.
If the front two in the market do under perform then Teeton Surprise strikes me as the one who could take advantage. He won his Restricted at Larkhill by 30L last January although Dubai Quest did fall when in front so he probably wouldn't have beaten him given what that one has done since. He then failed to run his race at Didmarton. This season he went to Larkhill in December and ran a decent enough 6th to Salvatore. He then went to Wincanton and finished 6th again this time to Sametegal. On form he can't beat the other two, but he could well be best of the rest for me if you do want to take a chance on something at a bigger price and Bet365 offer a market where they bet without the front two in the betting so that could be an angle with him as well.
Initially I wasn't sure what I was going to do when it came to this race, but as I have written the preview and really thought about I think Road To Rome is a fair bet here. His trainer has proven time and time again that he can work wonders and I would be surprised if he lacked for fitness. I also think that if he wasn't showing something then they would have retired him. I accept you can't be certain until a horse actually runs in a race, but I actually think that is factored into the price as like I mention above I think he would be a 1/2 shot if he hadn't had a year off with injury. For me you need the blinkers to work for Duhallow Tornado as well as Road To Rome to have lost at least a stone in ability for him to win so I am rather keen on Road To Rome and happy to take a chance he can still run to a decent level of form.
Road To Rome 2pts @ 11/8 with Bet365

It is great to see Road To Rome back on a racecourse because he was really badly injured when he last raced in a point in May 2019 and it was thought we wouldn't see him race again. Quite simply he wins this if he is anywhere near the level he showed 2 years ago. The 3 hunter chase wins were all impressive especially his one in the Walrus at Haydock he recorded an RPR of 149. He then ran a cracker at Cheltenham when finishing 4th to Hazel Hill and I suspect by Aintree he needed a break, but even so he still finished 5th. Nothing else in this field can get anywhere near that if if he hadn't got injured then I reckon he would be a 1/2 shot to win this.
For me the only other possible winner is Duhallow Tornado who raced very lazily last week at Catterick before eventually finishing 2nd. It's not the first time he has run like that as he did it at Cheltenham when 4th in May 2018. Blinkers for the first time is a good idea as he clearly needs something to help concentrate his mind on the job. The other slight concern is his jumping though as he was quite slow and deliberate last week and at Hexham back in November. If he does that around here then that isn't going to help him either. If Road To Rome is ridden in the same way he was before then he is going to try and make all which Rio Bravo did to Duhallow Tornado last week and he just couldn't get there. Road To Rome could well be a better version of Rio Bravo.
There isn't too much to say about the rest. Itstimeforaprint ran OK when 3rd on his only start last season, but has a fair bit to find on the top 2. Mr Pepperpot was 2nd in the African Belle/Cousin Pascal race at Alnwick which is clearly reasonable form, but he showed little in a couple of hunter chases a couple of years ago and I suspect he's only back under rules because there are no points at the moment. Snow Castle was well behind Mr Pepperpot on his final start of last season. He did beat Greensalt the time before, but that one threw the race away. The 2nd at Hexham in his only hunter chase to date was a fair effort, but I don't think he's backed that performance up since.
If the front two in the market do under perform then Teeton Surprise strikes me as the one who could take advantage. He won his Restricted at Larkhill by 30L last January although Dubai Quest did fall when in front so he probably wouldn't have beaten him given what that one has done since. He then failed to run his race at Didmarton. This season he went to Larkhill in December and ran a decent enough 6th to Salvatore. He then went to Wincanton and finished 6th again this time to Sametegal. On form he can't beat the other two, but he could well be best of the rest for me if you do want to take a chance on something at a bigger price and Bet365 offer a market where they bet without the front two in the betting so that could be an angle with him as well.
Initially I wasn't sure what I was going to do when it came to this race, but as I have written the preview and really thought about I think Road To Rome is a fair bet here. His trainer has proven time and time again that he can work wonders and I would be surprised if he lacked for fitness. I also think that if he wasn't showing something then they would have retired him. I accept you can't be certain until a horse actually runs in a race, but I actually think that is factored into the price as like I mention above I think he would be a 1/2 shot if he hadn't had a year off with injury. For me you need the blinkers to work for Duhallow Tornado as well as Road To Rome to have lost at least a stone in ability for him to win so I am rather keen on Road To Rome and happy to take a chance he can still run to a decent level of form.
Road To Rome 2pts @ 11/8 with Bet365