Best bet of the day 16th Jan

[chris34]

12.50 Southwell Exopuntia has run well since winning over CD in the middle of the december off a 7lb lower mark, ran creditably but didnt put up much of a fight round here last time out behind the Lock Master on thursday. Zarius beat Powerful Presence last time out and receieves lumps more weight again this time but that was Powerful Presences first start for new yard and first after a break and has clearly come on for that run having won the next 2 times out winning super easily, a further 5lb rise in the weights today sure to make things tougher yet again but still looks unexposed and open to more improvement on this surface and therefore looks hard to beat. 1pt win Powerful Presence

[Monterosso]

Re: Best bet of the day 16th Jan 3:35 Southwell - Prince Of Vasa - 0.5pts e/w @ 25/1 (Bet365 - BOG) Bred by the same sire as my other selection but cost a lot more money having fetched 55k as a 2 year old. He then had 1 run for Saeed Bin Suroor, over 6f here, in which he finished a 3 length 3rd, with the two ahead of him going on to reach a peak rating of 108 & 92. Prince Of Vasa pulled hard throughout before eventually getting to grips with the racing game to make a move just over 2 out, he looked likely to get involved but had run his race when he came to the final furlong. It wasn't a bad performance though and one that makes him interesting on his first fibersand since that debut. He then went to Mark Johnston, won a maiden first time out then flopped in a hot handicap before leaving Johnston for only 7k. Michael Smith picked him up and managed to get him to come 2nd at 22/1 in a 6f class 4 handicap at Redcar on debut. He done nothing since but has had a break after an unsuccessful spin over hurdles and gets to run here off a mark of 76, which may not be beyond him. Looks too big a price for me and does go well fresh, having finished 1st and 2nd on the back of 2 previous break, along with the fact that he ran well on debut too. Smith makes a 350 mile round trip to a course he has only visited on 2 occasions, with 3 horses. He managed to get 2 second places and will hopefully go one better here today. It doesn't look an overly impossible task to me and the price is much to big given the horses ability, which he doesn't show too often. They should go a good gallop and that will suit, so it's all up to the horse to prove he still retains his abilities after being let go for small money from Johnston's yard. Minimal each way stakes again, in the hope that he can make something happen.