Jump Racing Friday 20th January

[Aidymac]

*Charm School - Chepstow 2:20* Handicapper has given this a major chance of winning tomorrow. Won the November Heritage Handicap on the flat and is now thrown in off a mark of 119, if it reproduces its best flat form it should hack up here. Handicap debut over hurdles tomorrow and looked a winner lto only for Ashbrittle to beat it, but they were 21 lengths clear of the 3rd. Not only that, but Adam Wedge takes off a further 5 pounds. Will take all the beating here if it is ready to strike. *1 Point WIN @ 9/4 VC BOG*

[Edberg]

Re: Jump Racing Friday 20th January 2.20 Chepstow Pulteney Land Investment Ltd Handicap Hurdle Cl2 2m110y CHARM SCHOOL 9/4 bog (Ladbrokes, Paddy Power and more) I like the chances of Charm School in the feature race of the afternoon in UK. It's a very competitive Class 2 Handicap Hurdle with a Grade2 winner (Sir De Grugy) and a top yard's representative (Paul Nicholls' Jump City) in but this 7 yo trained by Evan Williams gets a handy mark for his handicap debut and Adam Wedge takes off 5lb that makes Charm School's mark even easier. This son of Dubai Destination was purchased by John Ferguson from the Highclere Stud for 180,000 gns as a foal and became a very good horse on flat where he won 3 races in 13 starts collecting £81k prize money. His last race when still with John Gosden was in November 2009 at Doncaster where Charm School won the November Handicap off a mark of 98 with a super convincing performance. His win came mainly thanks to a remarkable burst from the rear that put Charm School in front and gave him his best ever win 1 3/4L ahead of the second. His OR went up to 115 after that race and two weeks later the horse owned by Princess Haya Of Jordan headed a team of four John Gosden-trained horses who had left the trainer's Newmarket yard to continue their careers in Dubai. The Dubai Carnival 2010 was next Charm School's stop but plagued by injuries the horse never saw any Dubai tracks and after a long break was bought for just £6,000 by Evan Williams in November 2010. Charm School finally came back on track, under the colours of T Hywel Jones, last October with a decent effort in the Persian War Novice's Hurdle, a Grade 2 raced here at Chepstow and won by the mighty Fingal Bay. That debut over hurdles and Charm School's first race after 2 years was not disgraced at all. First of all it was a very tough ask in a high quality company (behind Fingal Bay there were Baile Anrai, twice winners in his last two starts, Paul Nicholls' Current Event, who won his next and last start too) but it was the way Charm School shaped in that race that gave a lot of credits to Evan William's horse for his up-coming future. Charm School took a keen hold but made headway to lead at the 4th flight and stayed there until headed and soon after ridden 4 out. The horse weakened in the end and was tailed off but for 3/4 of the race he ran prominently and was a good effort after all this horse had to face in his previous two years. His next start has been at Ffos Las one month ago. Charm School finished 4th in a good quality field beaten by Jumps Road and Ashbrittle. Jumps Road went on to compete in the Leamington Novices' Hurdle, a Grade 2 raced at Warwick last Saturday and the Tizzards' horse finished 5th while David Pipe's Ashbrittle won his next start at Lingfield two weeks ago beating again (1L) Charm School. The performances of Charm School kept on improving as he stayed on better and better, jumped very well and went really close to beat good rivals. With today's mark and the 5lb taken off by Adam Wedge Charm Scholl should go really close. The young jockey has already collected 19 wins (12%) this season (beating his record of 8 in 2010-11) and won yesterday a bumper with the highly impressive Hold Court, another horse trained by the in-form Evan Williams who saddled 3 winners with his last 10 runners. It's a very nice open race with a lot of good quality horses but I do really like the chances of Charm School who could make a very nice debut in handicap with this mark.

[Edberg]

Re: Jump Racing Friday 20th January 4.00 Chepstow MLM Cartwright Solicitors Handicap Chase Cl5 2m110y STAR GALAXY 7/4 bog (William Hill, Bet365 and more) Since Star Galaxy joined David Evans' yard his performances have been improving. Nice come back after a break of more than 8 months when third in a Class 4 handicap at Uttoxeter 3 weeks ago and an easy win 1 week ago at Huntingdon lto in a Class 5 handicap. Of course the horse has gone up in the weights but in a quite poor field like this one I can't see him beaten today with David Evans' horses all running very well of late. Evans has saddled 6 winners on AW in the last 2 weeks, and 7 winner with 38 runners in jumping races this campaign, two of them yesterday at Ludlow and both quite impressive (Esteem and Aviso). Star Galaxy is the only C&D winner and has no problem with the ground. Peter Hatton takes 7lb off as usual and was both on Esteem yesterday and on Star Galaxy one week ago (his only two wins of 2012 both for David Evans). Hazeldene is the representative of Tim Vaughan in this race and it will be just his second start for his new trainer. Open to improvement but his only win over hurdles came on good ground and has to improve a lot to match Star Galaxy's form with current marks. Zen Factor has had a decent first effort over fences and could improve today but the Jonathan Portman's horse should go close to his best hurdles form to beat Star Galaxy imho. Ours and All For Eve make both very little appeal in this company while Paddy The Yank (who is still maiden) and Chilbury Hill will try to get a big boost running on the first-time cheekpieces. Happy to support the chances of the experienced Star Galaxy who should improve again in his third start for in-form trainer David Evans.

[bartrum]

Re: Jump Racing Friday 20th January 15:15 catterick - Ifonlyalfie This one ran to bad to be true on boxing day after going off a lot shorter than he had been previously. He made a couple of early jumping errors and was never really going well. The further the better and a few quid for it all ready this morning. 1/2 point e/w 10/1 corals

[Bathtime For Rupert]

Re: Jump Racing Friday 20th January 2.10 Catterick - 1pt win Altan Khan @ 11/1 (Bet365) The ground is a big concern for this Malcolm Jefferson-trained individual, but he's worth a small win bet at the prices considering he hasn't had too many tries with soft ground underfoot and he perhaps had other excuses those days. He was a decent hurdler but has shaped as if a better chaser, and this type of track suits this horse who goes well on sharp courses. His previous efforts on soft ground saw him finish 6th of 16 in a bumper - he wasn't threatening on any bumper starts regardless of ground at the time. His other soft ground start came over 2m4f after a break over hurdles. The fitness and stamina doubts on this occasion were sure to hinder his progress also. He will relish two miles around a sharp track and has a big chance should the ground not be a major concern. He was going to win regardless when left well clear at Sedgefield on his chasing debut and ran a good 3rd next time out at Carlisle when close up behind two in-form horses (winner gone in since). Errors and racing too enthusiastically over a too-taxing 2m4f at Musselburgh was his undoing next time before being simply outclassed by the Arkle hotpot Sprinter Sacre at Doncaster last time. The return to a track such as this, the bare 2 miles, and more reasonable company should see him go well. He would be a bigger bet but for the ground, where there are reasonable doubts. 2.20 Chepstow - 3pts win Sire De Grugy @ 9/2 (Hills) There are no question marks regarding the ground for this selection. The high-class Sire De Grugy does need to be at his best here after a break probably given he has to give plenty of weight away from his mark of 143, however I think he's capable on ground he relishes. His sire won 6 of his 7 races on soft ground and this horse has been very impressive when encountering such conditions. He twice finished second behind smart horses in 'bumpers' in Bobs Worth and Knight Pass before shaking off untidy jumping to score easily by 19l in the mud on his hurdling debut at Fakenham. Cruised to a 16l victory next time at Folkestone before being hoisted up in grade at Kempton in a Grade 2. This form has much more substance to it - as he routed a nice field by 11l - with Empire Levant in 2nd. That horse is now rated 140 and my selection gave him 6lbs that day. Therefore, the 143 that he runs off today looks fair enough. He ran a sound 3rd at Aintree in the spring. Even though the race has mixed form, the likes of Brampour were in behind that day, and the good ground was against my selection. He needs to be fit, but otherwise will take the world of beating here. He's been nibbled in the betting already which is encouraging, and Jump City may find this too stamina sapping in the ground (and is drifting). Charm School's form with Ashbrittle hasn't been franked particularly with their conqueror flopping up in grade since, so I'm taking last year's high class novice to prove too strong. 3.25 Chepstow - 4pts win Rockabilly @ 9/4 (Bet365) Nigel Twiston-Davies is in form and this horse has been unfortunate not to score on his last two starts under similar conditions. Still only has 7 runs to his name and improved for handicapping over hurdles when winning his handicap debut at Exeter. Had a break off the track before returning for his first try over fences. It was a decent race and it was an encouraging effort after a break/on his first start over the bigger obstacles. Improved on that when narrowly going down to a subsequent 2l winner at Exeter over 3 miles on good/soft - with the pair 16l clear from a horse who has won and placed twice from three starts since. Proved soft ground was no problem at Ffos Las last time when 2l clear when coming to grief at 2 out. He looked the likely winner before coming down. He's 3lbs better off than the horse who went on to win that day so I reckon the form can be turned around. Should go very, very well.

[bartrum]

Re: Jump Racing Friday 20th January

15:15 catterick - Ifonlyalfie This one ran to bad to be true on boxing day after going off a lot shorter than he had been previously. He made a couple of early jumping errors and was never really going well. The further the better and a few quid for it all ready this morning. 1/2 point e/w 10/1 corals

Nightmare... Not only did one come out so e/w was first 2 but mine was also hampered by a faller. winner won easy though.. not gonna give up on this one yet.

[andythornton]

Re: Jump Racing Friday 20th January evening mates! how was your day? mine was, to put it mildly, very modest..i put in a lot of work on the cards, but to no avail, not even a placed one. but im not the type to cry about, theres always tomorrow, right? ill put my selections up, as soon, as i find something. gl stefan

[andythornton]

Re: Jump Racing Friday 20th January

2.10 Catterick - 1pt win Altan Khan @ 11/1 (Bet365) The ground is a big concern for this Malcolm Jefferson-trained individual, but he's worth a small win bet at the prices considering he hasn't had too many tries with soft ground underfoot and he perhaps had other excuses those days. He was a decent hurdler but has shaped as if a better chaser, and this type of track suits this horse who goes well on sharp courses. His previous efforts on soft ground saw him finish 6th of 16 in a bumper - he wasn't threatening on any bumper starts regardless of ground at the time. His other soft ground start came over 2m4f after a break over hurdles. The fitness and stamina doubts on this occasion were sure to hinder his progress also. He will relish two miles around a sharp track and has a big chance should the ground not be a major concern. He was going to win regardless when left well clear at Sedgefield on his chasing debut and ran a good 3rd next time out at Carlisle when close up behind two in-form horses (winner gone in since). Errors and racing too enthusiastically over a too-taxing 2m4f at Musselburgh was his undoing next time before being simply outclassed by the Arkle hotpot Sprinter Sacre at Doncaster last time. The return to a track such as this, the bare 2 miles, and more reasonable company should see him go well. He would be a bigger bet but for the ground, where there are reasonable doubts. 2.20 Chepstow - 3pts win Sire De Grugy @ 9/2 (Hills) There are no question marks regarding the ground for this selection. The high-class Sire De Grugy does need to be at his best here after a break probably given he has to give plenty of weight away from his mark of 143, however I think he's capable on ground he relishes. His sire won 6 of his 7 races on soft ground and this horse has been very impressive when encountering such conditions. He twice finished second behind smart horses in 'bumpers' in Bobs Worth and Knight Pass before shaking off untidy jumping to score easily by 19l in the mud on his hurdling debut at Fakenham. Cruised to a 16l victory next time at Folkestone before being hoisted up in grade at Kempton in a Grade 2. This form has much more substance to it - as he routed a nice field by 11l - with Empire Levant in 2nd. That horse is now rated 140 and my selection gave him 6lbs that day. Therefore, the 143 that he runs off today looks fair enough. He ran a sound 3rd at Aintree in the spring. Even though the race has mixed form, the likes of Brampour were in behind that day, and the good ground was against my selection. He needs to be fit, but otherwise will take the world of beating here. He's been nibbled in the betting already which is encouraging, and Jump City may find this too stamina sapping in the ground (and is drifting). Charm School's form with Ashbrittle hasn't been franked particularly with their conqueror flopping up in grade since, so I'm taking last year's high class novice to prove too strong. 3.25 Chepstow - 4pts win Rockabilly @ 9/4 (Bet365) Nigel Twiston-Davies is in form and this horse has been unfortunate not to score on his last two starts under similar conditions. Still only has 7 runs to his name and improved for handicapping over hurdles when winning his handicap debut at Exeter. Had a break off the track before returning for his first try over fences. It was a decent race and it was an encouraging effort after a break/on his first start over the bigger obstacles. Improved on that when narrowly going down to a subsequent 2l winner at Exeter over 3 miles on good/soft - with the pair 16l clear from a horse who has won and placed twice from three starts since. Proved soft ground was no problem at Ffos Las last time when 2l clear when coming to grief at 2 out. He looked the likely winner before coming down. He's 3lbs better off than the horse who went on to win that day so I reckon the form can be turned around. Should go very, very well.

wd with altan khan,mate!! he was on my list too, but i decided to go with karingreason..