BBOTD Sunday 20th May

[nickf88]

Hope it's ok for me to start this thread a bit early, apologies if not. 16:00 Market Rasen - Jam Tomorrow - (1PT Win, 7/2, Bet365) Was in the process last time out of running a big race and looked the most likely winner when falling at the last hurdle. The way the horse ran that day was quite impressive for such a poor race, only really needed to be ridden with purpose 2 from home and seemed to have found enough but got caught in between two horses at the last and ended it's challenge. It jumped great throughout though, and in my inexperienced opinion, looks like it could be a better chaser than hurdler due to the horse's size and scope when jumping in that race. Makes it's chasing debut here today off a 3 pound higher mark for that race which is negated by Henry Brooke's 3 pound claim and hopefully can make amends for last time. The favourite, O'Callaghan Strand, has to shoulder top weight after a 178 day break and has never won on ground worse than good and is on a career high mark on it's reappearance. There are other potential improvers but hopefully, with the form the McCain stable are in at the moment, my selection can make up for it's last race.

[Bathtime For Rupert]

Re: BBOTD Sunday 20th May 4.10 Ripon - 1pt win Veiled Applause @ 9/1 (Ladbrokes) Michael O'Connell is operating at a 24% for John Quinn and this is the trainer's only runner on the card here. Although this one doesn't win very often and needs the cards to fall right, I'm quietly confident that things are right for him today and although he's effectively 10lbs higher for his recent win, with the rider no longer claiming 3lbs, he has won off higher in the past, and I'm hoping he isn't regressing in old age too much. That aforementioned victory at Thirsk recently suggested he had plenty of ability left in him as he travelled powerfully into contention and found plenty to score by an eased-down 2l. He was value for further and the result was never in doubt, really. He clearly enjoys soft ground and a good pace - and I feel he'll get it today for all he does stay further. That could well be a big advantage in the conditions here at the finish, with there appearing a few pacesetters in the race. He usually travels well and should come into the race sweetly should the expected pace come to fruition. Quite remarkably, six of the eleven runners have led on at least one of the last two starts so it could play into the hands of a closer. Although Veiled Applause didn't travel as well as usual last time, the race wasn't ideal for him. It was a bit of a tactical affair and he was held up off a slow pace. He kept on well under the relatively inexperienced Kevin Lundie and it's an advantage to see O'Connell back on board today. Although he's far from a good thing off this mark, he's likely to run his race, and with conditions to suit, it could fall into his lap a little at a track he's won at in the past.