National Hunt Racing > Monday February 3rd

[Aidymac]

Southwell 3:20 This is a rather poor race and it should not take much winning but I sometimes look out for a horse that us wearing cheekpieces for the first time after a few poor runs and the Brendan Powell trained Strictly Cissbury is my selection. He has shown absolutely nothing to date and deserves to be the price he is but this will only be his second run for the new yard tomorrow and cheekpieces can do wonders. He has been dropped 5 pounds in the handicap to a mark of 77 and now steps up in trip by 5 furlongs. The horse comes from a decent breeding line, out of the former Godolphin Sakhee and Hills' Distant Music, both good flat horses so the trip is an unknown tomorrow. I am willing to have a bet at the price that the cheekpieces bring out a good bit of improvement. Strictly Cissbury WIN @ 25/1 Bet365

[Aidymac]

Re: National Hunt Racing > Monday February 3rd Southwell 2:50 I think Knockraheen looks too big a price to ignore here with McCoy on board for Jonjo O'Neill. He has slid another pound in the weights down to 115 which will make all the difference over this trip on heavy ground. This is the very first time that McCoy has ridden the horse which is another major positive. He finished 2nd over 2m5f here at Southwell on soft ground last May, so his best run yet has come at this track. He was a well fancied 7/2 shot last time out at Warwick when he was a well beat 5th, I think a much better run was expected that day and I can't ignore the price here. Knockraheen WIN @ 11/1 Betfred