Racing Chat - Friday July 24th

[BillyHills]

6 meetings, cracking card at Down Royal!

 

Two races to look at;

725 Ripon: Class 2 Handicap

1pt Win Spanish Archer 7/1 Hills

Comb F/C 3,5,8

 

345 Down Royal: Ulster Derby Premier H'Cap

1pt EW Sunchart 11/1 bet365

Comb F/C: 1,2,3

 

 

 

[Darran]

The 8.05 at Newton Abbot has 3 horses from points/hunter chases and annoyingly I think all are capable of winning off their current marks, still at least the prices allow them all to be covered. The best handicapped horse in the race is Ballyknock Cloud and I will be surprised if he doesn't land a race off this mark. I put him up last summer ran he ran in two races over course and distance and he had no luck the first time as he was badly hampered at a crucial stage of the race, but managed to stay on into 4th. A month later he was disappointing, but I reckon there was something wrong as he jumped to his right pretty badly and was well beaten. Given he wasn't seen again it would also suggest there was an issue. It did mean though that he was dropped 4lbs which means he can go into a class 5 here. Fitness is an unknown obviously, but he was due to run in the race a few of these ran in a couple of weeks ago so he was obviously ready to run then. I think he looks a good e/w bet.

Bubble O'Clock was one I put up in that race a couple of weeks back and he ran well to finish 3rd. He loomed large leaving the back, but his run petered out suggesting he would come on for the effort. He still finished 3rd though and I think he can reverse form with Gold Mountain especially as he was dropped 2lbs in the handicap. I want him onside again.

Dido is the other one and he is worth a small e/w bet at double figures. The concern is his rules form hasn't matched his pointing form and he could just be one of those horses that can't transfer his form between the flags to the larger fences. However he did run well at Cheltenham a couple of years ago behind Monsieur Gibraltar in a race which worked out pretty well so there is something to cling onto. 94 is a fair enough mark for him in what is a pretty weak race.

Ballyknock Cloud e/w @ 6/1 with Bet365

Bubble O'Clock @ 5/1 with Bet365

Dido e/w @ 12/1 with Bet365