Racing Chat - Friday 20th 2020

[The Brigadier]

Ascot stage an enthralling card on Friday and here are my early thought’s :-

12.20

A no play race from a punting perspective but it’s the chase debut of Nicky Henderson’s Chantry House who has schooled excellently and despite the fact he is rated a 3lb officially inferior horse to danger Pic D’Orhy his stable will be very disappointed if he doesn’t win this. A race not to miss.

12.55

It could be Nicky Henderson’s day at the Berkshire track with TIME FLIES BY the most likely winner. A Cheltenham bumper winner he ran twice over hurdles last season with his trainer stating in a recent Racing Post stable file that he ‘does everything right and should go far’ He’ll do for me here. Paul Nicholls’ Danny Kirwan has undoubted ability and apparently needed his season re-appearance when 3^rd at Aintree but he’s seven now and has yet to win a race. Kim Bailey’s The Edgar Wallace is an interesting hurdles debutant , the trainer has been in top form this season and this is the most expensive young horse he’s ever bought winning a bumper for him last season and by all accounts he jumps well.  Time Flies By is a confident selection on a day that may be dominated by the master of Seven Barrows Nicky Henderson. 

TIME FLIES BY 2 points win @ 4/5 bet365

1.30

An intriguing contest with four potentially smart lightly raced horses. Nicky Henderson called his French recruit GIPSY DE CHOISEL very nice in a recent Racing Post stable file and now in the double green colours of Messr’s Munir & Souede could be the one. Harry Fry unleashes Metier who impressed when winning at Newton Abbot 3 weeks ago whilst Paul Nicholls saddles the JP owned Nimix De Juilley, another ex French horse but without a run for 792 days (never mentioned in his recent RP stable tour) with the biggest danger to Henderson’s coming from the Tizzard horse Amarillo Sky, an expensive purchase from the Irish pointing field and a highly promising fourth to Henderson’s Dusart at Newbury when the Tizzard horses weren’t really firing. The vibes are good for Henderson’s and he’s the bet.

 

GIPSY DE CHOISEL 1 point win @ 2/1 william hill

2.05

Espoir De Guye has had a wind op since we last saw him following a lack lustre effort at the Festival last season in the Novices’ Handicap Chase. A 255 day absence doesn’t usually bother a Venetia Williams trained horse and despite racing here off of a 14lb higher mark than when winning at the course last December he should run well.

Deauville Dancer starts out for the first time for Olly Murphy having previously been trained by David Dennis and although you could arguably classify that as a trainer upgrade the Murphy yard are not really firing at the moment (despite a nice bumper winner on Tuesday). An outsider I think is worth backing is the Paul Henderson trained 11 year old DOITFORTHEVILLAGE who has tumbled down the handicap to a very low mark. Forget his latest run when his trainer stated afterwards the ground wasn’t soft enough for him, surprisingly he was dopped 6lb for that run. Rated as high as 140 only four runs ago he races here off of 129 and could be value despite been the oldest member of the 9 strong field

DOITFORTHEVILLAGE ½ point ew 16/1 bet365

2.40

BUZZ stands out here and will take some beating. Nicky Henderson’s six year old was a highly credible third in the Welsh Champion Hurdle last time at Ffos Las with Ecco some 28 lengths behind him that day and only 1lb better off here. That form looks very good now with the winner Sceau Royal winning at Wincanton and Ballyandy who placed second that day running the same position in last weekend’s  Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham even  the 5^th  Mario De Pail has won since. Only a pound higher here he stands out like a sore thumb. I can see him being very well backed. The opposition look weighted upto their ability and Buzz is the days nap bet.

BUZZ  3 point win @ 6/4 bet365

3.15

Dr Newland has had a good Autumn with his small string at his Worcestershire yard and can take this with MR MULDOON who won at Sedgefield on his chasing debut in a 9 runner novice event. Lack of experience is unlikely to be a problem as he has had 6 runs in Irish points and has failed to miss the frame in six outings under rules. The handicapper reacted by rising him 2lb for that run but the step up to 3m is much more to his liking and he holds a strong chance. Paul Nicholls’ Favorito Buck’s won this event two years ago and can race off of a 1lb lower mark so also comes into calculations though his last run was poor. Top weight Wandarin Star has won first time out the last two seasons and has had his wind tinkered with since last season so is another with some potential if fancied for the Kim Bailey yard.

MR MULDOON 1 point win 3/1 william hill

3.45

A tough handicap with the first show being 9/2 the field. The most interesting contender being the top weight Enqarde an ex French 6 year old having his first run for Dr Newland. The market will tell us what’s expected here no doubt.

Apple Rock flopped last time but that may have came too soon following his facile victory at Carlisle 8 days earlier and could be in with a chance despite a rise in the weights. It may be worth a speculative ew bet on Paul Henderson’s HATCHET JACK who may well have needed his well beaten 5^th to Metier (runs in 2^nd race) at Newton Abbot. He has some good handicap form in better company than this in the past and has dropped to a mark 10lb lower than when he was back then. He’s still a maiden and has obviously been hard to train so we’ll need a big price and small stakes but it’s that type of race!

HATCHET JACK ½ point each way 11/1 bet365

 

 

 

 

 

[Villa Chris]

2.05 Ascot 

Espoir De Guye 3/1