Australian Jumps season 2021

[Darran]

During the first lockdown my attention turned to Australia and I was posting flat racing tips every Saturday from March to November. What I had never really done before though was pay real close attention to Australian jumps racing, but discovered that there was money to be made from it. With there not being a huge amount of races a year, plus a relatively small pool of horses I thought that it could easily become another part of my betting armour. So I am going to attempt to cover the whole season and see if I can do as well this time around. The season starts with 3 races at Warrnambool on Monday morning.

Race 1 (1.25am)

A BM125 steeplechase gets the season underway and we have 5 runners. Ascot Red only had 1 run over jumps last season and he won the same race at Ballarat in August for the 2nd year running. Both wins were on a Heavy10, but he has gone close on a quicker surface both over jumps and flat. Has had a much needed prep run on the flat because his 1st up record is shocking and has a good chance here. Lucques tends to run well enough, but he does find it very hard to get his head in front. Zatagilo hasn't won since June 2018, but his last 2 jump starts last season were good 2nds and he has had a prep run on the flat. Newbury shows glimmers of promise, but didn't show a great deal last season so I'm fairly happy to pass him over. Steam Roller pulled up lame at Casterton on his last hurdle start in June. He has done well on the flat wince winning twice including a BM70 at Moonee Valley. He makes his chase debut here and trialled OK over them recently although he wasn't asked for much of an effort. He does have to give 7kgs to Steam Roller, but I think Ascot Red is the won to beat here. He's done well over fences and I think his experience could give him the edge of Steam Roller. I would completely rule out the two outsiders either although both do find it hard to win.

Ascot Red 1pt @ 11/8 with William Hill and Betfred

Race 2 (2.05am)

An Open Hurdle is the 2nd race and there is very little between Goodwood Zodiac, Double Bluff and Rexmount in the betting. Goodwood Zodiac has shown little in 3 flat starts recently, but they were his 1st runs since May 2019. Did well over hurdles in 2019 winning 2 of his 4 starts. Double Bluff is another not seen over hurdles since 2019 having last run in the Grand National Hurdle when disappointing although he did win a couple of times that season. He didn't appear again until New Year's Eve and ran well on the flat in a BM78 at Moonee Valley last month. Rexmont was impressive in his maiden hurdle win at Coleraine on his only hurdle start last season. He has done well in 5 flat starts this prep winning one and he has also won a hurdle trial. Of the other two Sollerane wouldn't be out if it completely having run OK in a couple of good races at Sandown and Ballarat last season after winning a maiden hurdle at Pakenham in April. I was quite taken with Rexmont's win last season and think he can progress into a decent hurdler so I will take him to land this contest.

Rexmont 1pt @ 9/4 with William Hill & Betfred

Race 3 (2.45am)

The 1st maiden hurdle of the season looks a pretty weak affair. You only have to look at the fact that Chenners, who has had 16 hurdle runs, is 2/1 2nd fav at the time of writing. He has shown on the odd occasion that he could land one of these at some point and he did win on the flat in January. The percentage call has to be to take him on though. My Kings Counsel just heads the betting, but he didn't look a world beater in his runs over both hurdles and fences last season. Instead I will take a small chance on one of the hurdling newcomers Hitch Hiker Jamie. The 4yo has only had 11 starts so is by fair the least exposed runner in the field. He looks like he will make a hurdler based on his trials. He won both of them and jumped well as well. I don't think it is a race to go overboard on, but to me he looks value at the prices given the front two of the market don't exactly set a high standard.

Hitch Hiker Jamie 0.5pts @ 13/2 @ Betfair and Betfred 

[Darran]

We move on to Terang for the 2nd meeting of the season where we have a maiden hurdle a BM120 Hurdle and an Open Steeplechase.

Race 1 (1.50am)

Although it wasn't a strong maiden hurdle at Warrnambool last time this doesn't look any better and I suspect the horses involved there will be here as well. I'm not sure why but the 3rd home White Heath is shorted in the betting than the 2nd home Hitch Hiker Jamie. I was on the 2nd last time and he ran really well from the front to be just denied by Chenners. Granted White Heath was only about 1/2L behind him, but I think Hitch Hiker Jamie can go one better and certainly looks the better value. High Rolla was a few lengths back in 4th and can go well again as well.

Hitch Hiker Jamie 1pt @ 7/2 with Bet365

Race 2 (2.30am)

This could be an interesting tactical affair as 3 of the 5 runners like to get on with it. Rexmont may go too quick for them all, but he faded very badly to finish at Warrnambool last time. He should have been quite fit from the flat so he looks a bit short in the betting to me. Goodwood Zodiac was last that day and the jockey said he shouldn't have held the horse up, but then if he rides him up with the speed here he might end up doing too much. So Belafonte also likes to make the running as well so we could see a strong gallop. If they all take each other on it might just set things up for the two hold up horses in the race Coleridge and Hierarchal who also happen to be the two outsiders in the contest. Coleridge finished 2nd just in front of Rexmont last time and he is fairly consistent so looks worth taking a chance with. Hierarchal was pretty consistent last season in maiden hurdles as well including when being just beaten by So Belafonte and on that form there is little between them. He got a deserved win at Warrnambool in July and has got himself fit with a couple of runs in picnic races (basically the Oz version of pointing but on the flat) including winning last time. Those two look over priced to me with the 3 favourites all wanting to make the running.

Coleridge 0.5pts @ 15/2 with Bet365

Hierarchal 0.5pts @ 15/2 with Bet365

Race 3 (3.10am)

Cheners makes his chasing debut here after finally breaking his maiden tag over hurdles last time and he jumped well in his chase trial last week. He does look under the odds here though. Zataglio, Lucques and Ascot Red were 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the chase race at Warrnambool and I think Ascot Red can reverse the form. The 1st 2 got a bit of an easy lead that day and Ascot Red ran like he would come on for the run. I thought when Ascot Red closed up at the 2nd last that he would go and win, but his run flattened out and he faded in the home straight. He is a better horse than those two for me and with that run behind him I think he can get the better of them.

Ascot Red 1pt @ 8/5 with Bet365