Hunter Chase - 4.52 Kelso

[Darran]

I will look back at Stratford at some point, but needless to say from a betting point of view it was a disaster which all started with what happened in the opener.

Anyway on to Kelso this afternoon and we have all the usual northern horses out in their hunter chase. Not surprisingly Point The Way heads the betting after winning easily at Perth earlier in the month. He is the right favourite, but he can make hard work of things and that race fell apart at Perth given all bar the 2nd failed to give their running and he had nothing to beat. To be fair this might turn out to be the case here as well, but I think it is worth trying to get him beat.

I put Magna Sam up in that Perth race, but the ground went against him that day and he pulled up. There wont be an issue with the ground today, but I am more concerned about the trip. I don't think he really stays 3m2f as he didn't in the Lady Dudley Cup two starts back. I also think he's better in a smaller field. It will be annoying if he does win, but he's not for me today.

I can't have Fortunes Hiding at all on his pointing form and he has clearly been priced up on his BHA rating of 123.

Nine Altars was 2nd in this race two years ago and a stamina test does suit as he showed run running on fast for 2nd to Virak at Musselburgh last year. His run in the race Dolphin Square won here earlier in the month was just bizarre and I'm not sure there was enough in his 2nd at Hexham's point track last time, but he does have a chance if he runs up to his best.

It is hard to see how Killer Crow can reverse form with the favourite and Game As A Pheasant and Son Of Suize have ground to make up on some of these as well.

Dark Mahler is going to be the main bet. He actually finished in front of the favourite at Musselburgh in February as he was 5th and Paint The Way pulled up. After that he was a staying on 2nd over shorter behind Captain Buck's. His next run though is the most eye-catching as he beat Monbeg Chit Chat in a point a month later. Now that one has clearly improved since, but even so that is a good effort in the context of this race. A couple of weeks later he was beaten at 1/2 but that came over 2m4f so I can forgive him that. I suspect he's been targeted at this race since and he looks value at 5/1.

The other one I will cover to small stakes is Six A Side. He was just behind Dark Mahler at Musselburgh in March and then he was 4L 2nd to Monbeg Chit Chat last month which again is a good piece of form. He then just bear Game As A Pheasant before finishing 2nd to One Conemara last time. I think this extra trip will help him and even though he's 13 he is still clearly running well.

Dark Mahler 1pt @ 5/1 with Bet365

Six A Side 0.5pts e/w @ 11/1 with most bookies

[The Equaliser]

18 minutes ago, Darran said:

I will look back at Stratford at some point, but needless to say from a betting point of view it was a disaster which all started with what happened in the opener.

Anyway on to Kelso this afternoon and we have all the usual northern horses out in their hunter chase. Not surprisingly Point The Way heads the betting after winning easily at Perth earlier in the month. He is the right favourite, but he can make hard work of things and that race fell apart at Perth given all bar the 2nd failed to give their running and he had nothing to beat. To be fair this might turn out to be the case here as well, but I think it is worth trying to get him beat.

I put Magna Sam up in that Perth race, but the ground went against him that day and he pulled up. There wont be an issue with the ground today, but I am more concerned about the trip. I don't think he really stays 3m2f as he didn't in the Lady Dudley Cup two starts back. I also think he's better in a smaller field. It will be annoying if he does win, but he's not for me today.

I can't have Fortunes Hiding at all on his pointing form and he has clearly been priced up on his BHA rating of 123.

Nine Altars was 2nd in this race two years ago and a stamina test does suit as he showed run running on fast for 2nd to Virak at Musselburgh last year. His run in the race Dolphin Square won here earlier in the month was just bizarre and I'm not sure there was enough in his 2nd at Hexham's point track last time, but he does have a chance if he runs up to his best.

It is hard to see how Killer Crow can reverse form with the favourite and Game As A Pheasant and Son Of Suize have ground to make up on some of these as well.

Dark Mahler is going to be the main bet. He actually finished in front of the favourite at Musselburgh in February as he was 5th and Paint The Way pulled up. After that he was a staying on 2nd over shorter behind Captain Buck's. His next run though is the most eye-catching as he beat Monbeg Chit Chat in a point a month later. Now that one has clearly improved since, but even so that is a good effort in the context of this race. A couple of weeks later he was beaten at 1/2 but that came over 2m4f so I can forgive him that. I suspect he's been targeted at this race since and he looks value at 5/1.

The other one I will cover to small stakes is Six A Side. He was just behind Dark Mahler at Musselburgh in March and then he was 4L 2nd to Monbeg Chit Chat last month which again is a good piece of form. He then just bear Game As A Pheasant before finishing 2nd to One Conemara last time. I think this extra trip will help him and even though he's 13 he is still clearly running well.

Dark Mahler 1pt @ 5/1 with Bet365

Six A Side 0.5pts e/w @ 11/1 with most bookies

Managed to get 5/1 for this on Bet365.  Many thanks