Racing Chat - Saturday 6th November

[The Brigadier]

A feast of Terrestrial TV racing with something for everyone today - here’s my thoughts on the final days flat turf meeting at Doncaster (ground soft), Badger Beer day at Wincanton (ground good though apparently watered) and Aintree (ground soft).

 

Aintree 1.08

A Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle of just over 3 miles starts today’s proceedings. It doesn’t look the strongest race and the market should be watched for clues with 7 of the 11 strong field coming here on the back of a layoff. South Terrace looked good when last seen at Uttoxeter in June though has been raised 6lb for that victory whilst Pileon is now 6lb lower than his excellent short head silver medal in the 2020 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival but has shown very little since. One horse who is undoubtably well handicapped back over timber is the David Pipe trained Remastered. He had an excellent first season over fences last term when winning three of his 4 starts culminating in a 5th spot in the NH Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. He’s officially rated 146 in that sphere but can race here back over the smaller obstacles off of 133 so if he’s improved for a spell over fences then he could be well handicapped today. The only issue I have with him is that Pipe has now gone 24 runners and 25 days since his last winner although he has had three second’s in his last six starts. 

REMASTERED 1 1/2 points each way @ 8/1 1/5 1234 Paddy Power

 

Doncaster 1.25

A competitive 7F handicap with last years victor Tomfre high on my list of fancies. Ralph Beckett’s 4 year old has a good record at the Yorkshire track winning twice over course and distance on soft/heavy ground (including this race) last year. He’ll surely go well but I do think  there’s one of the better bets of the day in this race in the Tim Easterby trained Boardman who has conditions to suit. A three time winner in the spring at Haydock, York and Chester he’s not really had his favoured soft conditions until his last run when finishing a decent 5th beaten 2 1/4L in a 6F York handicap when drawn on the wrong side of the track. The horses that raced with Boardman and were even further behind that day have since franked the form. Copper Knight, Magical Spirit and Mondammej were all well beaten but have come out to win decent handicaps since. I can see Boardman being well backed and suggest a decent each way bet with the firms paying enhanced place terms. 

BOARDMAN 2 points each way @ 9/1 1/5^th 12345 Paddy Power

 

Wincanton 1.50

Only 6 go to post for the Rising Stars Novices’ Chase with the Paul Nicholls trained Bravemansgame a very warm favourite following a faultless win on his chasing debut at Newton Abbot when he jumped well and was a most impressive winner from subsequent lucky Charlie Hall winner Fusil Raffles. He was getting all the allowances that day mind and with his 3lb penalty today is not even the official best in here. That honour goes to his stable mate Mick Pastor. Faivoir is only 2lb behind the fav on official ratings also and although Bravemansgame will probably win he’s not at a price I’m wanting to get involved with so it’s sit and watch race for me.

 

Doncaster 2.05

This doesn’t look the strongest listed race and the only penalised runner in the race Andrew Balding’s Kings Lynn looks sure to give a good account of himself with David Probert in the saddle for Her Majesty The Queen. He’s always run well at this track with form figures of 122 with one of those silver medals when runner up to Starman no less. He handles soft ground well enough and proved that when runner up at Vadream in a Group 3 at Ascot last time with three of today’s rivals behind him. 

KINGS LYNN 2 points win @ 10/3 BetVictor

 

Aintree 215

14 go to post for the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase which is run over 2m 5F of the unique Grand National course. Hogans Heights won this in 2019 by 16L and although getting on a bit now (he rises 11 in a couple of months)should run his race whilst the Alan King trained Senior Citizen has course form to his name and is another with claims. However I like the JP McManus runner Time To Get Up here who is been trained for the Grand National and although it can be argued today’s trip will be on the short side looks to have a touch of class about him having only raced 7 times. He was last seen when winning the 4m 2F Midlands Grand National in March and is now 6lb higher in the handicap. Trainer Jonjo O’Neill has his Jackdaws Castle stable in fine form winning with 5 of his last 20 runners and his representative looks sure to go close. 

TIME TO GET UP 1 point each way @ 9/2 1/5^th 12345 Paddy Power

 

Wincanton 2.25

A competitive 11 runner mares only handicap hurdle. 8 of the 11 are coming here off of a lay off with the Colin Tizzard trained Rose Of Arcadia the pick amongst them. Tizzard  fresh from winning the Colin Parker Memorial Chase at Carlisle and Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter last weekend with stable stars Fiddlerontheroof and Eldorado Allen respectively saddles this lightly raced 6 year old who’s won 3 of her 6 career starts (including her Irish point to point). She disappointed a bit when last seen when only 5th  in the EBF mares handicap hurdle at Newbury in March although Tizzard stated in a recent stable file that she hurt herself two from home and looks fantastic at present. Brendan Powell rides and may have most to fear from the Fergal O’Brien trained Une De La Seniere - a Ludlow winner a month ago and now up 6lb. 

ROSE OF ARCADIA 2 points each way @ 6/1 1/5^th 123 Paddy Power 

 

Doncaster 2.40

A maximum field of 23 go to post for the final big handicap of the season and the race looks wide open. One horse who maybe ahead of his mark is the John and Thady Gosden trained First Light who’s only having his 7th career start and has shown his best form on soft ground. Gosden has farmed this race in the recent past  with no less than six victories and it would be no shock were he to be the plunge horse in the contest. At a much bigger price I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Peter Chapple-Hyam trained Deja run well. Soft ground is essential to him and he’s fallen down the handicap significantly to be of interest in first time blinkers. He’s worth a small each way saver. 

FIRST LIGHT 1 point each way @ 7/1 1/5^th 1234567 Betfred

DEJA 1/2 point each way @ 33/1 ¼ 12345 Bet365

 

Wincanton 3.00

A decent field of 15 go to post for this years renewal of the Badger Beer Handicap Chase. Paul Nicholls is always the first man to go to in this race at his local course having won the race on three of the last four runnings. He saddles a pair today in top weight Truckers Lodge ( surely needs further/softer ground) and Highland Hunter who could be a player here. Last years winner El Presente and runner up Potterman are both back for another go and looks weighted to dead heat here. Christian William’s Cap Du Nord has been nibbled at in the market in the last couple of days and could have a chance also. A wide open affair where it’s wise to keep stakes small and I’ll go with the Paul Nicholls first string Highland Hunter small each way. 

HIGHLAND HUNTER 1 point each way @ 7/1 1/5^th 1234 BetVictor

 

Aintree 3.20

Only 6 run here in this 2m 4F Betway hurdle with last years winner Summerville Boy back to defend his title. He goes well fresh and should be thereabouts whilst the penalised Brewin’upastorm hails from the very much in form Olly Murphy stable and has had his wind tinkered with since last seen. Rebecca Curtis is in dreadful form so her Lisnagar Oscar is very hard to fancy whilst the same can be said about If The Cap Fits who was chasing last season until two lack lustre efforts back over hurdles at the Spring festivals. Lucy Wadham’s Martello Sky is the only one of the sextet who has had a recent run, claims the mares allowance and is on the upgrade. In a race where there is plenty of question marks about the opponents it would be no shock to see her run a mighty race at juicy odds and she’s the selection. 

MARTELLO SKY 1 point win @ 10/1 Bet365

 

Wincanton 3.35

A small but select field of 7 go to post for the Elite Hurdle and maybe fought out by the top two in the market in the Alan King trained Sceau Royal who’s won this event in 2016 and 2020 and Gary Moore’s highly impressive 2020 Kingwell Hurdle winner Goshen. There’s only a pound between them on official ratings but the deciding factor to me is the ground. Sceau Royal proved his well being with a recent win at Kempton from the useful Silver Streak and loves good ground where as Goshen seems to be better when the mud’s flying. For that factor alone the bet has to be Sceau Royal. 

SCEAU ROYAL 2 points win @ 11/8 BetVictor

 

 

[yossa6133]

Gone for Aquila Sky in the 1:08 Aintree (10/1). Looked to be plenty more to come when winning over 3 miles at Doncaster and Ayr last season. 2m6f at Uttoxeter was never going to be far enough last time on chase debut and that run should have put him just right for this. Harry Skelton an interesting jockey booking, suggesting they mean business.

 

Good position all the way round but didn't look to have much left coming into the home straight and never landed a blow.

Edited November 6, 2021 by yossa6133