Racing Chat - Wednesday 13th April

[The Brigadier]

Cheltenham 1.30

One of two races shown by ITV from Cheltenham this afternoon is this 2m 4F 56yds handicap hurdle which has attracted 9 runners. The drying ground is not certain to suit Evan Williams’ Bold Plan who’s chasing a hat trick and he’s opposable. Nicky Henderson’s horse’s remain in excellent form and his contender Captain Morgs is maybe the one to be with here. He’s been given a 100 day break presumably to avoid the boggy winter ground and if able to reproduce his Ascot win from November on good ground off of a 6lb lower mark should go close today. Forget his last run as he was bogged down in the Kempton mud over Christmas. Ben Pauling’s bottom weight Whatsupwithyou had his form boosted at the weekend by the success of Neon Moon whom he beat at Fontwell last time and along with Romeo Brown who also won last time in a similar grade of race on good ground look the dangers in an open looking contest.

 

CAPTAIN MORGS 1 1/2 point each way @ 13/2 Bet365 1/5 123

 

Newmarket 1.50

Thirteen sprinters go to post for this three year old 6F handicap, a race that is always worth following going forwards. The likely favourite is the easy Pontefract winner from last week Pocket The Profit who will be ridden by Ryan Moore. That was soft ground though and he will have to prove his effectiveness on this sounder surface but he looks a sprinter going places and his trainer George Boughey was talking him up in a Attheraces stable file earlier this week. Six of the thirteen are making their handicap debuts amongst them the Gosden runner Tolstoy and the gelded Dig Two who has been gelded and had a wind operation since we last saw him. Martyn Meade trains Object who was heavily backed when winning at Kempton last November on his handicap debut. He’s been raised 6lb for that win and looks a possible danger to my selection.

 

POCKET THE PROFIT 2 points win @ 7/2 Boylesports

 

Cheltenham 2.05

A 2m 4 1/2F grade 2 handicap chase is next up with eight declared to run. A case can be made for all eight with course specialist (4 wins from 13 starts) Coole Cody arguably the one they all have to beat following on from his victory at the big meeting in the Plate Handicap. He is however 7lb higher here which gives rival Stolen Silver who was beaten 8 1/4L in that race and now 8lb better off a definite chance of exacting revenge. Both have solid chances but the one I like is the Emma Lavelle trained Manofthemoment who relishes a good ground surface as he showed when winning this contest by 4 1/2L a year ago off of a 5lb lower mark. He may have just needed his latest run when well beaten and he can give Lavelle something to smile about after losing Eclair Surf in the Grand National at the weekend.

 

MANOFTHEMOMENT 2 points each way @ 11/2 William Hill 1/5 123

 

Newmarket 2.25

Thirteen unraced three year olds go to post for this year’s Wood Ditton maiden stakes run over a mile - a race that is worth watching over and over as there will be no doubt be countless winners to come out of this contest. The market will no doubt be very informative with the likes of the well bred Gosden Dubawi colt Francesco Clemente and Charlie Appleby Dubawi colt Secret State (dam was first past the post in the 1000 Guineas) top of the list. Appleby also saddles State Event a well bred Shamardal colt ridden by James Doyle. The vibes seem pretty strong on the Gosden runner and I’ll take him to small stakes to win.

 

FRANCESCO CLEMENTE 1 point win @ 9/2 Bet365

 

Newmarket 3.00

This year’s 6F Group 3 Abernant Stakes features a smart three year old for a change. Ebro River is the highest rated of the eight runners having won three times as a juvenile including the group 1 Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh in August. He escapes a penalty for this by a few weeks and is without doubt the one to beat for Hugo Palmer and Jamie Spencer. He has been well found in the market however at around the 7/4 mark and if all eight run I’m happy to look elsewhere for some each way value. Garrus will no doubt be straighter for his recent Doncaster spin for the in form Charlie Hills team whilst Jumby is two from three at the track and has the assistance of William Buick. Bellosa is dropping in trip and is another possible but it’s the Chris Wall trained five year old Double Or Bubble that catches my eye. The mare has won first time out the last two seasons including when taking the 7F handicap apart at this very meeting last season. She’s dropping in trip here but showed at Pontefract in a listed contest last August over 6F that she has the pace for this and represents each way value with regular pilot Jack Mitchell doing the steering.

 

DOUBLE OR BUBBLE 1 1/2 points each way @ 7/1 Bet365 1/5 123

 

Newmarket 3.35

This is all about the re-appearance of champion two year old Native Trail, trained at Moultons Paddocks in Newmarket by Charlie Appleby for their Godolphin operation. Unbeaten as a juvenile in four starts in maiden, group 2 and two group ones - the National Stakes at The Curragh and Dewhurst over 7F of this course. He arrives with no penalties for those wins and the vibes are that he’s trained on well and will be very hard to beat in this the Craven Stakes run over a mile. His six opponents have shown nowhere near his two year old form with the likes of Al Mubhir, Star Of India and Claymore all having won maidens last season on their sole starts. A race to watch and enjoy which should be going to Native Trail.

 

[ipswich45]

bit of a biased write up given i have a share in Rock Legend

Cheltenham 17.00
8 Runners for this conditional and amateur riders class 2 contest over 2m 179y on the new course and we have 4 main runners, Herbiers finished 9th in last months Martin Pipe at the festival behind Banbridge last won 3 starts ago at Doncaster over 2m 3f in November, Valentino Dancer hasnt been seen since finishing 2nd at Chepstow back in October has won twice around 2m, Lord Of Cheshire has won its last 2 at Wincanton and Ludlow respectively latest with todays jockey on board Finn Lambert and negates the 6lb nudged up for latest success, Rock Legend hasnt finished outside the top 4 winning for the first time at Newcastle last time out winning a 4 runner contest by 7 lengths and remains on the same mark today Tristan Durrell rides him on track and has a good rapport with Rock Legend at home the only real worry is not sure how he will handle the undulations of the Cheltenham track but none the less hope we get a good run out of him up from Class 4 to Class 2 

£2.50 Forecast will be my bet
Rock Legend   9/4 Bet365
Lord Of Cheshire   5/2 Bet365

Edited April 12, 2022 by ipswich45