Racing Chat - Sunday 23rd October

[The Brigadier]

Aintree 1.30

A highly competitive 3m 149 yards class 3 conditional jockeys handicap hurdle with a decent sized field of sixteen going to post. The weights are headed by My Bobby Dazzler who’s three from four at this tight flat track and shouldn’t be discounted easily for trainer Mel Rowley. Brian Ellison’s Tiger Jet was a very easy 19L winner at Hexham on his re-appearance a fortnight ago and although this is tougher with a 10lb rise is another would could feature at the business end. The one my pin has come down on though is the Dan Skelton trained Hidden Heroics who will be ridden today by his conditional jockey Tristan Durrell who can claim 3lb here. The lightly raced five year old was a decent runner up to City Chief at Ayr’s Scottish National meeting last April and landed the odds laid on him in a weak five runner novice hurdle at Uttoxeter the following month. He looks favourably treated off of 120 and in a wide open contest may be the value bet each way with enhanced places.

 

HIDDEN HEROICS 1 point each way @ 7/1 bet365 1/5th 12345

 

Aintree 2.05

The second on the card is an eleven runner 3m 1F handicap chase for veteran chasers. The last two winners of this contest are back here in 2020 winner Minellacelebration (7lb lower now and won this easily by 14L) and Wishing And Hoping (7lb higher now having won this by a comfortable 8L). Both have claims along with several others in another open handicap. The one who has plenty going for him is the David Pipe stable debutant If The Cap Fits. He’s joined the Somerset based trainer from Harry Fry for £45,000 and races now in the red colours of Judith Wilson. He’s had a wind operation since last seen in in April and considering he was rated as high as 166 over hurdles a couple of years ago could be thrown in for his new handler off of only 129. He’s only had the four runs over fences winning at Fontwell and placed in the three other starts including in the grade one Kauto Star novice Chase at Kempton. Philip Armson is still value for his 3lb claim having racked up 41 winners from 544 rides over the past couple of seasons and as with all of Wilson’s runners is in the saddle. He can be backed each way.

 

IF THE CAP FITS 1 1/2 points each way @ 9/1 bet365 1/5th 123

 

Limerick 2.25

A 2m 5F listed novice hurdle is up next and has attracted just the six runners with total no hoper Beau’s Candle effectively making it a five runner contest. Both Ambitious Fellow trained by Peter Fahey and The Friday Man trained by Gordon Elliott are officially rated the same and it could turn out to be a battle between the pair of them. Slight preference is for the latter who is a consistent sort who’s won four of his last five races, acts on any ground and will be ridden by Davy Russell. He’s the bet here.

 

THE FRIDAY MAN 2 points win @ 11/8 bet365

 

Aintree 2.40

An intriguing eight runner Old Roan Handicap Chase run over 2m 4F. Top weight and favourite is Paul Nicholls’ Hitman who like seven of the eight runners is returning from a break. He has some decent form to his name including runner up spots in the Tingle Creek and Melling Chase last season and has had his wind tinkered with since we last saw him. He’s the one to beat despite his big weight. Janie Snowden has his team in fine shape winning with five of his last six runners and saddles a brace of runners here in Ga Law who’s coming back from a 603 day absence and Soldier Of Destiny who would be the pick of the pair. Michael Scudamore’s Do Your Job won three of his six starts as a novice last season culminating in victory at the Scottish National meeting at Ayr. He goes well fresh and may just edge out Hitman today.

 

DO YOUR JOB 1 point win @ 4/1 William Hill

 

Limerick 3.00

Another listed hurdle, this time for mares only and run over 2m 6 1/2F and it will be a surprise if the favourite, Gordon Elliott’s Queens Brook doesn’t win this confirming his Cheltenham form with main rival Heaven Help Us who was 6 1/4L behind her in the Mares Hurdle then. She had an interrupted run up to Cheltenham last year and Elliott was very bullish in his trainer file earlier this week about her chances in that race for next year. She’s too short to back for todays contest but it’s worth a small win only ante post bet for the Mares Hurdle at Cheltenham at the current odds which look too big.

 

QUEENS BROOK 1 point win @ 12/1 Mares Hurdle (Cheltenham 2023)

 

Aintree 3.15

Eleven assemble for this class 2 2m 4F handicap hurdle. Neil King’s Onemorefortheroad kept decent handicap hurdle company last season winning three of his six starts and placed in the other three in decent class handicaps. He’s got a 204 day absence to overcome although 9 of the 11 are also coming here on the back of a lay off also. Off of the same mark as when third in the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr in April he looks sure to be thereabouts under Jack Quinlan who could force the pace on the seven year old. Top weight Gentleman At Arms was a smart staying novice last season and makes his handicap debut off of top weight for Newport Pagnell trainer Stuart Edmunds. He ended his novice season with a highly credible 2nd of 14 in the grade one Sefton Novices’ Hurdle here over 3m. The drop in trip shouldn’t be a problem and he should be thereabouts. Fellow handicap debutant A Different Kind represents Donald McCain and Brian Hughes and is yet another possible along with Fergal O’Brien’s Peking Rose. A tough call but it’s Onemorefortheroad for me.

 

ONEMOREFORTHEROAD 1 point each way @ 9/2 William Hill 1/5th 1234

 

Limerick 3.35

The Munster National is run over three miles and this year has attracted a maximum field of sixteen runners. As you would expect it’s a very open handicap chase although if there is one horse who looks very well treated surely it’s the Robcour owned Henry De Bromhead trained Ain’t That A Shame. Lightly raced over the big obstacles he was placed behind some smart types in novice company last season before going to Cheltenham in the Kim Muir and being very well supported into 6/1. He flopped then, taking a keen hold and surely he’s better than that effort. He’s 7lb lower back on home soil and he can be backed each way with enhanced places. Gordon Elliott fires five at the race the best of whom may be Floueur whilst Joseph O’Brien is responsible for the top two in the weights, the JP McManus owned Early Doors and A Wave Of The Sea who have each way claims.

 

AIN’T THAT A SHAME 1 point each way @ 6/1 William Hill 1/5th 123456

 

 

 

 

[kensland]

Aintree. 

Double. 

3.15. Peking Rose.       10/3.... 1st 

5.05. Bombay Sapphire.        5/4.... unpl 

singles & double. 

Good luck all. 

Edited October 23, 2022 by kensland