Hugh Taylor Selections

[Sporting Sam]

As I said on Thursday, I’m starting a new thread on Hugh’s selections for the reasons given then. This is a thread that anyone who wants to, can cut and paste the Hugh Taylor Selections and put them up here. I’m cutting down my involvement  here to a healthy three days a week.

Straight away Hugh had a winner yesterday with a very good pick in Flash Bardot a horse I’ve followed in the past as it is a sixties icon progeny.

The rationale behind the selection was very sound.

So whenever He puts up one like that where sound reasoning in the context of the actual race the horse is in running in comes into play, I’ll flag it up. 
 

Published 8.59 & 9.29 - all selections online

The 1m4f handicap at Kempton this evening (7.45) looks notably weak in terms of all-weather form, despite having a couple of recent turf winners in the line-up, and TRUSTY SCOUT makes some each-way appeal, given he has plenty of solid all-weather form at this level, in a race which seems to feature plenty of dead wood.

He doesn’t win very often, but usually gives his running at this level, and shaped as if in form at Chelmsford last time over 1m6f, caught a bit further back than ideal.

He ran very well when second over this course and distance in May. The winner was a handicap blot who showed much-improved form on his first start for Alan King and went on to win two of his three subsequent starts, and the third and fourth, who finished a long way clear of the remainder, both won in higher grades next time.

Trusty Scout is 2lb lower here, and if he reproduces that form, he’s very likely to make the frame and has a good chance of winning.

In the 1m4f fillies’ handicap at Newbury (4.45) FLASH BARDOT might be worth chancing each-way in the belief that she might be suited by the very testing ground.

She ran poorly at Bath last time, but I doubt she appreciated the very firm conditions that day, and it’s worth noting that she has run well on both occasions that she has encountered a little cut in the ground.

She often races keenly, but the presence of a couple of frontrunners in today’s field might help her settle, and David Probert takes over in the saddle from an apprentice.

There’s a chance that today’s even more testing conditions might bring about some more improvement in her, as the progeny of her sire Sixties Icon have a notably good record on testing ground, and she might bounce back from that firm-ground flop.

 

HUGH'S BEST BETS (1-5 POINTS):

4.45 NEWBURY

1pt each-way FLASH BARDOT (12-1 bet365, William Hill, 11-1 general)

7.45 KEMPTON

1pt each-way TRUSTY SCOUT (6-1 Betfred, William Hill, 11-2 general, 7-1 bet365)

SATURDAY 23rd September 2023

 

00 - another selection may follow.

HODLER is at his best when the mud is flying and he looks set for a big run with conditions back in his favour in the 7f handicap at Newbury today (4.25).

He has won on fast ground, but is more potent when there’s plenty of give underfoot, as first highlighted when he won at Epsom last year on heavy going despite challenging away from the favoured stands rail.

His subsequent second on his final start last season when trying to concede 4lb to fellow mudlark Astral Beau (now rated 105) on soft ground at Newmarket also reads very well.

He hit form on his third start this year when readily winning a competitive handicap on deep ground at the Chester May meeting. He had a short break after his next run, presumably put away until the autumn rains arrived, and shaped as if back in form at Chester last time on ground that probably wasn’t quite deep enough for him.

All four career wins have come under talented apprentice Ryan Sexton, but the booking of Oisin Murphy is hardly a negative, and back under testing conditions a big run looks likely.

HUGH'S BEST BETS (1-5 POINTS):

4.25 NEWBURY

1pt win HODLER (9-2 & 4-1 general)

All prices correct at time of publishing - please see top

Edited September 23, 2023 by Sporting Sam

[Sporting Sam]

UGH'S BEST BETS (1-5 POINTS):

2.15 NEWMARKET

1pt win MAGGIE'S WAY (14-1 Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook, BetVictor, 12-1 & 11-1 general)

3.40 CURRAGH

1pt win MISSION TO MOON (9-1 general)

4.25 NEWBURY

1pt win HODLER (9-2 & 4-1 general)

5.00 NEWBURY

2pts win LUNATICK (11-1 & 10-1 general)