Racing Chat - Saturday 27th January

[The Brigadier]

Cheltenham 1.15

A decent thirteen runner Premier Handicap has attracted thirteen chasers over a trip of 2M 4F 127 yards with the race having a wide open look to it. Venetia Williams saddles a brace of runners and it’s the Charlie Deutsch ridden Victtorini who takes my eye. He’s won two handicap chases at Ascot this season over 3M rising just 8lb and may not be too inconvenienced by the drop back in trip. His latest victory has been boosted already by subsequent victories for the third and eighth since and with extra places looks decent each way value.

 

VICTTORINO 1 point each way @ 7/1 bet365 1/5th 1234

 

Cheltenham 1.50

Six chasers line up for the latest renewal of the Grade 2, 3M 1 1/2F Paddy Power Cotswold Chase. Five of the six are carrying penalties and it’s a tightly knit contest where each of the sextet has a chance. Slight preference is for the Patrick Neville trained The Real Whacker who has an excellent record at the track, including a short head victory over Geri Colombe in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Festival last March. He showed plenty more than his re-appearance last time out in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day when fourth with the third Allaho winning since to frank the form. His regular rider Sam Twiston-Davies is back in the saddle and he can run well in a tight race.

 

THE REAL WHACKER 1 point win @ 9/2 bet365

 

Doncaster 2.05

A field of six line up for this Yorkshire Rose Mares Hurdle run over 2M 128 yards. Willie Mullins has sent over two from his Closutton stables in Ireland in the shape of Gala Marceau, ridden by Danny Mullins and Ashroe Diamond ridden by Paddy Mullins. With question marks over the rest of the field they may fight out the finish with preference for Gala Marceau who was not far off the top of the juvenile hurdle pile last season and if straight enough can take this.

 

GALA MARCEAU 1 point win @ 15/8 bet365

 

Cheltenham 2.25

The re-arranged Grade 1 Clarence House Chase has attracted five chasers although unfortunately not El Fabiolo who stays in Ireland for the Dublin Racing Festival next weekend. That surely leaves the path open for Jonbon to continue his winning run (he’s now won twelve of his 14 runs under rules). He’s rated 8lb and upwards better than his quartet of opponents and can take this en route to a clash with El Fabiolo at Cheltenham in March although he will be at unbackable odds today obviously.

 

Doncaster 2.40

Ten line up for the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett River Don Novices’ Hurdle run over 3m 84 yards. It may be between the Paul Nicholls trained Welcom To Castries and Kim Bailey’s Destroytheevidence with slight preference for the latter who has the best piece of form in his locker with his 1 1/4L second to the promising Shangagh Bob in a Grade 2 at Cheltenham in December. A reproduction of that effort should see him go very close to taking this under David Bass for the team who struck with First Flow at Lingfield last weekend.

 

DESTROYTHEEVIDENCE 1 point win @ 4/1 BetVictor

 

Cheltenham 3.00

The Unibet Hurdle run over a distance of 2M 179 yards is up next with five hurdlers lining up. Last year’s top juvenile hurdler Lossiemouth is making her re-appearance having not been seen since winning at the Punchestown Festival last April. If she’s near enough ready she’ll be hard to beat with Paul Townend over to ride her. The other mare in the race, Love Envoi looks her biggest danger and any easing of the ground will be in her favour. A fit Lossiemouth should be winning this for master trainer Willie Mullins.

 

LOSSIEMOUTH 1 point win @ 5/6 William Hill

 

Doncaster 3.15

The day’s big handicap is the SBK Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase run over a trip of 3M. A near maximum field of eighteen have declared and the race, as one would expect, has a wide open look about it. My short list comprises of Emmet Mullins’s Sweet Will, Nick Kent’s Erne River and Christian Williams’s Cap Du Nord. Preference is for the latter who has been placed in this race, off of higher marks, the last three years. He, in typical Christian Williams style, has shown nothing this season but his mark has fallen to a mark 3lb lower than when beaten a length by Coopers Cross last year. Sure to have been aimed at this and sneaking in off bottom weight under Jack Tudor he looks the one to be with although I can’t resist a small each way saver with additional places on Nick Kent’s Erne River who bounced back to form over course and distance last time to bring his course figures to 1121.

 

CAP DU NORD 1 point each way @ 8/1 Betfred 1/5th 12345

ERNE RIVER 1/2 point each way @ 14/1 bet365 1/5th 123456

 

Cheltenham 3.35

The McCoy Contractors Cleeve Hurdle is run over 3M and we have a seven strong field this year. He maybe the joint oldest in the field but Emma Lavelle’s Paisley Park has an excellent record in this race having finished third last year and winning it three times.

He showed last time in in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot before Christmas that he’s lost none of his old zip when going down in a head bobbing finish to Crambo. He had both Dashel Drasher and Champ behind him that day and looks set to confirm the form and win this again at the age of twelve under Tom Bellamy.

 

PAISLEY PARK 1 point win @ 11/4 bet365

 

[White Feather]

The Newest One 14/1 bet 365 - 14:40 Doncaster - 3 places

Erne River 14/1 bet 365 - 15:15 Doncaster - 6 places

2 x singles - each way double