Racing Chat - Saturday 9th March

[The Brigadier]

The calm before the storm! The ITV cameras are showing six races on Saturday before the onslaught to Prestbury Park next week and here are my thoughts on the six.

 

Sandown 1.50

The days ITV schedule starts with a seventeen runner 2M 4F EBF Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Final. Paul Nicholls has taken two of the last four renewals with McFabulous and Complete Unknown and appears to hold anther decent chance with top weight Fire Flyer. He’s won two of his three starts over hurdles including when defeating the smart Secret Squirrel at Taunton last time out. This is his first start in a handicap with his mark of 127 looking fair enough. Harry Cobden is in the saddle and he looks to have a good chance. Jonjo O’Neill’s Hasthing is another with a good chance now stepping back up in trip off of what appears a fair mark.

 

FIRE FLYER 1 point each way @ 9/2 BetVictor 1/5th 12345

 

Sandown 2.25

The day’s feature race at the Esher track is the Betfair Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle run over two miles. It features sixteen runners and as always has an open enough look about it. One horse who will love the soft conditions and has been running well all season is Olly Murphy’s Go Dante. He beat Doddiethegreat at Cheltenham in December and ran with plenty of credit when third in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury 57 days later to Iberico Lord who’s been supplemented this week for the Champion Hurdle. He had a few of these behind him that day and off of the same handicap mark and with Sean Bowen riding looks sure to give us a big run for our money each way with additional places.

 

GO DANTE 1 point each way @ 6/1 William Hill 1/5th 123456

 

Wolverhampton 2.40

Just six go to post for this listed 7F 36 yard Lady Wulfruna Stakes in which favourite Shouldhavebeenaring has a very solid look about him. Richard Hannon’s grey ended last season running creditably in group 1 events so this represents a big drop in class. He has 9lb and upwards in hand of his five rivals and if straight enough will be very hard to beat with Sean Levey in the saddle. The progressive Doctor Khan Junior who is five from seven on the all weather may end up the biggest threat to the pick but this is all about Shouldhavebeenaring.

 

SHOULDHAVEBEENARING 2 points win @ 11/8 bet365

 

Sandown 3.00

The British Stallion Studs EBF Mares National Hunt race is next up, a listed contest run over two miles with a dozen promising mares facing the judge here. Mark Walford’s Just Call Me Lucy ran right away with a bumper up at Carlisle when last seen, 89 days ago and is a player although I’m not too sure what she beat that day. I’m happy to take a chance on the only rules newcomer in the race and Dan Skelton’s Honky Tonk Highway. It looks significant that trainer Dan Skelton has thrown her straight into listed company for her debut under rules having looked useful when winning a 3M maiden point to point on heavy ground at Tattersalls Farm last October. The horse she beat that day Diva Luna is now in the hands of Ben Pauling and won a listed bumper at Market Rasen last month to massively frank the form. Skelton’s Milan mare was bought for £165,000 after her victory and t would be no shock if she was to strike at the first time of asking.

 

HONKY TONK HIGHWAY 1 point win @bet365

 

Wolverhampton 3.15

The 1M 142 yard BetMGM Lincoln Trial Handicap features eleven runners of whom only three are actually entered in the Lincoln which is a fortnight away today. The horse that catches my eye is the Clive Cox trained Kingdom Come. The Kingman five year old has won three of his five starts on the all weather and has not been disgraced in two efforts this season when runner up to the progressive Doctor Khan Junior and his latest third at Lingfield can be marked up as he had a poor trip round. Off of the same mark and with Rossa Ryan in the saddle he looks excellent each way value, especially wit the firms paying four places.

 

KINGDOM COME 1 point each way @ 5/1 William Hill 1/5th 1234

 

Sandown 3.35

A £50,000 2M 4F novices’ handicap chase that has attracted just eight runners. Paul Nicholls’ top weight Golden Son may well be the one they all have to beat. He bounced back to form following two pulled up efforts in first time cheek pieces at Kempton a fortnight ago when beating Heltenham by half a length. Heltenham has boosted the form since by winning the Greatwood Gold Cup at Newbury so a 3lb rise may not be enough to stop this ex french six year old who runs in the colours of one of Nicholls’s biggest patrons Johnny de la Hey. Kotmask trained by Gary Moore is chasing a hat trick and looks the danger.

 

GOLDEN SON 1 point win @ 3/1 BetVictor

 

[black rabbit]

Belargus                                         4 40 San/                1/40th of a pt ew   18/1

Holy Fire                                         5 00 Wol/                1/40th of a pt ew   22/1

 

 

 

P/L   + 176.20pts

Edited March 9 by black rabbit