Racing Chat - Friday 25th October

[The Brigadier]

Seven races from ITV today and here's my thoughts - 

 

Cheltenham 1.50

Just five line up for this class 2 2M novices’ chase, the first race of the new season at Cheltenham for the ITV cameras. Four of the five are carrying penalties with the one exception being Gavin Cromwell’s Path d’Oroux. He’s raced in and shown good form in decent handicap company but is nought from ten over fences hence he retains his novice status. On official ratings he’s 16lb and more superior to his four rivals and should be winning this all be it at skinny enough odds.

 

PATH d’OROUX 1 point win @ 6/4 BetVictor

 

Doncaster 2.08

An eight runner fillies maiden is one of three races covered at the Yorkshire track by the ITV crew and although we have two nicely bred newcomers in the shape of the Gosden’s Queen Of Thieves who is a full sister to Cracksman and the William Haggas trained Wonder Star who cost 200,000 guineas as a yearling you can’t beat experience, especially on the likely testing ground so the pick is the David Menuisier trained Janey Mackers who was strong in the market on her racecourse debut when a 1 1/2L third in a Yarmouth maiden won by a promising Gosden debutant. Sure to have improved for that this daughter of New Bay can put that experience to good use and go two better.

 

JANEY MACKERS 1 point win @ 3/1 bet365

 

Cheltenham 2.25

A valuable class 2 two mile handicap chase features nine speedy chasers including last year’s one-two Dancing On My Own and Triple Trade who both have good claims especially the former who is actually 4lb better off with his old rival today and arrives on the back of a win at Ballinrobe 60 days ago. The fancy however is the in form Nigel Twiston-Davies runner Matata who has a 100% record fresh over the past three seasons so a 195 day absence shouldn’t be a problem for this likeable six-year-old who runs in the double green colours of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

 

MATATA 1 point win @ 11/4 bet365

 

Doncaster 2.43

Fourteen run in this class 3 1M handicap run on the straight corse on soft ground. Many here are proven in soft ground and the race has a wide open look about it. One of six three-year-olds in the race William Muir & Chris Grassick’s Ebt’s Guard was very well backed when winning a classified stakes race at Ascot last time out having previously finished a decent sixth in the Cambridgeshire and with his liking for soft ground can be competitive off of just a 2lb higher handicap mark. He can be backed each way with additional places.

 

EBT’S GUARD 1 point each way @ 7/1 William Hill 1/5th 1234

 

Cheltenham 3.00

Just six go to post for the 2M Grade 2 Sky Bet Novices’ Hurdle. The stand out performer here is the Adrian Keatley winning machine Gale Mahler. She has won six of her seven career starts with her best performance coming when upped into listed company at Galway in July when running out a 10L winner. She is penalised 5lb for that run but the likeable five-year-old mare can win again with Paul Nicholls’s Brave Knight the one to chase her home with his latest victory already working out well.

 

GALE MAHLER 1 point win @ 4/5 bet365

 

Doncaster 3.18

A nine runner class 2 6F handicap in which the stand out horse is without doubt the improving three-year-old of William Haggas’s Altmore. The gelding won without coming off of the bridle on his handicap debut at Pontefract earlier this month on soft ground and even though that was a class 5 contest he looked a horse way ahead of his mark and with Tom Marquand taking over from Danny Tudhope stands out as the best bet of the day with conditions to suit again even though he will have to cope with a rise of 11lb. Zoum Zoum is interesting making his handicap debut on ground that suits for Ralph Beckett and looks the danger.

 

ALTMORE 2 points win @ 6/4 William Hill

 

Cheltenham 3.35

A highly competitive handicap chase for amateur jockeys only is up next to be run over 3M 1F. Nineteen will line up and we’ll need some luck in running here for sure. Last year’s winner Mole Court is back to defend his title along with the third and fourth from that race Wick Green and Strictlyadancer. They all have claims but it’s the younger Atlanta Brave that catches my eye. Kerry Lee has her string in good form and saddles her six-year-old with the experienced Zac Baker on top. This will only be his fifth career start over the bigger obstacles so there may easily be some improvement to come if straight enough for his first run since March.

 

ATLANTA BRAVE 1 point each way @ 8/1 Quinnbet 1/5th 12345

 

 

[Tedthewolf]

Just a heads up Bet365 have BOG some of their races for tomorrow already.