Author: John Burke

Hi all,

No luck yesterday and all three remaining selections ran below expectations. Today’s selections are from Lingfield, Clonmel and Newton Abbot.

Lingfield

3:45 – Sorrel – 3/1 – Gen – Has improved with each of her four starts in handicap company this season and last time out found plenty for pressure to win a Class 2 contest at Doncaster. Needs to find a bit more for the step into pattern company but if she does won’t be far away at the finish.

Clonmel

2:50 – Sweet Sting – 4/1 @ Ladbrokes – Is in the form of her life after two wins at Tipperary. The 5-year-old has been hiked up 11lb for the last of those successes 9-days ago which makes life harder but she going the right way and looks capable of more improvement.

Newton Abbot

3:58 – Jurys Out – 3/1 @ Paddy Power –  A soft ground hurdle winner at Carlisle. The selection has just had the two starts over fences, was still going well when unseating his rider three out on his chase debut at Hereford in November, before finishing third at the same venue 125-days ago. A mark of 100 looks workable and trainer Venetia Williams had been among the winners in the past 7-days.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

A bit of a disappointment yesterday, after Monday’s success.  However, at the prices I’m playing at then losing runs are inevitable and they can be long ones.  

I have whittled down a shortlist of six to four selections from Taunton, Kempton and Dundalk. One more selection than normal but I found it difficult to slice ‘n’ dice them any further.

Taunton

3:40 – Shut The Box – 6/1 @ Bet365 – The selection made a satisfactory return to action when 2^nd of 10 over hurdles at Fontwell 26-days ago.  Looks on a workable mark for his debut over fences and trainer Chris Gordon has an excellent record with his handicap chase debutants – 8 winners from 21 runners 38% +46.88 14 placed 67% in the past 5-years.

4:10 – Dido – 17/2 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook –  Has yet to win on his six starts under rules but is a six-time point winner, including on good to firm. A poor run on good to soft, sandwiched between a couple of good efforts on a sound surface.  Found 1m 7 ½ f to short at Wincanton 13-days ago and should be suited by the step up to 2m 7f here. Yard’s runners in winning form but he wouldn’t want the ground to ease further.

Kempton

5:15 – Gray Sparkle – 11/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Made a winning nursery & all-weather debut over C&D 7-days ago. Has a 6lb penalty to carry for that success but can go close if the quick turnround and stall 8 isn’t an inconvenience to the filly.

Dundalk

6:30 – Linus Larrabee – 4/1 @ Bet365 – Remains a maiden after nine starts but has been running well in handicaps this summer and last time post a career best effort when 2^nd of 13 at Navan 6-days ago. Shaped like he need further than 5 ½ f at Navan and looks worth another go over 7f. Stall 12 could be better but he should run well for trainer Edward Lynam (3-10 in the past 14-days).

Cheers

John

Hi all,

A nice Galway double courtesy of Teed Up & Excuzio Joe. What a great ride Sam Ewing gave the latter to overcome his wide draw in 17.  I almost left the Galway pair off yesterday’s shortlist and was only going to put one selection up on.

Bangor

3:40 – Java Point – 100/30 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power – A winner of a 3m Irish Point in March 2019. The 5-year-old ran well on both novice hurdle starts last season and makes his handicap hurdle debut off what looks a satisfactory mark. The step up to 2m 3 ½ f looks a positive and his point win came on soft to heavy so underfoot conditions should be fine. Trainer Kim Bailey is 8 -27 30% with his runners in the past 14-days.

Chepstow

1:50 – Hideaway Vic – 7/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Trainer Anthony Honeyball had a novice handicap chase winner with Acey Milan at Aintree on Sunday and I think he can have one here with the selection. The 7-year-old was sent off the odds-on favourite for his handicap hurdle debut at Plumpton in January. He finished runner-up that day and can race off the same mark here. Looks the type to make up into chaser and has had a wind-op since running poorly in March.

Catterick

3:15 – Redrosezorro – 100/30 @ Bet365 – Is a real Catterick specialist and made 6 wins from 14 runs at the track when winning over C&D 10-days ago. The 6-year-old has been nudged 4lb for that success and has yet to win off a mark above 80 but he’s handily drawn to attack and shouldn’t be far away.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Today’s selections are from Redcar and Galway. Conditions are likely to be gruelling at both tracks in particular Galway where the going is being described as heavy.

Redcar

4:10 – Round The Island – 7/2 @ William Hill – Was an easy winner at Pontefract (soft) 7-days ago. The 4lb penalty shouldn’t stop him following up although this 6f is sharper than Pontefract. His form figures when running within 7-days of his last start are 11431 and trainer Richard Whitaker has an excellent strike rate with his handicapper returning to the track within 7-days – 16 winners from 47 runners 34% +67.96 27 placed 57%.

Galway

1:55 – Teed Up – 11/4 @ Bet365 – Hails from the inform Ken Condon yard 2 winners from 2 runners in the past seven days. The 3-year-old showed heavy ground holds no terrors for him when winning over C&D two starts, beating subsequent winner Dance Jupiter in the process. Since then he’s gone onto put in a career best on RPR’s when finishing runner-up at Tipperary 23-days ago. Handy draw in stall 2 and looks capable of bit more improvement.

3:40 – Excuzio Joe – 7/1 @ Bet365 & Sky Bet – Is a five-race maiden but the 3-year-old put in a career best when 2^nd of 11 at the Curragh 15-days ago. Goes well on testing ground and the booking of 7lb apprentice Sam Ewing is another positive. Looks capable of winning a handicap like this, if he can overcome his wide draw in stall 17.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Both Saturday’s selections ran well to place and if you had an each-way double you were smiling. However, neither looked like winning their races.

Wincanton

4:37 – High Wells – 15/8 @ Paddy Power & Bet365 – Improved on the flat over the summer and looks on a winnable mark if he can replicate that improvement over hurdles. Drop back to 2m should suit the 6-year-old and he can get off the mark at the 6^th attempt over obstacles.

Hexham

12:25 – Blazing Port – 3/1 @ Bet365 – A half-brother to Burton Port & Burtons Well the selection is bred to do well over jumps. A winner of a Sedgefield bumper (soft) on his racecourse debut last December.  First run over hurdles and first start for new trainer Nick Alexander but I expect him to make it a winning one here.

Wexford

1:35 – Fresh Appeal – 6/1 – Gen – Relished heavy ground when winning a Clonmel novice hurdle in March. First run since and needs to have improved to win this but given the 5-year-old’s only had two starts over hurdles she maybe capable of doing so.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Three selections today from Newbury & Newmarket.

Newbury

12:40 – Achelois – 6/4 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Built on the promise of her racecourse debut here, when 2^nd of 10 at Newmarket (soft) 14-days ago. The first two pulled clear of the rest that day and she looks capable of putting her experience to good use here.

Newcastle

5:00 – Apatite – 7/4 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook – Was running on at the finish when 4^th of 9 at Chelmsford 22-days ago. More improvement to come form the daughter of Gleneagles and she looks capable of winning a race like this.

8:30 – Kapona – 5/2 – Gen – A previous course winner he’s now 2lb lower than when beaten a short head at Chelmsford back in August. Was doing his best work at the finish when 6^th here 16-days ago and looks worth a return to 7f. Doesn’t win very often but is on a winnable mark when all the cards fall right.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

The winning run came to an end on Tuesday but both selections gave us a run for our money when finishing runner-up in their respective races. Just the two today from Newmarket and Fontwell.

Newmarket

1:35 – Dubawi Sands – 7/4 – Gen – There seems to be a lot of confidence that this half-brother to 2,000 Guineas winner Galileo Gold can make a winning racecourse debut. It will be interesting to see how he fares in the pre-race betting.

Fontwell

4:55 – Furius De Ciergues – 5/1 – Gen – Took a step forward on his second start over fences when a staying on 3^rd of 12 at Doncaster (3m) in February. The form of that race has worked out well with three horses going onto win next time out. Seasonal return here so fitness has to be taken on trust but the step up to 3m 2f should suit the 5-year-old.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Another winner yesterday to keep things ticking along nicely.

Tipperary

5:25 – Enniskerry – 7/4 @ Paddy Power & Sky Bets –  Is a potentially exciting newcomer to the National Hunt sphere. A half brother to the useful Good Boy Bobby, the son of Jeremy is expected to go close on his bumper debut for an owner/trainer who’s made a good start to his training career.

Kempton

6:10 – Mini Milk – 100/30 – Gen – Put in an improved display to win over C&D two starts back.  Never got into the race when returned to turf and 7f at Salisbury 19-days ago. Now 9lb higher than for her last win but returned to the surface and distance could continue to progress.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Just the one winner on Sunday with Whatsyourstatus running out a comfortable winner at Cork Yesterday’s other selection Fidelio Vallis ran well to finish runner-up at Kempton. Still another small profit added to the betting bank.

Today’s selections are from Gowran Park.

Gowran Park

3:35 – Port Sunlight – 7/4 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook – Shaped with promise when 4^th of 9 on her racecourse debutat Navan 51-days ago. The daughter of Harzand will be all the better for that initial run and can out her experience to good use against some nicely bred newcomers.

5:05 – Swift Verdict – 15/8 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook – Promise on all three starts for John Gosden and the colt is having his first start for Willie Mullins today. Probably on a winnable mark off 72, if suited by the step up to 1m 6f and soft ground.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

As I said yesterday, I wasn’t expecting a three timer on Saturday and so it proved as I had to settle for just a double.

Just the two selections today from Kempton & Cork.

Kempton

2:22 – Fidelio Vallis – 5/4 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power – Improved to win novice hurdles at Wincanton and over C&D and looks worth step up into Listed company here. Can improve further with racing and provided he handles the quickest ground he raced on so far, he can give trainer Paul Nicholls another winner.

Cork

2:42 – Whatsyourstatus – 2/1 @ Bet365 – A winner over fences on good ground at Tramore last month. He improved further to finish runner-up to last week’s Munster National winner at Clonmel 17-days ago. Effective on a sound surface he returns to hurdling in form and off what looks a good handicap mark.

Cheers

John