Author: John Burke

Hi all,

Today’s selections are from Ayr, Redcar, and Leicester.

Ayr

3:15 – Corrieben Reiver – 11/2 – Gen – All four runners make their debut over fences. The selection was arguably the second best of these over hurdles, and his very best form came on soft/heavy ground.  However, we haven’t seen him for 534-days but maybe fresh is the best time to catch the 8-year-old as he won off 233-day absence in 2019 and 480-day layoff last year.

Redcar

3:40 – Pisanello – 13/2 @ Bet365 & Ladbrokes – Handicap debutant Awaal could be well treated. However, I’m taking him on with the selection who was runner-up in the Straight-Mile Series Final Handicap over C&D 23-days ago. You can’t knock his consistency since making a winning seasonal reappearance and he deserves to win another race and the 5-year-old did win twice on heavy ground when trained in France.

Leicester

3:30 – Micks Dream – 7/1 – Gen – A useful handicapper on a going day as he was when beating nine rivals at Newmarket in July. The 4-year-old hasn’t progressed on three starts since but was a decent enough 3 ½ lengths 4th of 14 at Windsor three weeks ago. Doing the best of those ridden patiently last time and. Capable of going close if handling today’s softer underfoot conditions.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Today’s selections are from Aintree and the Curragh.

2:40 – Hitman – 11/4 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Trainer Paul Nicholls thinks he can win in Grade 1 company this season and although he carries top weight here a mark of 159 looks a winnable one. He’s had a wind-op since finishing runner-up to Fakir D’oudairies in the Grade 1 Marsh Chase over C&D in April.

Curragh

3:45 – Beamish – 15/8 – Gen – The favourite comes into the race fresher than most with 2-wins from 4 runs this season. An excellent head 3^rd of 9 to Duke De Sessa in the Group 3 Paddy Power Stakes at Leopardstown (1m 4f) 43 days ago. Steps up to 2m here but stays 1m ¾ f and goes well on soft ground.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Today’s selections are from Cheltenham and Kelso.

Cheltenham

1:30 – Rexam – 5/2 @ Bet365 – An improving novice hurdler who bids for the hat trick after wins at Downpatrick and Killarney. Yard had a double here yesterday and have taken the last two running’s of this race.

3:15 – Clear The Runway – 4/1 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook – The 6-year-old returned from a four month absence to make it 5 wins from 7 starts over fences.  This is a deeper race on a very different track, but he remains very much on the upgrade.

5:00 – Strong Leader – 3/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Is bred to win over jumps and the 5-year-old couldn’t have been more impressive when making a winning racecourse debut at Warwick in May. He produced an excellent turn of foot to win at Warwick and looks a useful prospect.

Kelso

4:00 – Edmond Dantes – 3/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Made a winning start to his chase career at Market Rasen (2m 3f) in February and has occupied the runner-up spot on his last two starts. Doesn’t lack pace so the drop back to 2m 1f shouldn’t inconvenience the 6-year-old and if he’s ready to roll after a summer break can win this.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Today’s selections are from Dundalk, Cheltenham and Newbury.

Dundalk

7:30 – Manaccan – 7/4 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – The English challenger is an improving sprinter who won a Doncaster Listed race last month before finishing a neck 3^rd of 12 to Mitbaahy in a Group 3 and then won again in Listed company at Ascot last time. He could prove to be a Group 1 sprinter at 5f next season. Is the one to beat if handling the surface.

Cheltenham

2:10 – Jetoile – 4/1 @ Bet365 –  Ran Aucunrisque to ¾ length when 2^nd of 4 at Uttoxeter on seasonal return/chase debut 19-days ago.  A useful novice hurdler, he jumped well on his first start over the larger obstacles and in receipt of 5lb from the winner is entitled to get closer here.

Newbury

2:35 – Misty Dancer – 11/4 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Made it 2-2 on turf when making a winning handicap debut at Ayr last month. Up 5lb but seemed to have a bit in hand at the line. The selection is a filly going the right way and although soft ground is an unknown, has won on good to soft, her dam won on rain softened ground so there is hope she’ll be fine on the likely underfoot conditions.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Plenty of fancies today and I genuinely can’t split them, so it was a choice of either going with none or put up all six and I decided to go with the latter. We’ll find out if was the right decision later this afternoon.

Thursday’s selections are from Carlisle, Thurles, and Southwell.

Carlisle

3:20 – Cooper’s Cross – 3/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Returned from after 4 months lay off with a much improved effort when a head 2nd of 7 back in May. Up 2lb but looks the type to improve further over fences and should be able to win another handicap chase if ready first time up.

Thurles

2:35 – Early Arrival – 8/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Remains a maiden after 12 starts over hurdles and fences but he’s shaped on his lats two start like he can win a small handicap like this. Made a mistake at the last fences when still in with chance at the last when 2^nd of 11 at Wexford two starts back and went close over hurdles last time.

4:55 – Natural Look – 5/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Got off the mark at the eighth attempt over hurdles when winning at Gowran Park (2m 4f) 19-days ago. Has an 8lb rise in the weights to defy but could do so no stepped up to 2m 7f.

Southwell

1:20 – Global Warning – 15/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – A four time winner on the tapeta but has yet to score for his present yard. Although he was a 1 ¾ length 2^nd of 10 at Wolverhampton in August and was unlucky not to finish much closer, denied a run 1f out, when a 4 ¼ length 5th of 9 back at that venue 23-days ago. Capable of winning of his present mark when all the cards fall right.

2:30 – Sovereign Slipper – 13/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Completed the hat trick when winning at Wolverhampton in November 2021. He was very a much a sprint handicapper on the upgrade at the time, but we haven’t seen the 4-year-old since. Now 7lb higher but can defy that weight rise if ready to roll after his absence.

4:50 – Spit Spot – 11/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Produced a career beston RPR’s when winning over today’s distance at Chelmsford 26-days ago. A lightly raced 3-year-old she’s only been raised 2lb for that success and there should be more to come if handling today’s new surface.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Today’s selections are from Navan and Newmarket.

Navan

2:10 – Teddy Boy – 8/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Won this corresponding race in 2019 & 2020 and finished fourth last year. Did well from a poor draw when a 4 ½ length 4^th of 13 at Bellewstown 20-days ago. Tends to give his running more often than not and should have a decent draw in stall 19.

5:05 – Wajaaha – 7/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Over two years since the 7-year-old last won but but he’s run with credit on his last two starts. He was doing his best work at the finish when 2 lengths 3rd of 18 at the Curragh 6-days ago and should be suited by a return to 1m 6f.

Newmarket

3:35 – Forceful Speed – 9/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – The 2-year-oldmade all to win a Pontefract novice race 16-days ago. Back in handicap company and although he’s up 4lb he seems to be going the right way. In race were there doesn’t look to be much pace he’s likely to be better positioned than most.

4:10 – Queenlet – 7/2 @ Bet365 – Returned to winning ways and posted a career best when beating nine rivals at Musselburgh 9-days ago. Strong at the finish over 7f last time she will be suited by a return to a mile. Has a 6lb penalty to carry for her latest success but looks to be going the right way. Trainer William Haggas won this last year and also saddled the winner in 2017.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Today’s selections are from Kempton and Gowran Park.

Kempton

7:30 – Miramichi – 4/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – The 4-year-old has failed to add to last years’ four wins this season. However, he’s been running credibly on turf this summer and last time out was a ½ length 3^rd of 13 over C&D on his all-weather debut. A 2lb rise in the weights doesn’t make life easy nor does stall 11 but he looks capable of winning on the all-weather.

8:30 – Bibulous – 5/2 – Gen – The top-weights sole career win came over C&D last November and he remains unexposed on the synthetics. Comes into the race on the back of a solid effort when a neck 2^nd of 8 to Dora Penny at Ffos Las 22-days ago. He should be capable of landing an all-weather handicap off his present mark.

Gowran Park

3:30 – Carirose – 11/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – An eight race maiden, but she was only beaten a head into second at Tipperary in April, off 1lb higher. The filly made an encouraging return from a 5 month layoff when a 3 length 5th of 13 at Killarney 8-days ago. Seems well suited to testing ground and shouldn’t be far away if backing up last week’s effort.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Today’s selections are from Pontefract, Windsor, and Wolverhampton.

Pontefract

2:00 – Sirona – 7/2 @ Bet365 – The filly looked a nice middle distance prospect for next season when winning a Listed race at Cologne 22-days ago. She has a 3lb penalty to carry for that success but is capable of more improvement and can land the Pontefract feature race.

Windsor

3:00 – Wisper – 11/4 @ Bet365 & Ladbrokes – The selection has good season since joining his present yard winning four times including a career best on RPR’s when winning over C&D 7-days ago. A 5lb penalty unlikely to stop her if in the same form as last week. Winning form this season has come on a sound surface, but she did win on soft for his previous yard last October.

Wolverhampton

6:30 – Aussie Banker – 3/1 @ Bet365 & Ladbrokes – A Haydock winner on his seasonal returnin April. The 3-year-old hasn’t been seen since finishing a 3 ½ length 6^th of 11 at Nottingham back in May. Lightly raced he’s been gelded over the summer and has form on the all-weather that suggests he can win races on the synthetics.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

I’m back from holiday and today’s selections are from Ascot & Catterick.

Ascot

1:25 – Trueshan – 15/8 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Wasn’t at his best and missed a good opportunity when runner-up to Coltrane in the Doncaster Cup last month He’s won this for the last two years and provided the ground has soft in the going description he will make a bold bid for the hat trick. Looks a good price at around 15/8 if back to his best

Catterick

2:45 – Pocket The Profit – 6/1 @ Bet365 – The selection had looked good when winning on seasonal reappearance on heavy ground at Pontefract in April. Hasn’t added to that success on six subsequent starts but he hasn’t been able to race on soft ground either. However, the 3-year-old has shaped like this sort of mark isn’t beyond him when all the cards fall right.

3:15 – Count D’orsay – 6/1 @ Bet365 – Won this corresponding race in 2019 and was beaten a head a year later. On a long losing run and the 6-year-old can be a hit and miss performer these days. However, he was on a going day when a 3 lengths 3^rd of 15 to Kimngrace at York 8-days ago.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

That’s me done until next Saturday. I’m on a break in Devon for the rest of the week and aim to completely switch off from racing and betting. I will be back on Saturday morning.

I’m signing off with a couple of selections from Ffos Las and Goodwood.

Ffos Las

3:10 – Gin Coco – 15/8 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Ran well on just his second start for Harry Fry when finishing a length 2nd of 25 on handicap hurdle debut at the Punchestown Festival.  That was a much improved effort from the 6-year-old and despite a rise in the weights he’s capable of more progress in the sphere.  Plenty to like about his chance apart from his price which was cut overnight. Hopefully we might 2/1 or 9/4 with BOG

Goodwood

4:45 – Pride Of Priory – 11/4 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – The selection completed a hat-trick at Ascot in August. Didn’t enjoy the clearest passages 2f out when only 7th of 15 at Hamilton 44 days ago. The 4-year-old’s winning form has come on the synthetics or good to firm ground, but trainer William Haggas thinks he wants some cut in the ground. We’ll find out if the trainer is right this afternoon.

Cheers

John