Author: John Burke

Hi all,

Today’s selections are from Wincanton.

Wincanton

2:40 – Crossing The Bar – 100/30 & Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook – Has just had the two starts over hurdles and the 4-year-old was a good 3 ¾ length 3rd of 8 at Ffos Las last time. Open to further improvement and makes his handicap hurdle debut off what looks a winnable mark of 108.  

3:15 – Mont Des Avaloirs – 4/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – The selection is back from a 455-day absence here. A useful hurdler, the 9-year-old is 0-5 over fences but he’s shown enough to think he can be competitive off a mark of 137. Looked booked for second when taking a crashing fall at Chepstow when last seen in action. Ground should be fine and trainer Paul Nicholls saddled the winner of this 12 months ago.

3:50 – Storm Force Ben – 3/1 @ Bet365 – Looks to be effective in the mud so should enjoys today’s underfoot conditions. The 8-year-old remains a maiden after 11 starts under rules. Has run well on both starts since going chasing this season, including when finishing 3^rd of 17 over an extended 3m 6f at Exeter last time. That was Class 3 handicap this is Class 5 contest so hopefully he can take advantage of the ease in grade.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Two selections today from Wolverhampton and Dundalk.

Wolverhampton

4:00 – Exuding – 5/1 @ Bet365 or 9/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – A winner of Redcar maiden on her racecourse debut for Roger Varian last season. The 4-year-old has since switched to the Rod Millman and posted a back to form effort when a nearest at the finish 2 ¼ length 3rd of 10 at Southwell last month. Looks worth a go over 7f and is likely capable of better.

Dundalk

4:15 – Pilbara Gold – 3/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Posted a much-improved performance and a career best when a running on ½-length 2nd of 8 in a 6f nursery here last month. Down to 5f for the first time but Siobhan Rutledge takes off a handy 5lb and the selection shouldn’t be far away if taking to the drop in trip.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Today’s selections are from Chepstow and Clonmel.

Chepstow

3:20 – Caswell Bay – 11/2 @ Paddy Power & Ladbrokes – Last season was season to forget for connections of the selection. However, the 7- year-old returned from a 10-month absence with an encouraging 11 ¾ lengths 5th of 9 to the progressive Green Book at Haydock 19-days ago.  That performance came over an inadequate 1m 7 ½ f and he’s better suited to further. A C&D winner in January 2020 on heavy ground, off 4lb higher. He will be sharper for his Haydock return and can go well.

3:50 – Destin D’ajonc – 9/2 @ Bet365 – Another previous C&D winner in the mud. The 9-year-old won over C&D in February off 1lb lower. Back from a wind operation. He shaped nicely enough on his seasonal return when 5^th of 10 at Uttoxeter last month. The run will have been needed last time and he’s the pick here.

Clonmel

1:20 – Belle Lurette – 6/1 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power – I’m going to take on the short-priced favourite here with Belle Lurette. The mare had shown promise in bumpers in the spring but had struggled on her first three starts in maiden company. She shaped much better when a 16 ¾ lengths 5^th of 16 on handicap debut here last month. There is a race in her off a mark of around 87.

Cheers

John

Hi all

Today’s selections are from Ffos Las & Kempton.

Ffos Las

3:25 – Alkopop – 4/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Twice a winner on heavy ground, over hurdles, in Jan/Feb 2021. The 8-year-old had run well for a long way on his chase debut/seasonal reappearance before falling two out at Wetherby last month. He was likely beaten at the time but it was an encouraging effort given it was his first start since March. Steadily progressive in handicap hurdles last season and capable of progressive over fences.

Kempton

4:30 – Small Print – 9/2 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power – The selection had looked better suited by the step up to 7f at Lingfield last month and makes her handicap debut off what looks a workable mark.  Likely capable of better and it’s interesting that the owners retained jockey Danny Tudhope comes down for the one ride.

7:00 – Hafeet Alain – 9/4 @ Bet365 – An improving 3-year-old handicapper when trained by Adrian Nicholls. He struggled on three starts in Hong Kong. Returning from 11 months off the track and now with Ed Walker. He improved with each of his three starts last autumn and put in a career best when a head 2^nd of 6 on his all-weather debut at Wolverhampton 39-days ago. One from one over a mile, he can race off the same mark as last time and must have a big chance of going one place better.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Just a couple of placed efforts on Sunday, Today’s selections are from Lingfield & Southwell.

Southwell

12:50 – Ahead Of The Field – 9/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – The 7-year-ild stepped up on a low key chase debut when winning here over 2m 4 ½ f 22-days ago. He’s been raised 5lb for that win but is open to further progress over fences and for the step up to 3m. He flashed his tail on the run but hopefully that doesn’t make him a bit quirky.

Lingfield

12:40 – Rainbow Mirage – 100/30 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Has been in good form on her last two starts here and last time out was close to her best when winning over C&D 19-days ago. Has only been raised 2lb for that success. Needs a good pace to chase which she should get here.

3:10 – Kodiac Harbour – 3/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Twice a winner here in the past (1m). The 7-year-old has yet to win beyond a mile but shaped well enough when a ½ length 2^nd of 7 over C&D 15-days ago. His last success came off 2lb higher and last time hinted that another win wasn’t far away.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

A good start to the New Year with a couple of winners yesterday. However, the key thing is to build on it. Today’s selections are from Naas and Ayr.

Naas

2:10 – Whatdeawant – 11/4 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Looked a useful prospect when making a winning hurdle debut at Navan over 2m 4f and beat likely favourite Ginto in a bumper on his racecourse debut last January. The 6-year-old has won on heavy, so the forecast going shouldn’t hold any terrors for him either. Ginto will be a tough nut to crack but I think he can do it.

3:20 – Never Off Duty – 6/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – There isn’t a more inform trainer in Ireland than Robert Tyner 4-9 in the past 14-days. He saddles the selection who was a respectable 3^rd of 18 when last seen in action in a handicap chase at Navan in December last year. Back over hurdles for his return to action. The 9-year-old clearly hasn’t the easiest to keep sound as he’s only had seven starts since winning a C&D maiden hurdle in March 2017.

Ayr

3:05 – Better Getalong – 15/2 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook – A two-time winner over hurdles and a bumper winner at the track. He’s well handicapped on his best hurdles form although he hasn’t got it together on six starts over the larger obstacles yet. The 11-year-old finished lame when 15 ¾ lengths fourth of 10 at Newcastle 36-days. Soft/heavy ground will suit him better than the good to soft he faced last time.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Sorry for the day this morning. Well, it is New Year’s Day 😊 It’s just selections today.

Exeter

2:25- Samuel Jackson – 7/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes

Musselburgh

2:10 – Tommy’s Oscar – 9/4 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook

Cheltenham

3:10 – Stormy Ireland – 9/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes

Cheers

John

Hi all,

It’s been a tough few months for the service and in truth I’m glad to see the back of 2021. Tomorrow sees the start of a New Year and a chance to start a fresh. However, before then let’s try to end the old year on a winning note. Today’s selections are from Lingfield and Warwick.

Lingfield

12:10 – Here And Now – 11/2 @ Bet365 – sn’t the horse he was but the 7-year-old has dropped down to 1lb below his last winning back and Laura Pearson takes off a handy 5lb.  The selection bounced back to form when a 1 ¼ length 3^rd of 6 at Kempton 30-days ago. A previous C&D winner this a slight ease in grade and provided the race isn’t too tactical shouldn’t be far away for a yard among the winners this month.

1:15 – Fox Duty Free – 2/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Like the previous selection trained by Ralph Beckett. All three off the 4-year-old’s career wins, including C&D have come at Lingfield and he’s now dropped to his last winning mark. Returned to form, after a short break and back on the all-weather, he ran one of his better recent races when a ¾ length 3^rd of 6 at Wolverhampton 34-days ago.

Warwick

1;40 – Hamilton Dici – 7/2 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power – Both the 4-year-old’s career wins have come here. Over hurdles last December and when winning on his chase debut in November. The 4-year-old was a big disappointment when a 13-length 4th of 8 at Fontwell last time. Hopefully a return to C&D will see him come back to form.

All that’s left to do is to you wish you and yours Happy New Year.

Cheers

John

Hi all

Sadly, the winning run came to an end yesterday. Today’s selections are from Haydock and Taunton.

Haydock

12:30 – Lady Bowes – 4/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – The 7-year-old won a maiden hurdle at Hexham last December. It was heavy that day and the mare ran well at that meeting again when a 4-length 3^rd of 14 in a handicap hurdle. She was staying on that day over 2m 4f and could progress for the step up to 3m here.

1:00 – Farrants Way – 11/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – The only one of the six runners that has yet to race over fences. The 7-year-old is having his first start since pulling up here over hurdles in February. Prior to that he had gone close on heavy ground here in a handicap hurdle. He looks a decent mark for his chase debut.

Taunton

1:50 – Cape Robin –12/1 @ Bet365 or 11/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – A winner at Worcester in June. He bounced back to form when a 2-length 2nd of 8 to Reve in a similar race at Ludlow 56-days ago. That was the 7-year-old’s first start beyond 2m 6f since his point days. He showed he stayed an easy 3m 2f that day so today’s 2m 7f will be fine. Wouldn’t want the ground to ease from good to soft but if it doesn’t, he’s in the mix.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Priory Park did the business for us at Leopardstown yesterday. A good job too as my other two selections ran poorly. Most importantly its’ three successive profitable days. Can we make it four on Wednesday?

Today’s selections are from Leopardstown, Newbury, and Doncaster.

Leopardstown

12:00 – Shes Some Doll – 11/2 @ Bet365 – Got off the mark at the fourth attempt over fences when winning a Tramore beginners’ chase 20-days ago. Looks the sort to do well in handicaps. Slight concern that the ground was soft. close to heavy when she won last time and it was heavy when she won over hurdles. Apart from that she looks a on fair mark for handicap chase debut.

Newbury

3:35 – Fern Hill – 5/2 @ Bet365 & Paddt Power – Has to be respected on his neck 2nd of 7 to Come On Teddy in novice handicap chase at Uttoxeter on chase debut 22-days ago. That was the 6-year-old’s first start for 10 months and he was 7lb out of the weights that day. There was plenty to like about his attitude at the finish last time.

Doncaster

2:13 – The Cob – 3/1 @ Paddy Power & Sky Bet – Caught the eye when a 5-length 2nd of 12 to Pileon in handicap at Sandown last time. That was the top-weights first start since finishing down the field in the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. A winner of Grade 2 C&D novice hurdle in January. The softer the ground the better for him.

Cheers

John