Horse Racing Preview – Perth, Beverley, Punchestown and Market Rasen – 27th April 2017
Today’s horse racing preview comes from Beverley, Perth, Punchestown and Market Rasen. Two nice winning favourites gave the blog two more winners for the week. I was not disappointed with Someday’s run as to be fair, looked in need of the outing yesterday after missing Cheltenham, also pulled very hard throughout a race that was definitely not run to suit.
13.40 Beverley – Westwood Handicap (0-75) (5f)
Michael Easterby’s handicappers have been in fine fettle this season, the yards entry here is Bosham. The course and distance winner won here on this card last year off a mark of 73, going on to run poorly at Haydock when stepped into 0-85 company.
Over the past five months he has been competing on the all-weather which has seen no signs of a win due soon, but deserved respect now back on turf and course. Lucky Beggar looked to have found a new lease of life when runner up at Redcar last week.
Despite a useful sprinter on his day, it’s just off putting that his last win came almost three years ago when winning a 0-110 at Newbury, will have to build on his recent second to thrive here as on his main form he is way ahead of the handicap.
One I am willing to have a small play on is John Wainwright’s Tick the Boxes, who is also another that has a declined turf form of 1-11 which stretches back three years. If he could actually put his all-weather form to turf he would not be entered in this category.
Only just managed to hold on in a claimer at Gosforth park two runs back and failed to follow up at Southwell two weeks later when beaten a head. It’s just one of those selections that should be entering equations around these poor races.
Tick the Boxes : 1pt each way @ 12/1 (BOG)
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14.00 Perth – Murrayshall Hotel & Golf Courses Novices Hurdle (16.2f)
Nicky Henderson looks on the brink of landing the trainers title over the next week and saddles a hot pot here in Top Ville Ben who was looking to make it 3/4 over hurdles when coming to grief at Chepstow under today’s pilot.
His last two runs have seen him out, I am not really convinced he will handle Perth, looking vulnerable and a tendency to make mistakes he could be worth taking him on with James Moffatt’s Golden Town. The once Godolphin trained flat performer commanded a reasonably winning mark of 96 on the turf.
Since joining Moffatt’s set up I think he has done himself justice with some creditable efforts at Musselburgh, being placed on two occasions. They became bold with him when having a crack at Graded level at Haydock in a Supreme trial.
They must think a lot of him to even consider they would have run him in the Supreme Hurdle if he had not pulled up at Haydock, but he was a 100/1 shot that day so optimistic more than positive. I can’t see why he won’t give another good account of himself here even though taking on a well backed Henderson hotpot who does make mistakes.
Golden Town : 1pt each way @ 9/2 (BOG)
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15.05 Perth – Lindsay’s Handicap Hurdle (0-100)
Grand National winning jockey Derek Fox rides my selection in the 3.05 on Mash Potato. The ex Michael Dods inmate and now with Noel Kelly in Ireland, has taken his time to get in front between the flags, almost 21 months, but did it nicely when winning with something in hand at Uttoxeter when beating better graded horses.
His last run probably brought him up into the mid nineties, but the handicapper has been lenient enough to assess him off 89 this afternoon which really should be exploiting. Sports Barrow has to be feared the most now dropping back in trip. Paddy Brennan takes the mount for Colin McBratney.
Mash Potato : 2pt win @ 4/1 (BOG)
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15.35 Perth – Congratulations to Brian Hughes From Stobart Chase (Novices Limited Handicap)
Would it not be ironic if Brian Hughes won this on Malcolm Jefferson’s Spiculas. The eight-year-old missed all of 2015 and most of 2016 through injury, but returned after a 15 month break when finishing second in a 0-120.
Beaten favourite on his next two runs around 0-120 class made you wonder if the handicapper had already managed to grip him. He bumped into my selection for this race, Ryalex, who he beat to one and three quarter lengths when conceding over a stone at the weights.
Spiculas will have to concede another two pound which gives Ryalex a chance to get closer than their Carlisle encounter. The selection was runner on the card 12 months ago beaten fourteen lengths in a maiden contest under the same sponsors, the drying ground should help his cause this afternoon.
Ryalex : 1pt each way @ 15/2 (BOG)
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18.40 Punchestown – Ryanair Novice Chase (Grade 1) (16f)
I have been trying to get this Willie Mullins Great Field beaten this evening. The useful French hurdler made his debut for the new surroundings when winning the Foxrock Cup at Lepoardstown when defeating Draco of Aiden O’Brien’s.
Sent straight to the Cheltenham festival last season which saw him pull up in the County Hurdle. Since taken chasing he has thrived no end which included landing a Listed chase at Thurles last month. With only two defeats in his career it looks like he just has to turn up and he wins, but he is prone to jumping errors under pressure and I am hoping Edna Bolgers Ballyoisin can take him on.
He is another that tends to make unnecessary jumping errors which has seen him fail twice in a short career which included behind Bell D’Arca in the Grade 3 Flyingbolt Novice Chase. I actually thought if for not of the error he would have gone very close to win the race. Jumping is the name of the game and if both Ballyoisin and Great Field fail to put in a solid round of jumping Gordon Elliott’s Bell D’Arca will be there to pick up the pieces.
Ballyoisin : 1pt each way @ 7/1 (BOG)
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20.00 Market Rasen – 32Red On The App Store Intermediate Open National Hunt Flat (16.6f)
It will be interesting to see how well the Dunguib related Peculiar Places goes on debut for Irish trainer Ronald O’Leary. A 35,000 purchase as a three-year-old has landed on O’Leary’s yard.
Nicely bred by Presenting out of Blue Louisiana is deservedly respected this afternoon, Tom Scudamore has been booked which is eye-catching in itself.
Infinite Sun is another that has to be market checked after outclassed in a Listed bumper at Newbury which saw fifth place finisher champion bumper runner Western Ryder reversing the course and distance win of Infinite Sun.
The third Sneaky Feeling has won twice over hurdles and finished eighth in a Graded 2 hurdles race at the January Cheltenham meeting. I would expect another big return to the course that saw him win first time under rules.
David Elsworth’s Country’n’Western has not shown himself for eighteen months when winning what looked a reasonable bumper at Carlisle. In fact, he humiliated his opposition by fifteen lengths and has elected to run here over tomorrow’s Perth bumper.
It’s a tough one with Infinite Sun returning to a course he scored his first success, Country’n’Western has to be taken on trust that Elsworth has him spot on this afternoon for a race course re-appearance after 18 months, Peculiar Places is very interesting especially with the booking of Tom Scudamore who just swings my decision.
Peculiar Places : 1pt each way @ 9/2 (BOG)
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