All articles by: Darren Chettleburgh

Horse Racing Preview – Aintree Festival (Ladies Day) – 7th April 2017

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Aintree 14.20 – Crabbies Top Novices Hurdle (Grade 1)

Today’s horse racing preview comes from Aintree Festival on Ladies Day. It is starting to look as if Nicky Henderson has too much fire power going into this week to not land this year’s trainer’s title and is very well represented here with River Wylde.

The Grade 2 Dovecote Novices winner ran a cracker to finish third in this year’s Supreme at Cheltenham behind Labaik and the well regarded Melon. This galloping and flat track should see him come on again and looks hard to beat.

Main dangers look to come from the Jefferson yard with the smart Mount News who won the Grade 2 Kelso Novices by forty nine lengths. His only decent run came at Wetherby when just denied. He has bags of potential but will have to find something to beat River Wylde this afternoon.

Best of the rest looks to be Moon Racer who was pitched in the Champion Hurdle instead of taking the Supreme route and if bouncing back, he has serious claims with his good turn of foot.

River Wylde : 2pt win @ 11/4 (BOG)

 

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Aintree 15.25 – JLT Melling Chase (Grade 1)

I was quite surprised to see Fox Norton being turned over in the Queen Mother at Cheltenham when runner up to Special Tiara who basically ran them into the ground.

The Colin Tizzard seven year old should be making amends this time around on this quick flat track. He has a good traveling engine and if able to dictate matters from the front he should fend of all challenges to land a well deserved prize.

Dangers look to come from Uxizandre who’s second to Un De Sceaux at Cheltenham looks really good form considering coming off a two year lay off and would not discount the Manifesto winner from two seasons ago.

Fox Norton : 2pts win @ 10/3 (BOG)

 

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Aintree 17.15 – Weatherbys Private Bank Standard open NH Flat (Grade 2)

We see a few that make a re-appearance from the Cheltenham champion bumper this afternoon, notably Western Ryder who finished fifth that day, just one and half lengths behind Claimantakinforgan who finished third.

The Warren Greatrex’s trained son of Westerner would have to come into the equation from his listed win at Ascot this year, if producing that and has come on from Cheltenham he would have to go extremely close. Claimantakinforgan surprised me how powerfully he ran on in the Cheltenham bumper and even his two and a half lengths behind Black Ops at Doncaster when giving 7lb to the winner on that occasion.

He meets Black Ops on far better terms this time around and really should be using that advantage at the weights. Black Ops was a very expensive purchase and will have to give weight back to the selection here.

If the Cap Fits represents Harry Fry, the unbeaten five year old recorded two good wins at Plumpton and Taunton and still looks on the upgrade, he has to be feared if handling the course.

Claimantakinforgan : 2pt Win @ 7/2 (BOG)

 

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Horse Racing Preview – Wincanton and Carlisle – 5th April 2017

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Horse Racing Preview – Wincanton and Carlisle – 5th April 2017

13.50 Wincanton

Today’s Horse Racing Preview includes 3 from Wincanton and 1 from Carlisle.

This looks like another opportunity for Gary Moore’s Mr Fickle to win again this afternoon. His eleven length demolition of strong opposition at Plumpton eight days ago in a 0-125 Handicap has seriously gone un-noticed by the handicapper. Winning off a mark of 107 he gets a very lenient 7lb rise for beating adversaries that were rated 13lb and 15lb higher. Steps back up in trip this afternoon and was beaten off a mark of 118 last season over this trip, but if the ground is still coming up on the quick side he has to be respected with the visor still implicated.

Nigel Twiston-Davies Gulshanigans looks the obvious danger. With two runner up spots this year at Ludlow he has to come into the equation. He has not been beaten far on his past two runs and will relish if the ground comes up on the softer side. Another that has the potential of mixing it up is the Philip Hobbs trained Lapalala who is 0-7 over hurdles and was seen finishing fourth over 19.8f around Wincanton two runs back. She has not been seen since finishing fourth on Boxing day at Fontwell a similar index, she will have to step up to make an impact once more.

Mr Fickle : 2pt Win @ 2/1 (BOG)

 

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14.20 Wincanton

Paul Nicholls is still trailing Nicky Henderson in the trainer’s title by approximately £77000 and will be looking for Aintree to cut into the deficit. The second race on the card could bring him a little closer when he saddles Lou Vert. He has improved slowly from both his runs this year since diverting to the larger obstacles. His second at Taunton last time sets him up nicely off his current mark of 117 and now stepping up in trip. He would prefer the quicker ground this afternoon and should record his first National Hunt win under jockey Sam Twiston-Davies’ guidance.

The obvious dangers look to be Nick Mitchell’s Dance Floor King and Alan King’s McCabe Creek. The former has a wealth of experience around the chasing ranks which included a good second over course and distance back in February when behind Bishop’s Court, who did not sustain that form when finishing last at Sedgefield on probably unsuitable ground. He followed up with a good second at Sandown last month when five lengths behind Morning Reggie in a far better race than this, he deserves respect but the trainer is having a quiet spell with stats of 1-40 which is a concern.

McCabe Creek is the interesting one. The first season chaser went backwards when stepped up to 21.4f last time out at Market Rasen beaten twenty two lengths in a 0-135 contest. This is a more convenient drop in class, but has to give significant weight all round. Chris Gordon’s entry Comeonginger was running off a 16lb higher mark this time last year, and has won off a mark of 120 two seasons ago. Now off 108 he has dropped significantly on a serious winning mark, but the jockey is on a serious cold run 1-60, no confidence for me despite getting weight all round.

Lou Vert : 2pt Win @ 5/2 (BOG)

 

16.25 Wincanton

 

Both Toby Lerone and Mon Parrian have established themselves to be well equipped chasers and should be the two to concentrate on. The latter represents Paul Nicholl’s who is 1-3 this year around this sphere. His win two runs back at Fontwell probably flattered him a bit when beating a low grade bunch of individuals. He was put in his place by Poole Master next time at Warwick going behind by two and three quarter lengths when giving six pound to the eventual winner, so on paper the result was fair. He will get just the 2lb from Toby Lerone this afternoon which I feel will not be enough to defeat the inform Dan Skelton ten year old.

Toby Lerone has been relishing the Hunter Chase circuit and is 2/3 this year with his defeat coming over a much shorter trip which looked excusable. He was stepped back up to 24.5f at Towcester when beating Jerpeck by six lengths who was lacking in experience so he could be a good yardstick victory. He gets the well accomplished p2p jockey Sam Davies-Thompson on board this afternoon who is 7-20 (35%) which has included five of his last six rides as winners.

Toby Lerone : 3pt Win @ 7/4 (BOG)

 

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16.35 Carlisle

An average bumper to finish off what looked a poor card at Carlisle this afternoon, the selection here comes in Anthony Honeyball’s Nocturnal Myth. The trainer is no stranger with winners around this sphere, his last runner was a bumper winner four days ago and Nocturnal Myth can give the inform trainer another winner. He is by Midnight Legend out of the double chase winning mare Gan On. He should be wound up and fit to go for a trainer who is 8-20 (40%) with 3/4 of his last bumper runners bringing home the bacon this year.

Nigel Hawke has sent two bumper runners out this afternoon, one at Wincanton and the other here in Ouro Branco. The course and distance winner last time won easily by eighteen lengths in a small low grade field, it was a flattering performance in my opinion and coming up against much stiffer opposition here he could find things a bit tougher. Kerry Lee’s Destined To Shine left his poor debut behind him when coming out on top at Towcester by four lengths, but it is a race that is not showing any promise.

Nocturnal Myth : 2pt Win @ 4/1 (BOG)

 

 

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Horse Racing Preview – Southwell – 4th April 2017

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Horse Racing Preview – Southwell – 4th April 2017

 

14.40 Southwell

 Here is our horse racing preview which comes from Southwell today. Not the best looking cards for a Tuesday, with the loss of Ludlow we are subject to a jump card at Kempton and an all weather experience at Southwell. Both selections will come from the all weather this afternoon with the fist being Chris Dwyer’s Arzaak. The son of Casamento is becoming extremely exposed and is 0-10 in his career resume. This will be his first visit to Southwell, but not taking anything away from him despite being beaten three times into the runners up spot he actually has not been beaten by wide margins.

 

He was just touched off in a 0-75 handicap at Newcastle two runs back and was not over disappointing when fifth at Wolverhampton last time going behind by one and a half lengths in what was a blanket finish between the top five finishers. He will be dropped back to the optimum trip this afternoon and once more gets the in form De Sousa in the plate.

 

Of any dangers in the race, both Hart Stopper and Sheepscar Lad should be on the premises, I am not convinced enough that Hart Stopper will be effective enough over today’s trip. His last race came at Wolverhampton over 7.2f when finishing third behind Expresso Freddo who has been beaten twice since, in fact the whole race has not really shown enough to emulate his run which has flattered him slightly. Nigel Tinkler’s Sheepscar Lad ran a good second to Melonade at Gosforth Park eleven days ago. He should come on for the run and is probably the main danger.

 

The race is what is is, a poor maiden, Sheepscar Lad will definitely be on the premises once more with no doubt Jamie Spencer wanting to get to the front on Hart Stopper, but the tentative vote goes to Arzaak, despite his 0-10 he should shed the experience against these now dropping back to 5f and with the blinkers being applied for the first time.

ARZAAK : 3pt Win @ 6/4 (BOG)
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16.20 Southwell
 This looks a match up on paper between Call Out Loud and Custard The Dragon. They both met each other ten days ago when the former got the better of Custard The Dragon to one length. This time around Custard The Dragon gets the 3lb turnaround at the weights, but with Rawlinson’s 3lb claiming weight I would like to predict the form will not be reversed. Mark Johnston’s Thomas Cranmer will probably try to burn them both off under Joe Fanning.

 

He was seen having a terrible fall at Chester on his last start of last season when un-shipping Franny Norton on the bend. His only win came in a maiden at Chester when beating Devil’s Bridge who commands a rating of 88, but has been subsequently thrashed on his first run of the new campaign at Doncaster last weekend.

 

Ed Walker has his team in good order on the all weather bringing a current stat of 6-14 (42%) to the table and saddles Bold Prediction. The son of Kodiac is just one of two in the race taking on the younger generation. He has not run that badly on all three appearances in 2017 competing at higher level than this afternoon’s contenders. With progressed runs his odds being the outsider of the field does not reflect that he is very capable of producing an upset now dropping into a 0-90 class event. Quixote will have his first run for new trainer David Loughnane after a good dead heated fourth at Kempton Park when trained by Tony Carroll.

 

This is as tricky as it comes, Custard The Dragon and Call Out Loud meet again with the latter probably having enough up his sleeve to fend off the John Mackie’s charge, Mark Johnston has to be feared in any all weather race, with Joe Fanning 7-20 (35%) and getting the three year old weight allowance he has to be taken seriously. I am really hoping a winner is there for Ed Walker with Bold Prediction here. He won a 0-95 at Lingfield Park in February last year and he has been consistent enough to really get into the winning enclosure this afternoon.  Cheekpieces have been applied for the first time and at 8/1 he has a realistic chance.

BOLD PREDICTION : 1pt Each Way @ 8/1 (BOG)
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Excludes Enhanced Price Win Only or Enhanced Place Terms markets that are priced separately to the Fixed Odds market, live shows, Ante-Post prices, competitor Enhanced Win prices, In-Play prices or any enhancement to the SP at settlement.

So place your Horse Racing bets safe in the knowledge that the BET365 price is the best price. T&Cs apply.