Vintage Clouds (1.20) can defeat high-class hurdler One Track Mind in an intriguing novice chase at CatterickAn excellent card at Wincanton this afternoon is blessed with big fields and competitive races, but perhaps the most intriguing race of the afternoon with an eye to the future is the novice chase up at Catterick Bridge, where the high-class hurdler One Track Mind will make a second attempt to get his chasing career up and running.One Track Mind’s first attempt to jump fences in public was perhaps the most underwhelming debut of the season so far. He was sent off favourite at 15-8 having taken a Grade One at the Punchestown Festival in April on his previous start, but made a hash...
There’s no magic left in the odds about West Wizard but perhaps Walk On Al can get us a winnerIt’s always annoying when you light on what you feel to be a sneaky pick that will sail under most radars and then discover, au contraire, all eyes are looking in the same direction. So it is with West Wizard in today’s third race at Ffos Las. Continue reading...
Whatduhavtoget (3.15) makes his handicap debut on the card from what could prove to be a very generous markCheltenham decided to postpone the cross-country race at the Open meeting in November until Trials Day in January, as a result of the prevailing fast ground on a circuit which is, by its very nature, extremely difficult to water to any great effect.They can’t run two cross-country events on Trials Day, however, and the Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase, a handicap on today’s card, will go ahead as scheduled with just seven runners going to post following the scratching of Auvergnat, the likely second favourite. It is not a historically low turnout for this race – there were seven runner two years ago, although...
Unusually quick going for jump racing could help Cousin Khee get back in the winner’s enclosure at LeicesterWe have extremes of going for today’s jumps fixtures, to the point where I’m surprised the fields have held up as well as they have. At Hexham, the going is heavy while Leicester offers us firm, with a GoingStick on the chase course of 10.5 which would be exceptionally high even for Flat racing. Continue reading...
The shrewd yard of Alexandra Dunn could be in for a good day’s jump racing at Fontwell and UttoxeterIt’s that time of year when you sometimes hear about certain stables or owners “getting the Christmas money”, which is easily said whenever a horse wins at a shorter SP than its opening price. Personally, I think anyone sufficiently hard-nosed to land a proper gamble would not be the kind of person to care very much whether it’s Christmas, Easter or Halloween, but perhaps that’s a bit too much “Bah, humbug” when everyone else is having fun with the idea. Continue reading...