LAST WEEKENDS RACING REVIEW
Firstly I would like to start with STAY AWAY FAY. This lad really does stay longer than the in-laws. That performance on Friday is so impressive. Coming down the straight GIOVINCO looks the winner to the eye, he’s travelling the better of the pair and is hard held on the bit… as soon as Cobden has asked for more from his mount he has surely served it right up to Giovinco and eventually started to pull away. I love this horse… his attitude and grit is something that wows you… he is certainly the worthy favourite of the BROWNS NOVICES CHASE (RSA) and at 5/1 across the board he may well be worth to have in your ANTEPOST pot at this stage…
I cannot see GAELIC WARRIOR turning up here and when you start to cut the field up and what will turn up here… I don’t think there is many in here that get near him coming up that Cheltenham Hill…
NOT SO SLEEPY wasn’t so sleepy after all in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle on Saturday as he absolutely sloused up the straight at Sandown leaving star mare LOVE ENVOI a widening 8 lengths behind in 2nd place. It was a joy to see the 11 year old strike gold landing his 2nd Fighting Fifth Hurdle, what a joy and what a horse for connections.
JONBON vs EL FABIOLO II
In what is shaping up to be another fascinating rematch between these amazing horses. Their performances this weekend has left me in the camp with JONBON. Now this debate leans more in favour that EL FABIOLO is a better horse, stays on better etc but I think JONBON has improved significantly this year and he is putting away GRADE 1 performers with sheer ease and often on the bit… he is a lot more ground versatile than his earlier days, in my opinion he is a better horse with a bit of cut in the ground but he goes well on either side of soft… there is no question about it when we compare the jumping out of the two but as shown when they met at Cheltenham in the ARKLE, jumping doesn’t always win races…
EL FABIOLO was the better horse on that day no doubts about it. It looks like they may even both meet ahead of Cheltenham too with Willie keen on the idea of heading to ASCOT to have a crack at the Clarence House Chase. I hope they both turn up there in what will be another spectacle for our sport.
Horse Racing Weekend Betting Tips
We are heading back to the best course in the UK this weekend with some cracking races to delve into… there is a red hot Novices Hurdle on Friday at the course with the likes
of DYSART ENOS, MEATLOAF & BEAT THE BAT all declared to take part. An early fancy for me would be Fergal O’Brien’s mare DYSART ENOS. She has gears to burn and looks a proper game type. She’s a slick jumper over the hurdles but this field is her toughest test yet.
The Saturday puts up a nice TRIUMPH HURDLE TRIAL in which I am all over AN BRADAN FEASA here. I was on him the last day in which he was looking like the winner coming down to the last until BURDETT ROAD come swooping down and taking the race up with ease. I think he now has 2 solid runs under his belt and will have come on plenty for that race and has course experience to his armory too which in these types of races can sometimes be the difference. I can see him opening up at around 100/30… there is currently no market available but he is my first selection of the weekend.
FUGITIF 17/2 EW is my second selection of this weekends racing. This lad is as good as they come around CHELTENHAM and has been rocking it up against some solid horses for a few seasons now. I am confident Richard Hobson will have him tuned up here, the weather forecast would suggest we’re going to get soft ground come the off which suits him to a tee. I think Saturday he finally get the better of IL RIDOTO despite being worse off in the weights. Will be bang there come the finish which is why I will advise it as an EW bet.
Finally WHITE RHINO 7/2 concludes my selections for the racing at Cheltenham this weekend. He was gaining every
time back here at last months meeting in which a well executed ride brought AMERICAN SNIPER home in 1st place. He is very well handicapped off a mark of 123 and will be fully fit to carry on his consistent form. I know one of the members in the syndicate and he is always honest of his chances, but he has said that he is definitely race ready and fit enough to have a go here or at the pertemps qualifier on Sunday. I think he wins where ever he ends up. Strong chance !
Spotlight Horse of The Week
REDEMPTION DAY makes his return to action after a 600+ break away from the track. He very much shaped like he was going to be a cracking horse for connections once he started going over a few jumps and finally we get to see him back on the course. Now the rust may show on debut but this lad looked like he was worthy of rocking it with the best of them who turned up in that bumper at Cheltenham but I think conditions on that day did him no justice at all.
He was then seen finishing a mightily impressive 2nd behind FACILE VEGA when the two met after the festival. Now if he has being kept well which I don’t think will be an issue after what we have just seen Mullins do with EXILAR D’AINY, he’s going to go off a very short fav but I’m looking at the bigger picture… the Supreme!
Cheltenham Festival Ante-Post Selection
This could blow up massively in my face and I could look like an absolute fool putting up a horse after a 600 day break without even jumping a twig yet but… at 25/1 REDEMPTION DAY for the SUPREME NOVICES HURDLE is my 3rd ANTE-POST selection for the 2024 CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL. I think we’re going to see something classy on Sunday. Now we now how the ante post markets work nowadays with 1 good run you could see a horse say 20/1 end up at a 7/1 JF in the market and I think this could happen with REDEMPTION DAY. We have seen a few of Willie’s 2M novice hurdlers this year but I have to admit nothing has blown me away and caught my eye as such yet…
we don’t know how well he will perform and if he blows out then I’ll look an idiot but I really do think this lad could be something special. I have watched the race back at Punchestown back and I think with a better jockey on that day he could have actually turned over FACILE VEGA in that bumper all horses from that race have gone on to being well respected with the likes of FACILE VEGA, AMERICAN MIKE and SANDOR CLEGANE all within the field.
I think if he wins in a stylish fashion, you won’t be seeing 25/1 anywhere and he will receive alot of hype and support from his run on Sunday. It’s a chance I’m willing to take!
That just about wraps up my blog for this week. I’m really looking forward to all of the handicaps this weekend and am buzzing about REDEMPTION DAY returning back to action this weekend. Hopefully we see something that wows us this weekend, I can’t wait to see BROADWAYBOY back on track in the 14:25 on Saturday…
Best of luck for this weekend if you’re punting! Don’t blow the Christmas Fund on the handicaps!
Cal
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