Hexham, Market Rasen and Haydock are all coming up this week, with David Massey already anticipating backing a horse at Exeter on Friday.
Aintree was, as ever, a lot of fun. I think it’s one of my favourite three days of the year, just that bit less regimented than the other festivals and a chance to let your hair down. I was, of course, looking forward to Cheltenham this week but that’s been scotched and so it’s going to be a trip to Market Rasen on Tuesday instead now.
But before then, there’s Hexham to have a look at on Monday.
Royal Deeside (14.30) comes here in good form after a couple of minor placings at Carlisle and Haydock, and that Haydock effort gets a bit of a mark up from me, as he did plenty on the front end and had to keep fighting challengers off before succumbing in the end. This is a quickish turnaround but he’s won off a similar break before and loves Hexham, both of his chase wins coming here. He should have his ground - he needs it good - and can go close.
The 15:30 is very much quantity over quality, with plenty of these coming here in no great form and Eveque very much falls into that category, having pulled up twice in his last three starts, but he’s the type to bounce back without any warning - as he did when winning at 22/1 over this C&D back in November, and Jane Walton is, at her own modest level, having her best season for some time. Eveque is back on his last winning mark and whilst he’s very much all-or-nothing material, he’ll get this run to suit his creep-closer style and might be worth a small win bet.
You don’t need me to tell you the most interesting runner on the whole card is former Welsh National winner Nassalam, who is having a change of scenery, having moved to Tom Eliis from Gary Moore. In truth, he’s just looked a horse that’s not really in love with the game anymore, but maybe Tom can rekindle him. This is less about his mark these days and more about whether he still fancies it; he could take these to the cleaners if so, but he clearly comes with a whole load of risk.
On to Market Rasen on Tuesday and with Mark Walford’s yard in good nick, Nitty Gritty is worth a second look in the 15:20.
He moved to Walford after being with Joseph O’Brien last summer, and his first three starts for the yard revealed next to nothing, but there was a bit of money kicking around for him at Wetherby last time and he duly ran a better race, travelling smoothly into contention but just lacking that final gear from two out to finish the job off. Nevertheless, a much improved effort and if he’s ready to go after a break, could go close.
The Mares Premier Handicap at 17:05 is the re-arranged contest from Cheltenham and as such, there’s not a lot of course form to go on.
Bluey would look like the one to beat, stepping back up in trip, but at Windsor in January there was only just over a length between herself and All The Glory. The latter gets a 6lb swing in the weights today so there should be little between the two, and this extended trip of 2m5½f - and then add another furlong on for rail movements - should be in All The Glory’s favour, she looks more the stayer. Forget about her run behind Dinoblue at Cheltenham last time, she was outclassed and it looked nothing more than a run to give the owners a day out and keep her ticking over.
Stick to the high Road
Wednesday sees a cracking card at Haydock. I’m finding it a difficult card to read but I shall give Red Dirt Road another chance in the handicap hurdle at 16:25. He was disappointing on the face of it when well down the field in the Pertemps but he was far too keen, doing way too much too soon, and I’d rather judge him on his fourth to Champagne Chic here in February. That signified a return to form after some pretty poor efforts and with the handicapper offering him another helping hand with a 3lb drop for the Cheltenham run, I shall be sticking with him for the time being.
There’s a lovely twilight card (you can tell the nights are drawing out now) at Hereford on Thursday and Gold for Alec has to be worth a go in the handicap hurdle at 18:00. I’ve thought for a while that he might be worth a go at three miles as he has looked a bit tripless at times, often looking like he’s going to win races only for his finishing effort to flatten out a touch. Outpaced again at Chepstow last time before staying on late again, he’s the sort that ought to have won more races than he maybe has done, and this could be just the ticket.
And we’ll wrap this up with one from Exeter on Friday that went on the tracker after his Warwick effort last time out, as I liked him beforehand in the parade ring too, and that’s Stone Cold in the handicap hurdle at 17:40. He dropped a hint that he had some ability when sixth at Chepstow two starts back and backed that up (to an extent) at Warwick, only weakening out of things late.
A little step up in trip here will suit, as he’s related to a few useful types that stayed further, and he’s still learning the job, with more to come. A 4lb drop for the Warwick effort looks pretty fair, and he'll be getting a few quid thrown his way if he turns up.
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