Tag: Lanzarote Hurdle

Horse Racing Preview January 10th

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A nice double on the all-weather at Lingfield on Friday (Don’t Be and Sabre Rock, both tipped at 9-4) paid over 10-1 to set us up nicely for the weekend.

Channel 4 cameras are at Kempton and Warwick for some good quality National Hunt racing, although winners may be hard to find. Nicky Henderson made fools of ante-post punters by pulling Dawalan out of the Lanzarote Hurdle with Barry Geraghty now switching to Hammersly Lake. I have not seen any explanation in the media but I’ve gone back to the race for a second look and believe Saffron Wells could give us a run for our money.

He has got in here on a light weight after running a cracker at Newbury when trying to concede almost a stone to Polamco. That horse is an improving stayer and the pair were separated by the Paul Nicholls-trained Morito Du Berlais, a good yard stick in staying handicaps this season. Saffron Wells like to get his toe in and will have perfect conditions on Saturday.

I had considered supporting Heath Hunter but I see that Tom Scudamore has elected to ride Dell’ Arca instead. Heath Hunter showed up well for a long way at Haydock last time but the application of first time blinkers suggests that David Pipe thinks he has his own ideas about the game.

Kilcooley has been hammered by the handicapper for his 23-length win at Haydock and I have more regard for Tea For Two, the mount of Lizzie Kelly. The gelding won with plenty in hand at Towcester and does not look harshly treated for his handicap debut.

Shotgun Paddy was our midweek selection for the Warwick Classic Chase as he bids to repeat last year’s victory. He has to carry top weight of 11st 12lb so it is difficult to be confident in such a testing race.

This is a big year for Godolphin after a poor season in 2014. Charlie Appleby already has a number of his string in action on the all-weather and it could be worth noting his runners at Lingfield on Saturday. Magical Effect looks a ready-made winner in the 12.20 after finishing second at Wolverhampton in October.

The son of New Approach can get off the mark here while Turning Times should make it a double in the handicap at 3.10. The daughter of Pivotal is a bit of a rarity in that she is a roan racing in the Godolphin blue. She won her maiden here in August after a couple of decent efforts at Kempton.

Saffron Wells 2.40 Kempton @12-1 Paddy Power

Shotgun Paddy 3.35 Warwick @9-1

Each-way 1/4 odds, 1,2,3

Magical Effect 12.10 Lingfield

Turning Times 3.10 Lingfield @15-8 Paddy Power

Lanzarote Hurdle Ante-Post Preview

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After a very quiet week, National Hunt action picks up again this weekend with good quality cards at Kempton and Warwick. The feature race on Saturday’s Kempton card is the William Hill Lanzarote Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs.

Trainer Nicky Henderson has three entries with Aintree winner Dawalan along with Hammersly Lake and Royal Irish Hussar. Barry Geraghty has already been pencilled in for the ride on Dawalan which suggests he is the stable’s first choice.

The grey was considered a possible for the Triumph Hurdle last season but Henderson diverted him to the Fred Winter Hurdle when it was clear that he was not going to be good enough. He was never in with a chance in that hotly-contested handicap and time has shown that he is really more of a stayer. Stable companion Sign Of A Victory walked all over him at Ascot but he improved when stepped up to two and a half miles at Haydock behind On Tour.

He looked to be going nowhere with two to jump but finished best of all. He was made favourite for Aintree next time and rallied from the last to beat Bear’s Affair by three-quarters of a length. He is up 9lbs here but will be staying on when most of these have cried enough. He looks a good each-way bet at 9-1 in the ante-post lists.

Hammersly Lake was never really travelling like a winner last time but stayed on from the last behind Silsol. He looks more of a chaser in the making whereas Royal Irish Hussar has not recaptured his early juvenile form.

The bookmakers’ favourite is Tea For Two who won easily at Towcester last month. He is a course and distance winner and Lizzie Killy takes a useful 7lbs off his back. Hello George was sixth in the Ladbroke over two miles at Ascot and goes up in trip for Philip Hobbs while Warrantor steps out of novice company for Warren Greatrex. He was impressive at Market Rasen, as was runaway Haydock winner Kilcooley.

He chased home last week’s Tolworth Hurdle winner L’Ami Serge before winning by 23 lengths in heavy ground last time. Dawalan had him well behind at Ascot and is 8lbs better off here so I am sticking with the Henderson horse.

Dawalan @9-1 William Hill

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4

Kempton Saturday Preview

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Top quality National Hunt racing returns to our screens after last week’s modest offering. The highlight of a good Kempton card is the Tolworth Hurdle, a grade 1 event for novice hurdlers over two miles.

David Pipe runs The Liquidator who was an impressive 15-length winner at Cheltenham on his most recent start. At the time that looked a very smart performance, although his task was made considerably easier by some sloppy jumping from his rivals.

Pipe has said that the fact this race has been moved from Sandown could count against The Liquidator who is still a possible for the two and a half mile novice at the festival in March. You would imagine that the tactics would be to make sure there is a decent gallop with this small field and he looks the one to beat at around 5-2.

I am a big fan of Irving who may have been given a race by Prince Siegfried at Ascot last time had John Ferguson’s former Group 3 flat winner not fallen at the last. I am surprised to see him as high as 10-1 in places and he could be the danger.

The information on running and riding plans for the Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle was virtually non-existent this week until the final declarations were made on Friday. This surely cannot be a good way to encourage punters to invest ante-post. Now that we finally know what is and what isn’t running, the one to be on looks like Saphir Du Rheu.

The grey looked as if he had just joined in between the last two flights when winning at Sandown in December. Admittedly he has gone up over a stone as a result but the 5lbs taken off by Harry Derham should help and he is narrowly preferred to Junction Fourteen. Emma Lavelle’s gelding has been hyped up since winning over course and distance but that may not have been as strong a race as that won by Saphir Du Rheu.

Twinlight looks like a chaser with a future and I will be supporting him to beat Captain Chris tomorrow. He had his field well beaten turning for home in a Grade 2 chase at Cork last time out and was allowed to hack home from two out. You can ignore the sticky jumping over those fences as he wasn’t going fast enough to jump them any better!

The Liquidator at 5-2 William Hill

Saphir Du Rheu at 5-1 Bet365

Twinlight at 11-4 BetVictor

Catterick Thursday Preview

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Act Alone (7-2) covered our stakes on Wednesday and the show moves on to Catterick on Thursday. It isn’t that often that Mr McCoy pays a visit to Catterick Bridge so it would be a surprise if he came away without a winner.

The pick of his rides looks to be Getabuzz in the 1.05. Tim Easterby’s gelding looked sure to win at Wetherby last time after Catcher Star blundered at the last but he failed to grab his opportunity and was pegged back at the finish. Easterby clearly feels that the son of Beat Hollow was not putting it all in that day and blinkers are on for the first time tomorrow.

Gold Show got no further than the third flight when fancied at Wetherby last month and looks the main threat off bottom weight. The grey mare had previously stayed on well when beaten only a length in third at this course and she receives a handy 10lbs from McCoy’s mount. Sealous Scout looked very one-paced when second to Oscars Den at Carlisle but this race won’t take too much winning so is another with prospects.

The feature race is the North Yorkshire Grand National and Merlin’s Wish is a big tip for this race having been diverted from the Warwick Chase this weekend. The fact that the grey was ante-post favourite for Warwick suggests that the nine-year-old son of Terimon has a big chance in this. The handicapper took a dim view of his 25 length victory at Market Rasen and has bumped him up 13lbs so this is by no means a formality.

Diamond Harry is not the force he was a few years ago when winning the Hennessy Gold Cup but he showed up well for a long way at Cheltenham last time. Malcolm Jefferson’s Sun Cloud won last time out at Hexham and could still be improving whilst Sue Smith has her horses in good form and is represented by Green Wizard.

Looking further ahead, there is still no information about running plans for either of the two big handicaps this weekend. The Warwick Chase and the Lanzarote Hurdle were priced up by the bookies on Monday but you would have to be psychic to know what is running let alone winning! Hopefully the picture will become clearer shortly so that I can seek out the best value bets.

Getabuzz (1.05)

Merlin’s Wish (2.35) at 9-4 BetVictor, Paddy Power