Tag: Tony McCoy

Irish Grand National Preview

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Forty-five horses remain in contention for the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday. They include ante-post favourite Gallant Oscar, although connections are still hoping that the nine-year-old sneaks into the Aintree line-up.

Tony Martin’s gelding is currently down at number 57 in the entries so needs another 17 to drop out. He is favourite on the basis of a fine staying-on third behind The Druids Nephew at the Cheltenham festival last month. The winner is now a leading fancy for Aintree so Gallant Oscar will have plenty of supporters if he runs in Ireland.

He had previously finished fourth in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park behind Gold Cup runner-up Djakadam and is only slightly higher in the handicap. The going is expected to be soft and those conditions suit him perfectly. If you’re backing him, make sure that your bookmaker is offering Non-runner – no bet terms.

Grand Jesture, just ahead of Gallant Oscar at Cheltenham, is also a leading fancy for Henry De Bromhead. He finished down the field in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown in December but put in a fine display of jumping at the festival. He has finished fourth, second and first here on his previous visits and could still be improving at the age of seven.

Embracing Change has won his last four races including the Grand National Trial at Punchestown. He was eased in the closing stages when accounting for Portrait King by a length and a half but the handicapper has put him up 13lbs.

Los Amigos beat Grand Jesture here in 2013 and is better off at the weights on Monday. This looks to have been the target all season for the son of Overbury who beat Lion Na Bearnai here in January. He was trying to give Gallant Oscar 11lbs when beaten three and a quarter lengths at Naas in the Leinster National last March. An 8lbs pull should bring them closer together.

Tony McCoy will be riding in Ireland for the last time and could partner the novice If In Doubt. McCoy had to be at his best to steer this one home in the Great Yorkshire Chase and he ran respectably in the RSA Chase behind Don Poli. He still does not look the most natural of jumpers and that cannot be a good thing in such a large field.

There has been plenty of ante-post support for Vics Canvas despite his advancing years. The 12-year-old son of Old Vic was a fine third to Living Next Door in the Paddy Power Chase in December but he has been well beaten on both previous visits to Fairyhouse. Wounded Warrior looks set to carry top weight after finishing third to Don Poli at Cheltenham but this looks a difficult task for a six-year-old.

Gallant Oscar @10-1 Boylesports* Non-runner – No bet

Grand Jesture @14-1 Bet365

Los Amigos @16-1 Bet365

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4

Newbury Saturday Preview

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Richard Johnson stole the show at Newbury on Friday with a treble including two for Philip Hobbs. It’s good to see the Hobbs yard back in form after a miserable Cheltenham where they sent out 15 runners to no avail, one-third of them failing to complete the course.

It was not such a good day for Nicky Henderson but he could be back in the winners’ enclosure after Saturday’s big race with Spartan Angel. The EBF Mare’s Hurdle Finale takes some winning and there are eighteen set to line up on Saturday. You could make a case for most of them and it is no surprise to see the bookmakers going 7-1 the field overnight.

The weight range is no more than 13lbs but bottom weight gives Spartan Angel an excellent charge for the Lambourn stable. She has been very lightly raced since winning a small race at Worcester in the summer. The daughter of Beneficial raced twice at Ascot before Christmas and was a fair second to Batavir. David Pipe’s gelding followed up at Wincanton before disappointing in the Doncaster race won by Call The Cops.

Henderson’s stable were not firing on all cylinders at the time and it may be that she has simply been put away for better ground and/or this race in particular. Hannah’s Princess is another worthy of consideration after winning comfortably on similar ground last time.

Every Tony McCoy winner is cheered to the rafters at present and Financial Climate should go close in the 3.10 race. He never really looked in any danger once he kicked on two fences from home at Sandown and a 4lbs penalty could be lenient. The opposition are a mixture of ageing chasers and unreliable handicappers.

Andrew Balding has kept Storm Force Ten for hurdling this season but he was a late withdrawal from the Cheltenham festival. I had given him a chance in the Fred Winter after a couple of encouraging runs, notably when fourth to Triumph winner Peace And Co. Four-year-old handicaps are a devil to unravel but he won’t mind the quicker ground and may have most to fear from Gimme Five. Alan King has been running this one on the all-weather and he looks quite well in with 10st 10lb.

2.35 Spartan Angel @7-1 Bet365

3.10 Financial Climate @9-2 William Hill

3.45 Storm Force Ten @7-2 Bet365

Newbury Friday Preview

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The dust has finally settled on the Cheltenham Festival 2015 and National Hunt fans are now looking forward to Aintree and Punchestown. Newbury provides some decent jumping action on Friday with all of the top stables represented.

Alan King’s festival was saved by Tony McCoy’s inspired ride on Uxizandre in the Ryanair Chase. He has a useful hurdling prospect in Inner Drive in the opening race at 2.10. The son of Heron Island was runner-up in his two bumper races but returned after more than a year off the track to thrash a decent field at Huntingdon. Wayne Hutchinson barely had to shake him up to storm clear by fourteen lengths.

This is a tricky little contest and I am always reluctant to pass over Nicky Henderson’s runners here, even if his older novices disappointed last week. He still saddled a Triumph Hurdle tri-cast and a big handicap winner so all is not doom and gloom at the Lambourn yard. Champagne Express had his form boosted by the runner-up yesterday and is feared most.

The three-mile handicap hurdle looks no easier to solve but it may pay to side with Tony McCoy on top weight Last Shadow. He is going up in trip but the first two pulled right away when he was second at Kempton last time. He does not look to be up against a great lot here with the lowly weighted Bold Adventure one of the few with winning form over three miles. He would have a chance but is unlikely to find much improvement at the age of eleven.

Whatever the fate of Champagne Express in the first, I expect Henderson to score with Medieval Chapel in the Brown Chamberlin Trophy at 3.45. The grey races in the colours of Simonsig and gave a pretty good impression of that horse at a couple of his fences at Fakenham last time. He won with any amount in hand and a 6lbs penalty looks lenient. Desert Joe carries the same penalty but looked flat out to score last time for Alan King.

Gassin Golf will be fancied in the two-mile handicap hurdle but I would go each-way if you are putting your faith in this one. He ran well when third in the Imperial Cup but has finished runner-up nine times since he last put his head in front! I prefer to take a chance with the lightly-raced Baby King for Tom George. He looked like beating Royal Guardsman here last time out but faded on the run-in. He is 4lbs better off here and will be having only the fifth race of his career.

Inner Drive 2.10 @4-1 Betfair

Last Shadow 3.10 @9-2 Bet365

Medieval Chapel 3.45 @4-1 Ladbrokes

Baby King 4.20 @8-1 Paddy Power

Horse Racing Preview – Saturday 14th March

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It’s been a real test of stamina this week, for punters as well as the horses! Four days and 27 races at Cheltenham will have tested the reserves of many horse racing fans this week, even if the bookmakers insist on telling us otherwise. Of course, had Annie Power stood up on Tuesday things would have been a lot worse for them.

The show rolls on to Uttoxeter for the Midlands Grand National (previewed separately) with supporting cards at Kempton and on the all-weather at Lingfield. There is also the small matter of an estimated £600,000 scoop 6 jackpot.

Tony McCoy could not add to Uxizandre’s victory in the Ryanair Chase but he may not be finished for the week just yet as he has a major chance in Saturday’s feature race on Catching On. It could be a good day for the champ as he rides three with chances for Jonjo O’Neill and two for Rebecca Curtis.

The feature race at Lingfield is the Winter Derby and this sets up an intriguing re-run of the recent Trial. On that occasion Grendisar got the better of Lamar by a short-head with Cloudscape and Grandeur close up. Jockey Martin Harley produced him at the furlong pole and he hit the front before trying to pull himself up.

He is clearly very talented but has to be ridden to put his nose in front as late as possible. He has not been out of the first two in his last nine races so he looks a good each-way bet. I have great respect for both Grandeur and Cloudscape and a thrilling finish is in prospect. Godolphin’s Tryster has been winning on a variety of surfaces and could also come into the equation.

Our old friend Dungannon could gain a first success at Listed level later on the card for Andrew Balding. He was desperately unlucky to be beaten in a photo finish at Southwell last time but acts well around here and many of his rivals are out of form or returning from a break.

Grendisar 3.05 Lingfield @6-1 Paddy Power

Catching On 3.50 Uttoxeter @4-1 Betfair

Dungannon 3.40 Lingfield @9-2 Ladbrokes

The scoop 6 races (all live on C4): 2.20 Kempton, 2.40 Uttoxeter, 3.05 Lingfield, 3.15 Uttoxeter, 3.30 Kempton, 3.50 Uttoxeter

Midlands Grand National Preview

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The Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter has been dominated by David Pipe in recent seasons. He has won the last four runnings but has not been able to prepare one for the race this year. Tony McCoy won this race on Synchronised for Jonjo O’Neill in 2010 and that horse went on to win the Gold Cup.

It has been an emotional week for the champion jockey, winning the Ryanair on Uxizandre for Alan King but not quite able to sign off on a winning note with Ned Buntline finishing fourth. There was disappointment for his legion of supporters in the Gold Cup with Carlingford Lough but they will be out to recoup losses here with Catching On.

The seven-year-old won his last race over hurdles last year off a mark of 113 at Wetherby but looks a good deal better than that over fences. He fell on his chasing debut at Market Rasen in November and was given a confidence-boosting run round Wetherby next time. He stayed on well to win over three miles at Huntingdon last month and was put up 9lbs to 124 last time at Exeter.

Wayne Hutchinson was in the saddle that day and always had matters under control. He led two from home and eased clear to win by nine lengths from Coolking. He incurs only a 6lbs penalty and it seems safe to assume that the handicapper will double that for future races. This race is really testing but he didn’t look like stopping over three and three-quarter miles in heavy ground at Exeter. He could develop into the gamble of the day as punters bid to put off those post-Cheltenham blues!

Top weight Shotgun Paddy has done us a favour or two in the past but he will do well to lug 11st 12lb to victory in these conditions. Emma Lavelle’s gelding was third to Hawkes Point in the Classic Chase at Warwick in January with the winner wearing blinkers for the first time. He had looked really sluggish in the Welsh National in December and he could be a threat if the blinds are as effective this time.

Any Irish raiders are usually worth a second look in this race and Jim Dreaper sends Goonyella across the Irish Sea. The gelding has disappointed at Chepstow and Aintree in the past but looked to be on the way back when third to Gold Cup runner-up Djakadam at Gowran Park in the Thyestes Chase.

Catching On 3.50 Uttoxeter @4-1 William Hill

Cheltenham Preview – Friday 13th March

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It’s Gold Cup day at Cheltenham and we look set for a thrilling renewal. If there are any doubts about the quality, there is at least quantity and most punters would rather watch a competitive race with 17 runners than an odds-on favourite in a small field.

Silviniaco Conti supporters will be hoping for third time lucky after falling in 2013 and fading up the hill last year. We will never know whether he would have won had he not tipped up three out but it is difficult to make a case about him not liking the track. He did everything right last year but didn’t quite last home.

The bookmakers are taking a chance at 5-1 about him. We already have Djakadam tipped at ante-post odds of 16-1 but his inexperience may count against him while Lord Windermere will probably run his best race of the season. I also fancy Holywell to post a career best as he loves this meeting.

The action starts with the Triumph Hurdle and we were on Top Notch at 16-1 some weeks ago. I’m pleased that the owners are letting him run despite also having the hot favourite in Peace And Co. I also like Pain Au Chocolat and Devilment at big prices in a fascinating race. Very few of these have actually met in the trials so it is really a shot in the dark.

The County Hurdle is notoriously difficult to sort out and a very appropriate winner would be Sort It Out. He is one of three JP McManus runners along with Waxies Dargle and Princely Conn. The latter is the mount of AP McCoy while Waxies Dargle fell in a big handicap last time and has Paul Carberry in the saddle. Quick Jack will probably start favourite and should run well for Tony Martin.

I’ve been a fan of Value At Risk for the Albert Bartlett for some time so shouldn’t really desert him now. My only concern is the quicker ground but the same applies to most of these. The Henderson horses, Out Sam and Carache Apache, are attractively priced and I wouldn’t put you off either of them.

It will be interesting to see how Sheikh Fahad’s new purchase Current Event gets on in the Foxhunter but I’m siding with Nina Carberry here with On The Fringe. Much of this week has been about Willie Mullins and he can strike again with Roi Des Francs in the Martin Pipe Hurdle. Everyone will be cheering for AP on Ned Buntline in the finale but Blood Cotil is tough and consistent and can close out the meeting for Mullins in style.

New customers only – Racebet 10-1 Nicky Henderson to win 1.30 (max. £5 stake)

1.30 Top Notch @16-1* Ante-post

2.05 Sort It Out @14-1 Bet365

2.40 Value At Risk @12-1 Paddy Power

3.20 Djakadam @16-1 *Ante-post

4.00 On The Fringe @8-1 Ladbrokes

4.40 Roi Des Francs @9-2 Bet365

5.15 Blood Cotil @10-1 Bet365