Tag: Uttoxeter

Horse Racing Preview – Saturday 14th March

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

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

Uttoxeter Saturday Preview

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That’s Cheltenham over for another year and what a dramatic final day! I cannot remember another day like it. The Gold Cup was a thriller with victory just going to Lord Windermere over On His Own and the enigmatic The Giant Bolster.

The down side was the horrific injuries to Ruby Walsh and Daryl Jacob and the tragic death of Raya Star. Last Instalment was retired immediately after the Gold Cup and we can only hope that he has not incurred any lasting damage to his fragile legs.

In terms of betting, Betcirca followers finished 50 points up on the week to a level stake thanks to that fantastic Wednesday. The bookies fought back on the closing day, as they usually do! Hopefully Kings Palace is OK after his tumble and apparently Triolo D’Alene had a breathing problem in the Gold Cup.

It is difficult to revert to the usual Saturday cards after such high drama but Uttoxeter have put on a good card to keep us entertained. The feature race is the Midlands National and we need not look any further than the Eider Chase winner Wyck Hill. A big-money purchase for JP McManus last year, he failed to live up to his billing and skipped the Grand National. He came back with a bang at Newcastle last time and can make up for lost time on Saturday.

David Bridgwater must be overjoyed at the fantastic effort from The Giant Bolster to get into the frame for the third successive year in the Gold Cup. He has always held Wyck Hill in similarly high regard and the weights have fallen perfectly for him on Saturday.

Harry Topper has compressed the weights for half of the field leaving Wyck Hill with just 10st 6lb and at a considerable advantage with those below him. He looks great value at 10-1.

The handicap hurdle at 2.15 looks like a great opportunity for Songsmith. The six-year-old made a remarkable comeback after a lengthy absence to finish second to Nicky Henderson’s Full Shift at Kempton. He was a 40-1 shot that day and won’t be anything like that here but he makes plenty of appeal.

The winner did nothing to boost the form with a poor run at Cheltenham on Friday but he has always looked more of a chaser in the making.

Wyck Hill at 10-1 BetVictor

Songsmith at 6-1 Paddy Power