The week has not exactly started with glorious spring weather and there is still a chance of soft going for the Grand National on Saturday. That will be good news for the likes of Hawkes Point and Mountainous but not so good for Triolo D’Alene and Double Seven. The big Aintree meeting opens on Thursday but there is some decent action at Wincanton tomorrow to keep punters entertained.
The one that catches my eye is Kings Bayonet, trained by Alan King. The problems in the yard at the end of last year were well documented but King’s horses are in good enough form now. Bull And Bush did us a favour last week and Kings Bayonet is another with plenty of potential.
When a yard suffers from a virus, you sometimes find that the horses have slipped down to a winning mark in the handicap and I’m expecting King to fire in a good few winners between now and the end of the season. King’s Bayonet is currently rated 117, 5lbs lower than when a beaten favourite at Wetherby in May.
His victories have come on decent ground, which may help to explain why he drifted so alarmingly in the betting at Newbury last month. He started at 16-1 in the heavy ground but looked to be travelling best of all for a long way. He emptied between the second last and the final flight to finish third to Westaway but Newbury races are generally of a decent standard.
Hopefully there should be some improvement to come and the going is currently good to soft which should suit him. He was no world-beater on the level but he did win a decent handicap at Newbury under Hayley Turner and a maiden at Wolverhampton. He looks worth a flutter at around 6-1.
The obvious danger is V Neck in the JP McManus colours. He has not been out of the first two in three races for Paul Nicholls and will almost certainly start favourite with AP McCoy in the saddle. Jonjo O’Neill’s Carlton Jack has also been consistent but was well beaten last time and has plenty of weight. Henryville looks a bigger threat after winning at Fontwell and finish a good second at Exeter last time.
Nick Gifford’s Generous Ransom won last time and Patsys Castle is in with a squeak if you ignore his last run in a hot race at Ascot. Hopefully Kings Baronet can put some money in the coffers with Aintree just around the corner!
Kings Bayonet at 6-1 Bet365, Ladbrokes
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