For the second weekend in a row, there is plenty of top-class racing to look forward to on both sides of the Irish Sea. The two-day Dublin Racing Festival will be hosting the highest-class fare but Sandown and Musselburgh both offer fascinating cards too.
I will start closer to home where Virgin Bet is sponsoring all six races at Sandown, but only one race has attracted double-figure runners. That’s the Virgin Bet Heroes Handicap Hurdle (3.07 p.m.) in which Henri The Second is likely to go off favourite after his course and distance win in December. In fact, this will be the fifth time in a row that Paul Nicholls’ eight-year-old gelding has lined up at Sandown so he could hardly be more of a course specialist.
My preference, however, is for another horse trained in the West Country in the shape of DARTMOOR PIRATE. Anthony Honeyball’s six-year-old gelding ran a big race at Sandown in March when fourth to Champagne Twist in a competitive 17-runner contest. In his most recent run, when second at Wincanton, he proved that he stays this near three-mile trip. He also has winning form on soft ground too, so there is a lot to like about his chances.
With Sam Twiston-Davies in the saddle, back Dartmoor Pirate each way at 9-1 with bet365, Betfred, Paddy Power or Betfair, all paying four places, in a race that is worth more than £56,000 to the winner.
Up in Scotland at Musselburgh, the ground is ‘good to soft’ and the course intends to water to keep that going description. The big race here is the bet365 Scottish Champion Chase (2.50 p.m.) over two and a half miles, which has attracted a field of 12 runners for its first prize of more than £51,000. Course and distance winner The Kalooki Kid will try to justify favouritism, while Traprain Law is highly-rated by his trainer Lucinda Russell even though the horse has yet to translate what he is showing at home on to the racetrack.
SAINT SEGAL is one of those infuriating horses that I really like but who has not delivered when I have tipped him, only to win a race easily when my money was not down. This is a horse that his trainer Jane Williams touted for the Arkle Chase two seasons back so it is surprising that, even after his comfortable win last time out at Newbury, he can still race off a mark of 137. Saint Segal is still only seven years old and the best could still be to come, so back him each way 1 points each at 11-2 with bet365, the bookie again paying four places.
In the bet365 Scottish County Handicap Hurdle (2.17 p.m.), I like the look of the consistent BALHAMBAR, who remains on a nice official mark of just 122 and can progress from that rating over this season and next.
This six-year-old gelding is well thought of by his trainer Harry Derham, so take the 6-1 each way with bet365, paying four places. It’s a competitive race in which Florida Dreams and Afadil look the main dangers but I would be disappointed if Balhambar isn’t at least placed.
Over in Ireland, I had expected to be tipping Queen’s Gamble trained by Harry Derham in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy And Maureen Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday (12.40 p.m.). However, the seven-year-old British raider, who will be ridden by Rachael Blackmore, was backed into favouritism before this morning’s 48-hour declarations and her current odds of around 3-1 make no appeal.
At bigger odds on Sunday, I would rather take a risk on another British-trained horse, GOOD AND CLEVER, in the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle (1.40 p.m.). Warren Greatrex is one of racing’s good guys so, after a couple of challenging seasons, it has been great to see him training plenty of winners again.
At the time of writing, the final field for this race was not known but back Good and Clever each way at Starting Price with the firm offering most places, very likely SkyBet. The softer the better for this six-year-old gelding who last time out was third to Potters Charm in another Grade 1 event at Aintree.
Admittedly, Good and Clever will be taking on some of the best novice hurdlers in Ireland and his trainer told the Racing Post: ‘We might be stepping up too much – we’re taking on the best of the best – but it’s all about competition. It gets you excited. I own half the horse and sometimes you’ve just got to give it a go. I might have got it completely wrong but I don’t think I have. I’m not saying we’re going to win, but I’d think if conditions suit – which they look like they will – he won’t be far away.’
Next weekend sees Newbury stage the William Hill Newbury Handicap Hurdle, which is likely to see a maximum field of 24 runners compete for a first prize of more than £80,000. The ground is currently very soft but the forecast is for a largely dry week, and that’s good news for a trio of long-shots trained by the genial Chris Gordon.
Gordon is a talented handler who loves to target this race – as recently as 2023 AUCUNRISQUE won it when it was then the Betfair Hurdle off an official mark of 138. That was on good ground and, if the ground dries to something like ‘good to soft’, Gordon could just win the same race with the same horse, who now has a mark of just 133.
Aucunrisque showed in his penultimate run at Ascot that he still has plenty of talent, beating Alnilam and Mirabad, both of whom have franked that form by winning since. Back Aucunrisque each way at 40-1 with bet365, paying four places.
However, I also like the chances of another Gordon runner who also prefers decent ground, OUR CHAMP. He, too, has won at Ascot this season before setting an impossible pace and fading into fifth at the same course last time out in the Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle. Back Our Champ each way for the Newbury race at 50-1, again with bet365 paying four places. Gordon’s third entry, King William Rufus, is also interesting but he might not make the ‘cut’ for the race.
There will be more places on offer in this race in a week’s time, but I can’t see those odds lasting on the two Gordon horses if the ground dries out. Let’s hope the weather forecasts are spot on.
Pending:
1 point each way Dartmoor Pirate at 9-1 for the Heroes Handicap Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Saint Segal at 11-2 for the Scottish Champion Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Good and Clever at SP for the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle.
1 point each way Aucunrisque at 40-1 for the Newbury Handicap Hurdle, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Our Champ at 50-1 for the Newbury Handicap Hurdle, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each way July Flower at 11-1 for the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Liam Swagger at 33-1 for the Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Djelo at 16-1 for Ryanair Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Ahoy Senor at 50-1 NRNB for the Cheltenham Gold Cup paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Kandoo Kid at 33-1 for the Grand National, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
Last weekend: + 6.14 points
1 point each way Grandeur D’Ame at 16-1 in the Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 4 places. 2nd. + 2.2 points.
1 point each way Forward Plan at 12-1 for the Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase, paying ¼ odds, 4 places. Fell. – 2 points.
1 point each way Tightenourbelts at 10-1 for the Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places. 5th. + 1 point.
1 point each way Gowel Road at 9-2 for the Betfair Cleve Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places. + 4.94 points (Rule 4, 10p in the £)
2024-5 jump season running total: – 18.16 points.
2024 flat season: + 41.4 points on all tips.
2023-4 jump season: + 42.01 points on all tips.
2023 flat season: – 48.22 points on all tips.
2022-3 jump season: + 54.3 points on all tips.
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