Bet365 Gold Cup Day

Im off to Sandown today, for quite a while this raceday has been my favourite of the year and personally i cant wait for the racing to start. The course has taken quite a bit of rain, so much so that Ryan Moore commented today saying its as soft as he has seen Sandown after the first. Fortunately the soft ground hasn't scared away the classier horses. Lets crack on.

1:30
A race named after one of the nicest people in racing who sadly passed away earlier this year. I talk about the trainer of Aldaniti, Josh Gifford. Alot of horses in here are from big stables and none bigger than Paul Nicholls who is represented by ULCK DU LIN who disappointed in the Fred Winter after coming here with a big reputation. He then again disappointed at Chepstow though it could just be that the first two were decent horses. Harry Derham takes off 7 today but he will need to up his game. LEXI'S BOY has already beaten CREEKSIDE at Ascot and has been in good form this year. Though every time he has encountered soft ground he has underachieved. The latter is becoming frustrating and others are preferred. TOM DU LYS comes to England for his first run after coming second in a good race in France. That was on soft ground and Jeremiah McGrath takes off 5 and is very interesting. SADLER'S RISK isnt as good as first thought after destroying the field on his first hurdle. The form behind Baby Mix would probably be good enough to win this race but carrying top weight in a race like this will be no easy task. KAPGA DE CERISY has won over the course and distance when there was considerable market support that day and more support today will be interesting. Brian Ellison's RED INCA is a horse I entered into my ATR tracker but he needs further than 2 miles here. Saying that the soft ground will make it more of a stamina slog which will be more up his street. There may be one or two better today though. SONORAN SANDS will need conditions a bit faster to produce his best form, however he has won on softer ground but his best form is on faster ground. MALANOS is a winner on very testing ground and has been consistent all year but was last time beaten out of sight by SONGSMITH. Also behind that day were KAMBIS and ONE LUCKY LADY. The latter of them two is much better off today when giving away 8 pounds and today she gets 3 pounds. She is also a soft ground winner so could take all the beating today after swerving Cheltenham and Aintree. BEYEH is a fast ground horse and CRAFTY ROBERTO has some nice form and is useful on soft ground. But ONE LUCKY LADY is the selection in the first today.

2:35 - Bet365 Celebration Chase
FRENCH OPERA has been aimed at this race after winning it last year and was beaten 6 lengths by Sprinter Sacre on his reappearance. He was probably beaten when falling last time in the Grand Annual. The going was completely different last year and was probably a much weaker race. DAN BREEN has always been one that is just short of the top boys but always runs his race. It would be no surprise to see him go well today but winning may be so much to ask. WISHFULL THINKING was much more like his old self last time but that was over 2 miles and SOMERSBY had the beating of him at Ascot over 2 miles. He also won here as a novice. He disappointed in the Ryanair last time and has no problem with soft ground so should be thereabouts. WEST WITH THE WIND has the advantage of being fresh, most of his form is on fast ground but I feel he could enjoy the softer ground. CORNAS enjoys it round here but should find this field too good. Paul Nicholls sends two to post here, WOOLCOMBE FOLLY was one of the leading fancies in the Champion Chase 2 years back but hasnt been himself recently and is hard to fancy. SANCTUAIRE is His other runner however has the potential to be a top 2 mile chaser after his first two runs where he pulverized 2 fairly week fields but hardly broke sweat. He also jumped with awesome fluency and looks a smart novice. That makes him the selection today. Be warned if you do back him he does have his problems and can sometimes boil over at the start and on occasions lose the race before its started. If on his best behaviour he should take all the beating.

3:10 - Bet365 Gold Cup
Nigel Twiston Davies sends two for this race today, VIKING BLOND who made it no further than the first in the National. But on jockey booking MAJOR MALARKEY looks the first choice and has gone well on soft ground before, his second in the midlands national puts him into the mix here but he may get a place at best. LE BEAU BAI is a mud lover and stays absolutely all day and this was utilised when he won the Welsh National. RARE BOB finds winning hard to come by and sometimes his jumping can cost him, on his day he is very useful though. ROALCO DE FARGES has been disappointing since winning a hot race at Newbury. But he has been known to enjoy soft ground and was beaten by subsequent Cheltenham winner Teaforthree. It would be no surprise to see him go well in this race. ANY CURRENCY'S best form is on better ground but stays well and could be dangerous off a low weight with Aidan Coleman on board. TULLAMORE DEW has the potential to make his price look silly as he has won on testing ground and turned in a career best effort when 2nd at Ascot behind Massini's Maguire. The one serious doubt would be whether he stays or not, if he does he could take all the beating. All of DOVER'S HILL'S best form has come on good ground and although he would be a popular winner looks a bit up against it. TIDAL BAY needs no introduction and lately has been very difficult and others are preferred. If he returns to his best he will take all the beating. DEEP PURPLE was pulled up in the National and won over course and distance in December but the ground is not in his favour today and his best hopes are for a place. WEST END ROCKER is another that ran in the National but only made it to the second fence before coming to grief. He is one that will really appreciate the softer ground and will stay the distance making him one of the main players today. OUZBECK needs faster ground than he will get today. ALDERTUNE is one that will love the ground and could be dangerous off a low weight, he is off a career high mark today and is easily opposed. WEST END ROCKER is the selection today.

3:45 - Gordon Richards Stakes
TWICE OVER is clearly the class horse of the race but was beaten on his only attempt on soft ground a while ago and could be turned over at short enough odds. COLOMBIAN makes his seasonal reappearance and has a chance after his performance behind Reliable Man at Chantilly last year on soft ground proving he enjoys the surface. Its a tough field today however and he may be playing for places at best. SRI PUTRA is usually a good bet for a place but is opposed today as all his best form is on very fast ground. HUNTER'S LIGHT has won on soft ground at Goodwood and cant be without a chance today. Early money is interesting. Preference today is for the front runner POET who has Ryan Moore on board today. The most important bit of form is that he loves Heavy ground and today if getting an easy lead he will be very hard to beat. He had a pipe opener in France and the will have blown away the cobwebs.

Nap - Poet
NB - Sanctuaire
Advise a double on them two

Next week starting monday I will be aiming to put a blog up every day so check back here for new stuff each day.
Happy Punting as always guys.