2:15 Ascot - Courtesy Call
Nicky Henderson had a fantastic week 3 days at Aintree and his retained jockey Barry Geraghty earned the status of Champion Jockey for the meeting. They team up with a few runners today and the first of those is Courtesy Call who has only his second start over hurdles today. Trained by Mark Johnston on the level he earned a rating of 86 before moving to Seven Barrows and switching disciplines. He was considered good enough to contest the Adonis Hurdle last time at Kempton on debut, a race which was won by the useful Irish Saint. Vasco Du Ronceray and L'unique were both ahead of him that day both franking the form since, the latter more so on Thursday. Fosters Road was a place behind him and has since won two races at Wolverhampton on the fibresand as well. The form looks rock solid in the race and this is a much easier race this afternoon and he can land the opener. No Price Yet
Village Vic is the favourite on Betfair and will probably go off favourite but I think the biggest danger will come in the form of Via Sundown from the Moore yard. He was in need of the run last time which was also his first outing since coming over from France, plenty of potential and one at a price but a big danger.
2:50 Ascot - Molotof
To start the year if you would of asked me whether Molotof would take to fences the answer would have been a resounding no. However I would have been wrong in a big fashion after he has contested novice races of the highest level and tried his hand at Cheltenham last month. He was never really looking like the winner that day and finished 30 lengths behind Benefficient in the Jewson. Today is a much easier race for him and as long as the long season hasn't had an affect on him he should be adding another prize to is resume. The only losses he has suffered is when tried at a higher level and the ones he has lost to have been consistent all season. Shouldn't be beaten here. (4/5)
3:25 Ascot - Calculated Risk
We leave the Henderson string and switch over to another Aintree winning trainer now with John Quinn's yard. He ran a fantastic race at Sandown on ground he would have hated to win, overcoming a blunder at two from home on the way. Like Courtesy Call he came from the flat, but was only rated a lowly 67, since going hurdling he has been a revelation and much improved. He opened up by taking a few notable scalps at Doncaster when unfancied by price, he had the useful juvenile Handazan in behind him. More importantly he gave the reopposing Little Dutch Girl 6 pounds and handed out a 7 length beating to her, Aazif and Last Shadow were the other two in touch. He then bombed at Huntingdon before two runs on ground he dislikes, after his Sandown win the plan was to go to Cheltenham. They ended bypassing the Festival due to softer ground and comes here a fresher horse and therefore a much more dangerous horse. With the form of his latest win stacking up nicely he can land the third race on the card and provide John Quinn with another winner. (6/1)
4:00 Ascot - Conquisto
Steve Gollings has had a lot of fun this season with Conquisto recording three wins two seconds and a third to date. He won on softer ground before being beaten by Overturn which is no bad feat. Kruzhlinin of Donald McCain's yard handed out a 8 length defeat to him before Conquisto was upped in trip behind Overturn as mentioned previously. Testing ground isn't really his strong area and despite an easier race last time at Southwell he bolted in on good ground. That would have boosted his confidence and Tom Scudamore who rode that day is 2 from 2 aboard him, he keeps the ride today and gets on well with him. One or two in the field have questions to answer for me, Tetlami tends to make a horrendous mistake each time and fell in the Grand Annual. Kapga De Cerisy is a much better horse in very small fields and could not feature at the Festival behind stablemate Carrickboy. Conquisto to land the prize. (7/1)
4:40 Ascot - Fruity O'Rooney
I cant really say anything about Fruity O'Rooney other than he wears his heart on his sleeve every time and never goes down without a fight. He gets pretty much any distance you ask of him, coming fifth over 4 miles in the Scottish National while also a winner over 2 and a half miles. We know what tactics he will use under Jamie Moore, he will ping off out in front and say catch me if you can, even when they do he will come back for more. The good ground is no worry to him at all and despite only being small absolute flies over the fences which are nearly as big as him. After his fifth at Cheltenham the handicapper has been a bit more lenient with him and dropped him two pounds down to 137. One last thing is that the cheek pieces are off today and he sports a Visor first time, if that sparks him up even more he will be very hard to catch. Fruity O'Rooney to lead them a merry dance this afternoon. (6/1)
NAP - Fruity O'Rooney
Nb - Calculated Risk
Happy punting today guys, one final thing is that going back right handed Creevytenant should go well in the hunter chase at Ascot. He jumped horrifically right hand at every fence at Cheltenham and was pulled up as a result.
Have a nice day!
No comments:
Post a Comment