4:15 - Red Rum Handicap Chase
A race filled with horses who ran in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham which most of them were aimed at so wont necessarily be 100% for today's race. One of them horses who was aimed at the Grand Annual was DE BOITRON who could only manage 6th, James Reveley gets the leg up today but its hard to fancy him with any real conviction as we dont know how fit he really is. KID CASSIDY went off a fairly hot favourite for the race but in his style threw it away by pulling much too hard and never had a chance after that, he will need to relax alot more to land this. KUMBESHWAR was third in the race and travelled well turning for home and emptied fairly quickly but ran a very satisfactory race. We know he his tough enough to take frequent racing after last years Cheltenham and Aintree exertions. TANKS FOR THAT was the runner up at Cheltenham and looked like the winner for the majority of the home straight till he got swamped by a calm Paul Carberry on Bellvano. He will have to be on the top of his game today if he is going to give the weight away all round. I strongly fancied ASTRACAD in the Grand Annual but he was taken off his feet early on and for that his jumping suffered, he stayed on late in the day to come 7th and this race will be much more suited to him. EDGARDO SOL is a tough horse but he has had a hard season and every horse has a breaking point and today may be too much for him. We are siding with SILK DRUM to repeat last years victory in the race, this has been the plan all year and he will be spot on for today. He had been out of form but he bounced back with a second at Doncaster albeit in a bit of a farce of a race but this has shown he may just be a spring horse and id expect him to be tough to beat today.
4:50 - Betfred Manifesto Novices Chase
Finally a small field to analyse, but arguably one of the most talented fields of the day. Ruby Walsh is loyal to AL FEROF who was matching Sprinter Sacre in the Arkle before landing on a fence and losing all chance of winning. This is his first attempt at 2 and a half miles which should be up his street and jumping will be easier at this slower pace. Id argue that he is beatable this afternoon. Over fences i have never been the biggest fan of MENORAH but he ran an absolute blinder in the Arkle where he looked more of a chaser than ever, it could just be his fall at Doncaster has taught him to respect fences a bit more. He got outpaced turning for home in the Arkle so the step up in trip is very much justified today. Im glad ALASI is being tried in a top class novice chase as i do think that is where her future lies. She ran really well again in the mares hurdle to be caught on the line for 3rd two years running, that race shouldnt have taken too much out of her with the pace it was run, but you never know how well a horse takes a Chelenham race. CRISTAL BONUS ran a stinker at Cheltenham when never travelling with any fluency and hitting almost every fence in the Jewson, it was almost too bad to be true. It was as the day after it was discovered he has an abscess on his neck right where the saddle sits, Paul Nicholls described it 'as big an abscess you will ever see' saying it was as big as a fist. His bald patch from where is burst shows that he isnt lying. On that news he really deserves another chance and 15/2 could be a huge price. We are going to take a chance with PEPITE ROSE however who i have been following for a while, she is 4 from 4 over fences and has beaten some good horses on the bridle in that run. If she is good enough to beat her classy opponents today is yet to be seen. But all im going to say is that she looks like she could be a very VERY good horse.
5:25 - Silver Cross Handicap Hurdle
David Pipe won this last year with Battle Group, he sends 4 down to post here with his best chance seeming to be OUR FATHER who has enough weight for a lightly raced horse and he was extremely disappointing in the Pertemps at Cheltenham, for that reason alone he has to be opposed here. VOLADOR won gamely last time at Uttoxeter but will need to improve on that, behind him in 3rd that year was SHOEGAZER who is another of David Pipe's, Paul Townend is a very interesting Jockey booking for a bit of a random race, but im not sure how much to read into it. SPIRIT RIVER was running nicely last time at Cheltenham but fell at the last when a very tired horse, he will be fitter today and carries the burden of pricewise. DEIREADH RE is a very useful horse and should be thereabouts today if running to his best Harry Derham's 7 pound claim is invaluable today. GULLINBURSTI is a very talented young horse but is starting to look a little bit vulnerable with 2 seconds in his last two runs. He should be close though. VEILED is another very very useful horse and if she puts her best foot forward she should be another one that is there at the end. Jonjo saddles PALACE JESTER in this race who has some decent form to his name but he may just be a bit short today and others look preferred. CORKAGE is an admirable horse but he saves his best for Doncaster. We are going to take a chance on the ultra consistent TRUSTAN TIMES today who very much deserves his chance here and the step up in trip will be well in his favour. Trustan Times to land it today.
As i'm finishing writing this Big Bucks has just won the Liverpool Hurdle, take note guys, you wont see one better than him in your lifetime
Happy Punting guys
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