Morning everyone, its getting to that time of year when you wake up and check the calendar for how long is left until the Cheltenham roar goes up on the opening Tuesday. But there is still racing to get through and even some having their prep races for the festival including today at Kempton. We also race from Newcastle who host the yearly stamina sapping slog that is the Eider Chase over 4 miles and a furlong. Firstly a review of last week as always.
Usually if we only had one winner in a week, id be sitting here typing how poor the week was and that we need to recover this week. We only had the one winner on Saturday, however that one winner was Kuilsriver who returned at 33/1 and may I say jumped fantastically on the whole. He saved our bacon last week so hopefully a more consistent blog today with regular winners again.
Kempton host's a very good card with the highlight being the Racing Plus chase won last year by Nacarat who lines up again this year. This could well be his swansong so it would be lovely to see the brave grey give a bold showing again. Newcastle also hold a seven race card which as previously mentioned stages the Eider which will see the progressive Chac Du Cadran be the likely favourite. But enough about what is going on, lets dive into the action of the week.
1:30 Kempton - Milarrow
Colin Tizzard's Gelding is ultra consistent, second the last two times and not out of the first four since December 2011 registering two wins on the way. But its the last two runs that interest me, two outings ago he was beaten out of sight by Radjhani Express, but not much would have beaten him on that day. He was also one of only 3 to finish and was 7 lengths in front of the 3rd horse Coole River who in turn is a very useful sort. Most recently however he was second to Politeo when the winner was backed heavily during the day winning by 8 lengths. The point I am making is that the last two times he has been unlucky when running into a well handicapped horse, fortunately there doesn't look anything of that kind here today. Milarrow to land a Deserved victory. (9/2)
1:45 Newcastle - Fill The Power
Sue Smith's gelding is a ready made chaser who like Milarrow has been nothing but consistent recently. He won his chasing debut at Sedgefield beating the useful yardstick in Flinty Bay with Dica back in third. He was then a well beaten third before catching the horrible seconditis. This lasted for 3 runs before unseating last time out when probably in a race too good for him anyway, there is some top form in there though. He was second to Wyck Hill (favourite for the Racing Plus chase) by half a length before doing everything but win at Doncaster, again beaten half a length. His best novice form came when 15 lengths behind the classy Rocky Creek at Warwick and a reproduction of that will surely have him go close if not win. (4/1)
2:05 Kempton - Irish Saint
This was a tough choice for me between Irish Saint and Vasco Du Ronceray. But we shall side with the former who has the much stronger form to his name to date. He was seen here on debut for Paul Nicholls when absoluting cantering home in a Juvenile Hurdle beating the more than useful Mcvicar by 18 lengths. He wasn't particularly fancied by Paul Nicholls that day but did the job in a very professional and taking style. Irish Saint then stepped up in class when taking on the Nicky Henderson inmate Rolling Star, who is now the Triumph Hurdle favourite. Beaten 2 1/4 lengths that day after the bottomless ground got to him on the run in and climb up the Cheltenham hill. Even in defeat he was 30 lengths clear of the closest rival in Roc D'apsis and could just be a cut about them today. (13/8)
2:40 Kempton - Molotof
I have to come clean, at the start of the year I was wondering why Molotof was being sent over fences as I didn't feel he had the right frame for chasing, how wrong I was. He has proved himself to be a very smart novice and more importantly a slick jumper. He was an impressive winner at Warwick two weeks ago after finishing fourth to Dynaste here over 3 miles in the Feltham. With Barry Geraghty on board and the Henderson string in fine form we will take Molotof to oblige in what looks to be a fairly weak race. A very strong selection. (11/8)
2:55 Newcastle - Our Island
I have never been a big fan of Tim Vaughan's gelding but today he seemingly jumped off the page at his respected odds. There are a few stamina doubts about many of the field today but Our Island has ran well over marathon trips before, most notable 3rd over 4 miles at Exeter on very testing ground. He was also a decent fifth in the Welsh National behind Monbeg dude, beaten 18 lengths that day but it would seem that today is the one they have been waiting for. He struggled last year when in high class novice company but since going handicapping has been much more at home. With no stamina doubts and 3 pounds below his last winning mark he could take some beating here. (10/1)
3:15 Kempton - Forgotten Voice
This could well be a second part of a Henderson and Geraghty double in the Dovecote, this once top class flat performer has equipped himself nicely since switching to hurdles. Winning his first two races very nicely at Bangor and Market Rasen he came here in a handicap hurdle and finished fourth under top weight. He was giving a lot of weight away that day which isn't ideal for a novice in a handicap, but that will have put him straight and he will be much more fit today. with Geraghty getting the leg up we will take him to land a quick fire double.
I will have to apologise for the Racing Plus chase as I cant even force myself to fancy anything, nothing jumps off the page but if I were to have a bet for interest id take Mister Hyde each way at 33s.
4:25 Kempton - Quaddick Lake
If you have watched Quaddick Lake's last two runs and haven't entered him in your notebook then you need to check yourself into the local loony bin. Two runs ago he was 3rd at Cheltenham behind the very progressive Mr Watson, he was very tentatively handled that day and was never closer than he was at the line. I don't even think Nick Scholfield went for the whip on board him that day. Naturally you would think next time out would be a breeze for him, alas that was not the case. Everything was going fine at Huntingdon before he had a rival fall directly in front of him, resulting in him losing 10 lengths off the back of the field. From that point he had no chance but incredibly he stayed on again to come 3rd once more and only 3 1/4 lengths off the winner Art Professor. If there is any justice in the world he will be winning today and with only a two pound rise in the handicap he is taken to win again, with some luck of course. (6/1)
4:40 Newcastle - Papa Caruso
Hopefully by this point we will all be so rich we wont even need a winner, but just in case we will take a chance with Papa Caruso from the Sue Smith yard. Since winning a race at Newcastle when a very heavy backed favourite in 2011 he hasn't won, saying that he has only had four runs since. Last time looked as if there was a bit of a revival coming however when a close up third to Kandari at Catterick. He jumped much better on the whole that day and if continuing his upward curve off a 1 pound lower rating should be very competitive here. (11/2)
That's all for the action today folks, but one more word in that my interview with Shirley Teasdale is still coming at some point next week. I will be posting it on my twitter account when I finally upload it, you can find me on @lukeyboy1325
UPDATE: On the news that Newcastle is off im throwing Picansort into the blog in the last at Lingfield, he is returning to some form and could go well. Being backed in so get on quick. (5/1)
NAP - Molotof
NB - Irish Saint
Happy Punting guys!
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