Good morning/evening ladies and gentleman, a happy new year to you all and I hope 2015 is a profitable year for all of us. Our blushes on Boxing Day were saved by Gilgamboa who staked his claims at the Cheltenham Festival, when running out an impressive winner in a Grade Two at Limerick. Other than that there wasn't a great deal to write home about as Saphir Du Rheu fell once more and Ut Majeur Aulmes became increasingly more infuriating to follow. But we go on with hope for 2015! I also apologise for the disgraceful title to today's blog... Forgive me!
As always @OnTheOtherHoof have prepared a video preview for you as we discuss all of the Channel 4 action on Saturday. Joining me on the panel tonight were @Calummadell and @Adamwebb121 who both gave their best bets for the weekend. Enjoy!
Tolworth Hurdle Day
Now onto the all important selections!
1:15 Sandown - Fairy Rath
We start today's blog off with Fairy Rath who ran well last time when making his reappearance after a break of 11 months at Ascot. He ran as if he was in severe need of the outing but showed up well for a long way before tiring on the turn for home and was subsequently looked after by Tom Cannon. Despite being beaten just over 40 lengths, the form from the horses ahead of him has since been excellent with three winners coming out from the three who have seen a racecourse.
Niceonefrankie was the eventual winner at Ascot and he needs no introduction after his romp at Cheltenham off a 13 pound higher mark. Second was the dual hurdles winning King Edmund who was also touched off over fences at Kempton on his next run, whereas Drumshambo hasn't been seen since. Al Alfa is the last one to mention who was beaten over 28 lengths back into fourth, he was next seen when fending off Buck Mulligan to win at Cheltenham in December.
As you can see, despite being beaten a long way the form has been boosted on multiple occasions and Fairy Rath ran a lot better than his finishing position suggested. He will strip a lot fitter for that reappearance and has no problems with Sandown or the ground, so he is taken to land his fourth win overall and third win under Tom Cannon. (13/2)
1:50 Sandown - Mr Mole
Mr Mole is the next selection for the rare team of Paul Nicholls, AP McCoy and JP McManus and will be well fancied to give the three a winner. It is no secret that their representative hasn't been the most straightforward of horses in the past, but he seemed a different animal all together when leading from start to finish at Exeter last time out. That was only a three horse race but he had Brick Red behind him in second and despite being three pounds worse at the weights, he is chosen to confirm that running.
He was in the process of running a good race in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham but fell at the last when held in eighth. He has won twice since that day however and looks to be maturing after proving a difficult ride in the past, most notably in the Swinton Hurdle two seasons ago. Since that day he has struck up a good relationship with AP McCoy winning three of those six starts with him on board. Off a career high mark of 147 Mr Mole will need to improve again but he is more capable of being better than this mark. (3/1)
3:00 Sandown - Amore Alato
Next up is Amore Alato who was a more than useful novice but just short of top class last season, but is looking to stamp his authority in handicaps this time around. He made an encouraging reappearance off a three pound higher mark when bumping into a well handicapped Snake Eyes over course and distance. He ran well that day and proved that he isn't one dimensional when taking a lead from Leviathan and still proving competitive in the closing stages.
Last season he mixed it with some of the best novices around when finishing second by five lengths to Irving at Kempton and third by 11 lengths behind Lac Fontana, both of which have since won Grade One's. He was well beaten at Aintree by Josses Hill but that is easily forgiven as it was at the end of a long season and he was likely over the top. On that form he could still be well handicapped and this race looks an easier task than his last outing here. (4/1)
3:45 Lingfield - Black Truffle
We end the day with a visit to Lingfield where Mark Usher saddles the in form Black Truffle, who has taken advantage of a slipping handicap mark and bounced back to form in a big way. He is by no means a world beater and at the age of 5 we know everything that there is to know about the horse, but a low handicap can make any horse dangerous.
Black Truffle entered the notebook when winning in taking style at Kempton off a low mark of 47 two outings ago and was only put up four pounds for it. He then went to Wolverhampton last time out when everything went wrong for him and he could go down as an unlucky loser. Liam Keniry decided to take the brave route of sticking to the inside rail and met trouble on three separate occasions, causing Keniry to stop riding and sacrifice ground. Hayley Turner takes over in the saddle today which is no negative after her recent form, including a winner on New Years Day. Black Truffle to take all the beating in the last at Lingfield. (7/2)
NAP - Fairy Rath
Nb - Amore Alato
Good luck everyone and as always, happy punting
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