Ascot and Haydock Handicaps

Its been a great week of racing at Chester, but the highlight of the week for me was Overturn running yet another fantastic race when coming second in the Chester Cup under top weight. Donald McCain had the first two home with Ile De Re passing overturn just under 2 furlongs out under Jim Crowley.

The Jumpers seemed to dominate the week with Donald McCain also training the hurdler Absinthe to win the first race on Thursday in the hands of ex jump jockey Graham Lee. Lee went on to score a double that day with a later winner. But in a hope that all race meetings will be on come Saturday morning we shall crack on with the weekends racing.

Ascot - 2:50
One of the races that will be on today on the straight course and a competitive one with the ground being so testing. MOONE'S MY NAME looks the likely favourite, she is a rapidly improving filly but she has never encountered ground like this. With that being a massive gamble on whether she handles today others are easily preferred. CERTRAL ran well on her reappearance at Nottingham but has done all her winning on fast ground, for that reason she isnt fancied to go one better today. The humourously named FORK HANDLES has the burden of carrying top weight, that will be no easy task today with the ground being this soft. She was considered good enough to contest in the Oaks last year but never really figured. If she is able to build on an encouraging reappearance she will go close today and could be the each way value. MAKING EYES was tried in top Handicaps as a three year old but seemed well short in that class. This is a weaker race today but is still hard enough to fancy. DIVERTING was well ahead of Ian Mongan's mount today the last time out at Newmarket. But like many others in the field she is an unknown on the ground and may just struggle to get competitive today. COCHABAMBA was well out of her depth last time behind Penitent at Sandown. She has already had 4 runs this year and in good company, however three of them were on the all weather. In her early two year old days she had some very smart form and looked a useful prospect. If she returns today that today she will be a big player, but its a big if. SHESASTAR must overcome the longest layoff in the field of 248 days. She went well first time out last year and also landed a valuable Fillies Handicap at York last season. Her stamina will have to be proven over the mile trip and that will be no easy task today. IMAGINARY WORLD didnt get home over the mile at Doncaster on soft ground last time but still until the final furlong was bang in contention so must be considered as must RUSSIAN RAVE who has some good form on softer ground but has to prove stamina over the trip on testing ground today. If she does stay then she could be a major player. A trio of 3 year olds go to post today and powerful stables are represented. CHATTERATI carries the lowest weight in the field and Dominic Fox takes off a further three. But all of Mark Johnston's filly's better form is on the polytrack and not on turf therefore has something to prove today. The other two 3 year olds belong to Richard Hannon with FREE VERSE seeming the first string after winning on Softer ground last year in a nursery. She may just need the run today and the selection is the other Hannon horse. MY QUEENIE had a pipe opener at Kempton where she was running on in third under a pretty tender ride from Richard Hughes. She also ran a credible race in a top two year old contest at Goodwood last year. Her only win has come on quick ground but has run well on more testing ground. She will have to improve to win today and should go close.

Ascot - 3:25
Jim Goldie is going for back to back wins in this race with HAWKEYETHENOO who hasn't been seen since fourth Behind PASTORAL PLAYER last year over Course and Distance. Both would need firmer ground to perform to their best today. MABAIT is dropped a furlong in trip today after a disappointing first run for David Simcock he needs firm ground to win and is opposed today. BONNIE BRAE won a competitive handicap at Doncaster in November but may just need this run, Ryan Moore is a very interesting jockey booking for today. KING OF JAZZ ran a cracker on debut for Michael Bell but goes well on better ground. NASRI has some decent form to his name and some of that on softer ground so cant be dismissed easily today, however his last run was on testing ground and left something to be desired. LIGHTNING CLOUD is an ultra consistent type but needs faster ground and is left alone today. ADVANCED is the other Kevin Ryan runner in the race and is an admirable veteran, if he can put his best foot forward he will go close but has place claims at best. EXCELLENT GUEST will have to overcome a long layoff and a career high mark which means improvement will be needed. WHITE FROST is inexperienced compared to others in this field and enjoys softer ground it would be no surprise to see him go well today. FATHSTA has showed form on soft ground before but would be a surprise winner today, although he has been slipping down the weights as of late. GLOBAL VILLAGE is a confirmed mudlark but must overcome a career high mark, if he can overcome that then he will be right there when it counts. BRAE HILL won the Lincoln last time out but performs best on firmer ground and others are preferred. TARIQ TOO is one out of one for Amy Weaver and loves testing ground. He is the selection today after winning his last two and being a fast improving horse. Id be surprised if he isnt at least placed.

Haydock - 3:50
It's a shame that winner of the last two years isn't in it as Eradicate seems to come into his own in this race each year. Nicky Henderson is still very strong handed in this race with 3 fancied horses. LIFESTYLE looks to be the most fancied one off top weight but after seeing her in the flesh, id have my doubts that she can carry top weight in a handicap like this as she is very small framed. PETIT ROBIN has struggled since coming back from injury and is best watched right now. The last of the Henderson trio is ALL THE ACES who disappointed when i fancied him last time at Aintree. He will appreciate the softer ground today though. SAPHIR RIVER has form on soft ground in France and improved at Aintree from his fall at Cheltenham. He has to be in with a chance today. ARAB LEAGUE is in good form with himself and seems to improve on soft ground, Frances Hayes gets on very well with him and it would be no surprise were he good enough to win today. IFYOULETMEFINISH was outpaced the whole time in the County Hurdle, the softer ground will ensure he has enough pace today and id fancy he will get on with soft ground. DOUBLE ROSS was beaten two and a half lengths by Cinders and Ashes on bottomless ground over course and distance. He could go well off a low weight today. PAINTBALL won the Imperial Cup really well then disappointed at Aintree when fancied to follow up. He is best watched right now as it remains a thought that his win at Sandown is a flash in the pan. Darryl Jacob is a positive jockey booking. DREAM ESTEEM is improving this year and loves softer ground, both of David Pipe's should go well today. CHARM SCHOOL is a tough horse but may come up short today. SECRET EDGE stays further but has had some tough races as of late and they may catch up with him today. Real place claims though. UBI ACE has disappointed on two runs since switching to Jonjo O'Neill but on his day is very talented, a return to his best will put him right there at the end. The selection today is DREAMBROOK LADY who travelled well into the race last time at Cheltenham behind Une Artiste on softer ground but was hampered before the turn for home and could never quicken afterwards. She looks very well handicapped today and Nick Scholfield prefers her to the other Jeremy Scott runner.

Nap - Dreambrook Lady
NB - My Queenie
But id just like to say that there really isnt much between the three selections and i fancy all three fairly strongly.

As always Happy Punting. I usually try and put up some ante post selections on my twitter account, if you dont follow me but would like to its @lukeyboy1325

Have a Good day

Aintree day 1 continued

Continued from the last blog.

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