Tag Archives: Handicap

Betting

Tuesday Selections: February, 6th 2018

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4.40 Southwell: Class 6 Handicap, 1m 4f

A poor race, where the favourite looks solid, but vulnerable after a 4lb hike in his handicap rating after a recent success. This race could well turn into a muddling affair and I’d rather be a layer at odds-on for Star Ascending.

A speculative punt on Clayton Hall looks more interesting. Visor is back on for the second time, the five year old finally has the aid of a good draw here at Southwell, and that could help him to be in a better position than certainly five days ago over course and distance.

He didn’t start all that quickly from the second widest draw but also got bumped by the horse drawn beside him; subsequently Clayton Hall raced wide throughout. Turning for home widest of all, he didn’t seem to go anywhere, however, the gelding stayed on quite well in the closing stages, finishing the last two furlongs fastest of all.

Clayton Hall is five pounds out of the handicap and on overall form has a lot to find with the market principles, nonetheless. However, he won a class 4 handicap on turf off 72 back in May 2017, so there is clearly a bit of talent there.

With his recent slight improvement, a low weight, a better draw and a trip he seemingly stays, he could be the one causing an upset in this race.

Selection:
10pts win – Clayton Hall @ 14/1 VC

Betting

Wednesday Selections: January, 31st 2018

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4.10 Chelmsford: Class 5 Handicap, 5f

Competitive race, both favourite Bosham and Jorvik Prince, who was a bit unlucky not complete a four-timer at Lingfield last time out, should go really close. Question is, given they have a lot of mileage on the clock, how much more improvement can they eke out?

Lightly raced Jack The Truth is the intriguing contender in this field I am keen on. He hasn’t ran a single bad race in five starts; despite the main body of form coming at Southwell, he also proved to be capable on other AW surfaces.

He already won twice at Southwell this winter; his 5f success on handicap debut was an impressive performance, he followed up subsequently with an even better effort when third in a 6f class 4 Handicap. From a wide draw he came across and was up there with a hot pace.

As the only one from the front trio, he kept going in the closing stages to finish third eventually, whereas winner and second came from the back off the field to stay on. This already works out a good piece of form.

Jack The Truth remains on the same handicap mark, a 73 rating he matched on TS figure on his penultimate run. Dropping back to the minimum trip and down to a class 5 contest, he should be ready for a big performance from a fair draw.

Selection:
10pts win – Jack The Truth @ 9/2 VC

Betting

Saturday Selections: January, 27th 2018

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Newmarket Rowley Mile Winning post

2.35 Lingfield: Class 6 Handicap, 7f

Fair handicap despite low grade. A golden opportunity for Fiery Breath, nonetheless. He’s the only colt in a female dominated field. The other two market principles have decent shouts in this, however, all evolves around the son of Bated Breath.

He’s back after a seasonal break during which he underwent wind surgery. However he’s not been gelded, which means there is still hope he can do something better than winning a class 6 Handicap.

Reasons are his decent pedigree. Out of a mare that won multiple times on the All-Weather, he is clearly suited to this surface, which he tries the first time.

He was not disgraced in three starts in maiden company last season, when mainly racing in higher grades. The usually travelled well but faded when it mattered. You can clearly get a feeling why connections opted for the wind OP.

The opening mark could potentially underestimate him here. I’ve not doubt that he’ll be ready to.

Selection:
10pts win – Fiery Breath @ 9/2 Bet365

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6.45 Kempton: Class 5 Handicap, 6f

Competitive field as you would expect for a race like this. A realistic case can be made for a good handful of these. That says certainly the most interesting contender is Desert Fox.

Lightly raced, he got off the mark in his third handicap start at Chelmsford nine days ago. He couldn’t have been more impressive in what looked a deep race as well. Wide draw, slightly interfered and set alight early on, he travelled strongly and put the race easily to bed in the closing stages.

Both TS and RPR back this performance up, meaning the five pound hike in the mark may not stop him.

He finished last a good five weeks earlier here at Kempton over 7f. There is a good excuse for that, which isn’t the trip: after a bumped start he rushed to the front and may way too much way too early.

Plenty of upside potentially for Desert Fox, though, who shouldn’t mind the step up in class. He’s got a good draw here to utilize and hopefully he gets a clear run this time – then he could be hard to stop, despite the general competitiveness of this race.

Selection:
10pts win – Desert Fox @ 13/2 GB

Betting

Friday Selections: January, 26th 2018

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3.30 Lingfield: Class 6 Handicap, 6f

Contemplating over this race for the whole night, my horse has a less than ideal draw, 100 day+ lay-off and a yard in poor form against in a highly competitive race.

But on the other side there are too many positives to not get involved. Talking about De Vegas Kid, the only colt in the field.

This horse is still a maiden and certainly had plenty of opportunities. He was a bit unlucky not to get off the mark in a handful of races last season, though. That shows he needs things to fall right, however, he ran excellent at Newcastle in March over 7f off 6lb higher than his current handicap rating.

He followed up in spring with two more fine performances on the All-Weather, before becoming frustrating, unable to take advantage of a slipping mark, on turf. He was desperately unlucky not get his head in front at Brighton in August and September.

De Vegas Kid has been off since then, makes a reappearance now dropping down to 6f for the very first time. An interesting move. I feel Lingfield as a track could suit him quite well, so may the trip. Certainly on pedigree it is not unlikely to see him improve a little bit. Sire and dam’s sire have excellent records on the British All-Weather over this distance with their offspring.

He has proven last season to be well capable of running to his current 52 rating, possibly slightly above that. If race fit, and if the trip can eke out a little bit of extra, then he must go very close in this race.

Selection:
10pts win – De Vegas Kid @ 11/1 PP

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8.45 Kempton: Class 4 Handicap, 6f

Probably a race between Envisaging, Blazed and Daschas. Daschas was tremendously backed the other day when dropping down to the minimum trip at Newcastle – he didn’t quite get there and while the additional furlong works in his favour, I think he showed to be in the grip of the handicapper having little to nothing in hand.

Envisaging is consistent and has form in the book that gives him a prime chance to run close once more. His overall strike rate leaves him vulnerable to an improver, though. This one should be Blazed.

Still relatively low mileage, he’s clearly a quirky character who makes a habit of missing the break. That is an issue that cost him a couple of races likely I firmly believe. It might be an issue here again.

However he remains open to a bit of improvement trying 6f again. He finished well last month under an easy hands and heels ride, clearly with another day in mind I felt.

He steps up in class and has to prove that he fully stays the trip. The pedigree gives plenty of hope. Kempton might suit him better as a track. A galloping course with a longer home straight gives him a better chance to run the field down.

Roger Charlton and Kieren Shoemark team up – a very profitable combination particularly in All-Weather Handicaps.

Selection: 
10pts win – Blazed @ 4/1 – Bet365

Betting

Thursday Selections: January 25th, 2018

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Newmarket Rowley Mile Winning post

2.10 Southwell: Class 5 Handicap, 5f

From top draw start Archimedes in this contest over the minimum trip tomorrow. To be drawn low over this CD is a massive advantage as pointed out on this blog several times in the past; drawn in 1 is the cherry on the cake, so to speak.

Archimedes is for many reasons, not only the positive draw, and intriguing individual. For one, he is a course and distance winner – last January he won this exact race off 3lb higher than his current handicap rating. He ran to a whopping RPR of 70 that day (in the context of his official rating).

He backed this up later in the year on turf at Bath on fast ground over 5f, when winning off the same mark running to a similar RPR.

Problems started soon after. He missed plenty of assignments and ran mostly poorly. An issue with his wind was identified and hopefully rectified through a wind OP in November. He returns to the track after a near 100 day long break for his first run after the OP.

Obviously this procedure might not work as hoped, however, given the fact he won this very same race last year, is dangerously well handicapped and has a top draw, in combination one would hope he can return to some sort of last seasons form which would see Archimedes go close.

Selection:
10pts win – Archimedes @ 12/1 William Hill

…….

3.55 Southwell: Class 5 Handicap, 1m

Open contest with no standout, however Zorovan, despite tumbling odds, looks still a tasty option.

The 5-year old is a course and distance winner and finished a fine 2nd in a class 4 Handicap over CD subsequently of a mark off 77. Both runs awarded him RPR’s of 81 and 85 and he followed up with a success on turf of a handicap mark off 80 some weeks later.

Racing in strong handicaps of high marks, he couldn’t quite continue to ride the wave of success and hasn’t been in the money ever since.

After a half-year long break he reappeared at Newcastle in December, probably needed the run badly when well beaten. He did a bit better the next time at Chelmsford in a deep race, tiring late.

A return to this course and distance as well as a further 3lb drop in the weights should see Zorovan in much better light, though. It’s Keith Dalgleish’s only runner on the card and a fair 3lb claimer is booked for the ride – a big run is expected here, I feel.

Selection:
10pts win – Zorovan @ 13/2 PP

Betting

Sunday Selections: January, 21st 2018

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1.55 Chelmsford: Class 6 Handicap, 7f

Six year old Frozen Lake hasn’t exactly been firing for his new trainer yet, however, he has plenty going for himself today and could be hard to stop if he hasn’t went sour. Clearly, the son of Elusive Quality deserves his chance in this open, yet very winnable race.

Frozen drops down to a career lowest mark as well as for the first time into a class 6 Handicap. This is the easiest task he faced ever and while his latest forms aren’t reading well, still, his March 2017 run here at Chelmsford over a mile is a very strong piece of form on offer.

A return to anything near it will see him winning easily today, given this is an easier race, he’s 9lb lower and has the aid of a red hot 5lb claimer on board.

The gelding has one issue: the start. He often rears and is on the back foot right away. That can be a problem here at Chelmsford where the kickback can be severe in my opinion.

Nonetheless, he could have too much in hand to use his stamina to pick up one after another in the home straight and hopefully gets there when it matters most.

Selection:
10pts win – Frozen Lake @ 6/1 Bet365

Betting

Saturday Selections: January, 20th 2018

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8.15 Chelmsford: Class 6 Handicap, 1 mile

A quiet week so far, and here we go with a horse I’ve already been interested in a week ago, when he ran – and finished poorly, well beaten at Southwell.

Nonetheless, I’m prepared to give Emigrated another chance here, in this pretty poor contest that screams for an upset.

Reasons are pretty much the same as last week – however there is a slight bonus this time: Emigrated returns to a surface he probably likes a lot more, which he showed here in December when running his best race in a very long time over CD.

It was his second start for the Derek Shaw yard, after a promising initial display at Southwell coming off a break. At Chelmsford he backed it up with a fine 5th, only 2¾ beaten despite not having things going his way throughout – form that looks solid enough in the book, also.

Emigrated didn’t run well the last two times. There was little excuse last week other than a fluffed start at an unkind surface that can be hard to recover from a scenario like that – still a run to forget. The penultimate start at Chelmsford over 10f, a third run in quick succession, is easier to forgive when seen in the right context.

However, it has to be said, the five year old gelding did show eye-catching improvement in his first starts for his new trainer Derek Shaw.

 

Now, you don’t want to make too many excuses for a long standing maiden who hasn’t shown a lot his whole life. Nonetheless, those two forms in early December give him a fair shout in this race.

Interesting fact that Emigrated’s sire Fastnet Rock has quite an excellent record over this trip in Chelmsford Handicaps.

Selection:
10pts win – Emigrated @ 50/1 PP/VC/BF

Betting

Tuesday Selections: January, 16th 2018

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Newmarket Rowley Mile Winning post

4.35 Kempton: Class 6 Handicap, 6f

I am not a fan of backing mares during the winter months against the boys, however Gorgeous has caught my eye on her comeback run after a near year long layoff at Wolverhampton over 5f back in November as a 66/1 longshot.

She got badly hampered at the start and as a consequence wasn’t in a good position and too far off the pace when it mattered. Nonetheless, she finished in tremendous style, producing a turn of foot from the back of the field picking one after another up, to finish 2nd eventually.

She couldn’t quit back it up three weeks later – possibly the “bounce factor”? Although again she did not have the smoothest of experiences getting out of the starting gates and she didn’t help her cause when hanging badly to the left in the closing stages.

Regardless, both forms look rock solid and have bee franked. She drops a pound down to 55, which looks a very dangerous mark. She moves up to 6f which should very much suit on pedigree as a full-sister to a multiple Kempton course & distance winner.

Gorgeous has a wide draw to overcome which isn’t ideal. However this is a very winnable race in my eyes and ideal chance for her to get back to the winning ways.

Selection:
10pts win – Gorgeous @ 12/1 Bet365

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Monday Selections: January, 15th 2018

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33/1 get in Cosmelli! It seemed a long time coming this week, hitting post and crossbar so often. Today was the day; though, I was nervous when Tom Eaves set very fast fractions early on. However, stamina is Cosmelli’s strengths and he clearly outstayed them all in impressive manner! A wonderful end to the week.

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7.40 Wolverhampton: Class 6 Handicap, 5f

This looks like a battle between the top two in the market. Two potentially very well handicapped individuals, with Fareeq and Waneen – one of them should have too much in the locker for the rest in the field.

Fareeq drops down to a career lowest mark. He looks able to exploit it on the back of a recent 3rd place finish that looks decent form. A further drop of 2lb provides him with a prime chance – however he is drawn wider than ideal and that might swing the pendulum towards Waneen.

Waneen is ideally drawn in five which gives his jockey plenty of options. He also has dropped to a career lowest mark. After a string of mainly poor performances in slightly higher grades and higher ratings, he dropped to 58 the last time, when back off a 158 long break as he reappeared over CD – and the money was clearly down, backed into favoritism before the off.

Issue was a wide draw that day. He made allot to get across as soon as possible from the widest draw to share the lead. He was still in with a fair shout two furlongs out, and only dropped away late paying for his start and potentially his first run in a while. This is a solid piece of form, regardless, as it has been franked multiple times in the meantime.

The handicapper relives him off another pound. That is nothing in the grand scheme of things. Fact is, however, Waneen is a course and distance winner who won off 68 and was 74 rated, which seemed exactly a year ago pretty much alright.

He’s got another 56 days to recover from this big last run – hopefully fit and well, with most things falling his way, he looks sure to go close, as he seems incredibly well handicapped now.

Selection:
10pts win – Waneen @ 10/3 Skybet

 

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Monday Selections: January, 8th 2018

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5.45 Wolverhampton: Class 5 Handicap, 1m 6f

There isn’t allot of ‘form’ on offer in this race. A bunch of out of form individuals that try to find back to the winning ways. That says, four year old Azam has allot going for himself, regardless.

The son of Dansili drops to a dangerous mark, given he ran to higher time-speed ratings in the past and achieved an RPR of 82 on his penultimate start here at Wolverhampton over 12f.

That performance is key to me: he had an awkward start to the race and found himself at the back of the field throughout. Not having a clear run turning for home complicated matters further, yet he finished nicely in what appears to be rock solid form.

Azam drops in class for the first time in quite some time after having to race in better races of higher marks, thanks to a fine Maiden success as a juvenile and a fair handicap performance back in August 2017 in a class 3 Handicap at Pontefract.

This is the easiest task he faces for a long time. Trip wise it’s a question mark. Two miles was too far, whether he really cries out for anything beyond 1m 4f remains to be seen – but he certainly has a fair chance to get 14f alright as he is related to some good middle-distance horses.

A good start will be paramount. Drawn in 11 must not be a disadvantage, as the stats prove. However, Azam can’t give away tons of ground in this big field early on if he wants to win. Given, he’s never done that before, bar the one time three weeks ago, means he is a big chance to be the one in this field who finally gets “1” added in the form bock beside hi name again.

Selection:
1opts win – Azam @ 4/1 Paddy Power