Tag Archives: Healing Power

Betting

Saturday Selections: 11th February 2023

Leave a comment

4.18 Lingfield: Class 6 Handicap, 7f

All good things come in threes? Well, let’s see. I backed Heeling Power the last two and times must give him one more chance here, as this race looks to be set up ideally for him from the #3 draw.

He was a bit disappointing – on bare form – the last two runs, when I fancied him a lot. However, there are mitigating factors, and this looks an easier race on paper, too.

At Wolverhampton, from a wider than ideal draw he had an awkward start and then simply never seemed to relax, doing too much early on.

Last time at Lingfield there were less excuses from the #1 draw. However, a rival was always right on his heels, attacked him from three furlongs out and drove him right toward to dreaded inside rail around the home turn, which cost momentum.

The fact Healing Power was able to get going again, rallying in the final furlong, shows me he’s still in excellent form.

He was only half a lengths beaten by Dulcet Spirit that day, who ran a career-best on speed figures. He renews rivalry with her here, and one could argue on slightly worse weight terms despite the fact the filly is 2lb higher in her official mark. The apprentice allowance offsets the additional weight, actually.

But she has a wider draw today, and is likely to be further back than last time. That could prove to be crucial. There isn’t a lot of pace expected here. Ideal for Healing Power from the low draw to hopefully settle nicely in front.

Jockey skills will be somewhat required to keep the gelding relaxed and settled. Elle-May Croot is one of the worst apprentices on the circuit, unfortunately. That’s a clear risk. I simply hope she simply bounces the gelding out of the gate and then does as little as possible. The less she intervenes, the better.

The pace scenario clearly plays into Healing Power’s hands. There are no excuses this time. He’s on a more than fair mark and has ran to good speed ratings in the not too distinct past.

10pts win – Healing Power @ 7/2

……….

7.30 Wolverhampton: Class 4 Handicap, 7f

Gobi Sunset looks potentially a class above the vast majority of this field if he’s fit after a break. Dropping down to 0-80 level, off a 82 rating with a useful 3lb claimer in the saddle makes him seriously well weighted.

It’s best to ignore his turf form and focus on his All-Weather form. His best performances came on the sand, and often off a break.

Therefore fitness is a question mark, but only to a certain extend, because the last two years on his seasonal comeback he was runner-up over this course and distance, only beaten a neck and a nose.

Nearly twelve months ago on his seasonal debut he ran a huge race in an 0-85 Handicap off a #8 draw, in a race that looks strong in hindsight.

He finished third and twice runner-up subsequently, in all his other runs on the All-Weather in 2022. Those performances look strong on paper, too.

Of course it is a concern that we haven’t seen him race since May 2022. Though, in the context of his overall record it isn’t a huge surprise.

Gobi Sunset has the best speed rating to offer over this trip, and certainly course and distance. Even though still without a win, he has a 100% place rate in Handicaps here and got desperately close twice.

The booking of Oliver Stammers is intriguing. This is his only ride on the day, and in the last fortnight he stat twice on Johnston runners, for a close second and a winner.

From a pace scenario the race could work out well for him. He won’t have too many issues moving forward from the #5 draw. There are two potential pace horses he can follow closely. Their early speed should help him settle, as he can be free over the 7f trip.

10pts win – Gobi Sunset @ 11/1

Betting

Friday Selections: 27th January 2023

Leave a comment

12.45 Lingfield: Class 6 Apprentice Handicap, 7f

I was seriously keen on Healing Power the last time at Wolverhampton. Albeit, that day he finished a disappointing 7th, there is a fair excuse for the below-par run.

Last time, from the #7 draw, the gelding was awkward away hence a step slow, was caught wide early as he moved forward to grab the lead eventually. The race was over there and then for him, as he faded badly in the closing stages.

It was also a strong contest, the winner clearly well handicapped and others have followed up with their own good runs subsequently.

Nonetheless, what made Healing Power a good bet that day remains largely the case why I am prepared to give him another chance here.

He can jump from the #1 gate, is back at his preferred Lingfield where he has a 7-2-3 record and there isn’t too much competition for the lead expected.

The Lingfield run in December remains a strong piece of form, suggesting the 7-year-old is in pretty good form. He is 3lb lower today, down to a mark of 61, which makes him well handicapped, if he can run to the same level of form again, that I believe is not far off his strong summer AW form when he ran twice to strong speed ratings, and won off 60.

10pts win – Healing Power @ 6/1

……….

3.55 Lingfield: Class 5 Handicap, 5f

This looks really competitive with a hot pace but I must give Ooh Is It a chance at the given prices, as he is clearly overpriced, if all is well.

There is a bit money coming, he was available at 16s this morning, but is nibbled at, that gives me a bit more confidence and hope. He missed some recent engagements, so wellbeing is taken at face value.

However, he ran extremely well at the end of last year, seriously caught the eye at Wolverhampton, and wasn’t disgraced when 3rd at Southwell subsequently behind two well handicapped individuals, while it was report that the “gelding had struck into himself on his left fore” during the race.

He missed the break the next time at Wolverhampton, which is unusual. He lost the race there and then.

From a perfect #2 draw today here’s hoping for a good start. A low draw for a prominent/front-running horse is a major advantage over this CD.

Ooh Is It ran to a speed rating of 71 back in November; he’s now down a mark of 66. if he’s healthy and well, he’s certainly quite well handicapped now.

10pts win – Ooh Is It @ 10/1

Betting

Monday Selections: 9th January 2023

1 Comment

5.30 Wolverhampton: Class 6 Apprentice Handicap, 7f

I’ve got three running from the latest Eyecatcher list. Not ideal. Thankfully I’ve got clear conditions set out for Jupiter Express and Desert Dream, and they aren’t met here.

They should still be fancied runners. In contrast, few in this field I regard as serious contenders. But knowing this race isn’t ideal for either Jupiter Express nor Desert Dream means they aren’t value for the win, in my view.

That leaves Healing Power. This looks a perfect opportunity for the 7-year-old gelding, in comparison. Let’s first review his most recent effort, that got him an entry on the eyecatchers:

Three weeks ago at Lingfield, he lead from the front, albeit pestered by a rival throughout. He set a good, even pace throughout. He was still leading at the final furlong marker, before headed over half a furlong from home by the eventual winner and runner-up, who came from off the pace. He managed to hold on for third eventually.

I believe this is strong form – on an individual level, because speed ratings confirmed an excellent figure of 59; form wise – because winner and second ran to higher than- or equal speed figures to their handicap mark. The winner went back-to-back and followed up with another strong 2nd place afterwards again.

The handicapper has been surprisingly friendly, having dropped Healing Power by 2lb for this strong performance, that at very least was very much in line with his then current rating, actually.

Off 62, in the right race, Healing Power will be handicapped to win in my view. He ran to 64 and 65 speed ratings within the last half year over 7 furlongs on the All-Weather, and this lto effort confirms his excellent current form.

Is this the right race? Yes and no. It’s not because this is Wolverhampton, Tapeta. His best sand performances all came at either Lingfield or Chelmsford on the polytrack. He also has to overcome a wider than ideal draw in #7. The Furtado yard has a poor spell right now, is 0/16 in the last fortnight.

But the positives outweigh all the negatives. He only raced three times on the Tapeta, was placed once in a hot class 5 contest, with the other two runs came over 6 furlongs and a mile, neither an ideal trip, off higher marks as well.

In class 6 over 7 furlongs he’s 1/5 and placed in 3 more, all those runs with Elle-May Croot in the saddle, who is on board here once again, and who maintains her 7lb claim even in this Apprentice race – with that she has a positive weight advantage to some other apprentices in this field, if they would meet in an ordinary Handicap, in fact.

The draw isn’t ideal, yes; thankfully Healing Power is a quick starter and there isn’t too many horses who are likely to charge forward in this field. The only one is Jupiter Express, who is likely to pull for his head over this trip, but at the same time will give Healing Express a nice focus point, something like a lead horse, who will be setting a fast pace that will suit him help to settle, as otherwise he’s known to pull early, as well.

The yard ran a bit better than the bare form suggest. In the last week 3/6 were placed, while the average SP was in the range of 23/1 for all runners in the last 14 days. Context is key, hence, if talking about the form of a yard.

In summary, Healing Power should have a cracking chance and perhaps should be considered the favourite to win the race, in my view.

The prices on the exchanges are total bonkers for the moment (and you can get on a proper stake; there is even bigger available, but I got the price I got). Of course, you never know in these races. There might be a reason for that. But the price doesn’t put me off at all; I doubt at this stage anybody knows who’s going to be on a going day here.

10pts win – Healing Power @ 10/1