Another week of haring up and down the nation’s motorways has not been without its rewards, a trip to the infamous Penrith Tea Rooms on the way to Carlisle on Wednesday (fans of the cult film Withnail & I take note) preceded the sight of George Charlton’s hugely impressive Knockara Beau winning the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle in battling fashion, seeing off a determined bid from the moody but highly talented Heathcliff (from my own stable).
Indeed the winning connections would have been within their rights to demand “the finest wines known to humanity” after such a display, but to do so on ground resembling a tidal mud flat when conceding no less than 21 pounds was truly astonishing.
Cast your mind back to Cheltenham’s Cleeve Hurdle; Tom Scu’s mount Grands Crus was giving away four pounds but swatted Knockara Beau away like an irritating mosquito, dishing out a contemptuous 10 length beating as if dismissing an errant schoolboy.
The same Grands Crus will attempt to wrestle the World Hurdle crown away from Big Buck’s in a few weeks time. Can he do it? You bet! The 5/2 with Blue Square looks too good to miss.
Thursday brought a trip to the West Country for a hugely enjoyable trip to Taunton – one to look out for despite being booked for second when he fell (in the race won by Brampour if you want to watch it back online) was David Pipe’s Maiden Hurdle debutant Trop Fort – still only a baby, he didn’t quite get home on ground that was soon changed to Soft – he’ll be winning soon that’s for sure.
He actually fell at the last in an incident that made most of the national papers on Friday, bringing down AP McCoy and First In The Queue in a nasty looking crash which happily turned out to be no more than an innocuous collision – all parties returned unharmed and plenty will have been learnt.
To this weekend’s action and the one horse I’m really looking forward to seeing again is Emma Lavelle’s Highland Valley at Exeter on Sunday, as he lines up in Division One of the opening Molson Coors “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle over 2m 3f at 2.10pm.
The winner of a Wincanton bumper 12 months ago he built on that when winning impressively at Exeter in November, beating Daring Origyn (won a competitve handicap at Leicester last week) by 10 lengths, with the third horse Simply Wings also having run with credit on more than one occasion since.
I was in the stable block after that Exeter run, and Emma travelling head lad (who more than knows the time of day) was almost fizzing with excitement at what he’d just seen.
He didn’t seem to take to Cheltenham when stepped up in trip to three miles in a very hot Grade 2 at the December meeting, but connections have been patient and he can resume winning ways under Jack Doyle before an assault on the Albert Bartlett in March.
By Flemensfirth, Exeter’s muddy undulations seem to suit this fella ideally and concedig weight to 14 rivals here should be well within his compass. Win bet.
There’s an absolute mountain of good racing to get fired into on Saturday (on both sides of the Irish Sea), but kicking off with the postponed Leopardstown card which should have been run last Sunday there are a couple I fancy at decent prices:
In the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle at 1.10pm I’m not especially taken with the English raider Indian Daudaie or Dermot Weld’s filly Unaccompanied, even though the pair make up a huge percentage of the book.
At a big price by comparison you only have to put a line through his last run (when he wasn’t right) to suggest Gordon Elliot’s Toner D’Oudairies might be the solution – effective on the ground his trainer has been in the winners this week, and I for one wouldn’t be overly surprised if he caused a minor upset here.
Back Toner D’Oudairies each way at 10/1 with Bet365 (who go 1/4 odds 1-2-3).
Sticking with Leopardstown everyone I’ve spoken to is expecting Willie Mullins to clean up in the Grade 1 Deloitte Novice Hurdle at 2.45pm, but while I believe he’ll win the race, I think anyone backing hotpot Zaidpour might be left with a sinking feeling as Mullins also has another live chance in the shape of Cottrelsbooley (ridden by son Emmett), who can jump off and make all.
I was (and remain) a big fan of Zaidpour, so much so that I had a good bet on him when he won at Fairhouse pre-Christmas, but he just doesn’t look the same animal on this heavy ground. There’ll be no excuses for him this time regarding insufficient time between races, but perhaps conditions underfoot will prove his undoing.
Stablemate Cottrelsbooley on the other hand hacked up in a Leopardstown maiden on very testing ground at the Christmas meeting, loves to kick on in front, and may never see another rival.
At 12/1 with Bet365 (who once again go 1/4 odds 1-2-3) I’m keen to find out. Back him each way.
At Newbury 14 go to post for the Totescoop6 Handicap Hurdle at over 3m and half a furlong at 1.55pm, and I really fancy JP McManus’s Cappagh to rediscover the winning thread.
Handily weighted due to the presence of Hills Of Aran and Don’t Push It you’d have to say this looks an inviting opportunity for the six year old against a mixed bunch.
This is a horse who goes well fresh and certainly looks to have plenty of improvement still to come.
Since winning at Exeter over hurdles in May his next two wins came over fences (at Perth and Ffos Las), before returning to hurdles to take on the then unheralded Grands Crus at the Paddy Power meeting.
His fifth that day reads rather better now, and off a mark of just 116 he can make them all go here.
With AP on board we can be sure we won’t be beaten for want of trying, and at 7/2 with Totesport I’m definitely happy to get involved.
Lastly, the small matter of Britain’s most valuable handicap hurdle the Totesport Trophy (3.35pm live on Ch4), for which 23 go to post for the £68,412 first prize.
Everyone I’ve spoken to has a different opinion on what’s going to pop up and win this, but the key stats seem to suggest the blatantly obvious in a light weight and an improving horse that won last time out.
I’m happy to swerve the talking horses and chance my arm with a 33/1 shot who runs in all the competitive big field handicaps, never seems to run a bad race, is still on the upgrade at the age of just six, and has made the frame on 10 of his 17 hurdles starts to date.
The horse is Evan Wiliams’ Tiger O’Toole, who chinned the re-opposing Grade 1 winner Walkon at Ascot last time (albeit in receipt of 19 pounds), but might still have more to come.
The track should suit, he’s in the form of his life, and his stable jockey Paul Moloney has opted for Tiger O’Toole ahead of shorter priced stablemate Tarkari, which must be a tip in itself.
A few quid each way at 33/1 with any of Bet365, Skybet or Paddy Power (all of whom are offering 5 places to each way backers) is the way to go.
Good luck!
This weekend’s best bets:
1.10 Leopardstown (Saturday) – Tote Jackpot Races 3-6 Spring Juvenile Hurdle – 9 Toner D’Oudairies (each way) @ 10/1 (Bet365)
1.55 Newbury (Saturday) – Totescoop6 Handicap Hurdle – 12 Cappagh (win) @ 7/2 (Totesport)
2.45 Leopardstown (Saturday) – Deloitte Novice Hurdle – 1 Cottrelsbooley (each way) @ 12/1 (Bet365)
3.35 Newbury (Saturday) – Totesport Trophy Hurdle (Handicap) – 16 Tiger O’Toole (each way) @ 33/1 (Bet365, Skybet or Paddy Power)
2.10 Exeter (Sunday) – Molson Coors “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle (Div I) – 1 Highland Valley (win)
