Hello, Friend

Today's blog post is HERE >>>

Today’s Tips & Notes

Three from me today…

2.05 Font – Whydah Galley – 5/1- 11/2 – win

2.55 Chelt – Does He Know – 5/1-11/2 win

3.30 Chelt – Be Aware – 7/1 – Each-Way 5p

*

Whydah Galley – I’m hoping this has been the plan and his spin at Plumpton 13 days ago was a pipe opener, where he travelled/jumped with enthusiasm for a good way before getting a bit outpaced and tired, but a satisfactory return. He does seem to have a couple of ways of going, a bit all or nothing, for all the headgear appears to have helped. In the end I couldn’t get his Lingfield marathon win out of my mind, where he stayed on strongly, beating Jubilee Express rated 117. That horse would win his next start around Haydock over 28f, so it’s decent ‘regional national’ form. Team Tizzard are flying, Brendon is here, he should get him handy and I thought would storm up this hill, assuming he holds a position with ease and enjoys himself. He’s well handicapped to my eyes, with more to come, has course form over hurdles, with a ‘so-so’ chase run here. That is a niggle and maybe this chase course doesn’t suit, but more of an unknown and if he brought his Lingfield best to the table, he’s the one to beat.

Does He Know – he looks sure to give this a good go, 2lb lower than when winning this a couple of seasons ago, a course he really enjoys. He just loves it here, bounces off this ground and will storm up the hill. I thought his return run here was decent and I’m assuming it was a prep run for this race again. He’s a high class handicapper who I thought may have too much for these if turning up in his best form. His Grimthorpe win was impressive, lugging 12st, giving 20lb+ to the 2nd, who was unexposed and arrived on a hat-trick. Kim remains in decent form, Tom now knows him, and should have him up there, for all he’s versatile. A danger a couple of these get into a pace scrap and set it up but he doesn’t need to lead and I’ll just have to trust in Tom. He’s got class and hope he shows it here from a workable mark, at his fav track and with a run under his belt, back up to a proper staying trip. He should keep galloping.

Be Aware – with 5p up for grabs I decided to ‘trust in team Skelton’ who’ve no doubt aimed him at this. The brothers are 2/5 when teaming up with seasonal returners in this race, improving to 2/2 when with horses who were last seen in a race for novices. Can they make it 3/3? Be Aware ran at fine race at Sandown, especially as he came from further back than the 1-3, making up a lot of ground from 2 out. A strongly run race over this CD could be ideal, especially if he can sit a shade closer. He jumps well, and if running is race, should storm up the hill and place at worst. There’s no doubt more to come from him this season, he’s got big field hncp experience, settles well, looks straightforward and we know Dan Skelton is now a master target trainer. He could give the top two plenty to think about, who both can be keen sorts, their chances obvious enough I suppose, for all I thought the fav was rather short.

*

re-cap - Not too much to cheer yesterday. The Newest One ran ok but maybe did too much on the front end, or just wasn’t good enough, but he plugged on for a place. I still think another handicap chase in him somewhere. My Paddy Power pick, In Excelsis Deo, was going well when UR, which was frustrating. Whether he’d have hauled in the winner, i’m not sure, but he was moving in a way to suggest he’d have run up the hill into a place, but if you don’t jump, you don’t win. He’s usually fine around HQ but does have a howler in his locker, taking off too early, a miss-communication with his jockey, for all some way out still at the top of the hill. I was getting excited at that point. The winner was the most obvious EW bet of the day given his course/race record, so obvious I left him, urgh. Silly boy. Zeeband ran a bit ‘meh’ , Long Draw a fine 2nd, just finding the Irish fav with too much in hand, beating the rest well enough, darn. A frustrating meeting so far, a game of fine margins. Onwards.

*

All the best,

Josh