Good Morning, Friend

I hope you had a great weekend and a good start to your week. Some success when I last emailed out with the 'nap' bolting up, which usually ensures a decent day. A shame the 'next best' couldn't quite get there, probably should have won, agony! Some solid singles but that would have paid around £140 for a £5 bet, alas. Next time!

The other two didn't do much but I'll keep an eye on Gallimimus who was very weak, travelled well I thought but did sod all up the straight and looked awkward. One for a return to Bath or maybe Brighton, where Gallagher likes the odd winner also.

Sam's free preview pick didn't do that well, a shame he didn't focus on one of the other two races he sent out to members, where he booted home 11/1 and 13/2 winners, for a decent return.

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Onto today... I'm off to Yarmouth to cheer home our Dancing Eyes (4pm), more on her shortly, but my horses of interest for today...

2.00 Uttox - Bluebella - 9/2

2.15 Yarm - The Bitter Moose - 4/1 (Next best)

3.45 Uttox - Jesuitique - 10/3 (NAP)

4.35 Yarm - Noor Bano - 11/2-6/1 - EW

Bluebella - one for my Tom Lacey Sept/Oct micro angle, which is 19/55,33p, +54 BFSP since start of 2018. This one's price is arguably getting a bit tight now given the unknowns - she's got a willing attitude which counts for plenty and I think more to come from this mark. She goes over 3m for the first time, having won over 16f earlier in the season, would have probably won 2 starts back but from an error at the last and ran well here LTO over 20f - she has shaped the last twice as if well worth a go over 3m, and there's some stamina on the dam side. Of course, she may not stay, but it is 'the' reason for further improvement, and at a quick glance (i haven't gone through the oppo in great detail in truth so will probably get what I deserve) most of these look exposed over the trip. Softer ground would be an unknown, good to soft/soft in places, with potential for more rain today. However, she's out of Blue Bresil and they generally like to get their toe in, so maybe she'll improve for that also. IF the ground is fine, and IF she stays, I think she'll be bang there. She also gets a useful 10lb from Cameron Iles... he's 4/17, 8p when riding for Lacey, who I think holds his licence, and hasn't had any outside rides as yet, the canny trainer protecting his claim maybe!

The Bitter Moose - not much could tempt me in at Yarmouth today, but I want to keep this one onside, again, maybe the price is tight enough, but having watched his recent runs back, I'm sure he's well handicapped. He got no run at Haydock, Tom unable to get after him properly for nearly 2f and in the end he gave up with 1/2 furlong to go, coasting home. He's been dropped 1lb for that. It's also a 'hot race', or shaping that way, 2/2 of those to have run since, the winner going in again in a C2 at Donny 5 days back, the 2nd winning at Southwell. Before that he ran ok at Epsom, but appeared all at sea on the camber up the straight, lugging into the rail but again solid form, the 2nd winning his next start. I'm hoping that on this conventional track, with a wide expanse to play with, we may see a different horse here if getting a clear run, which Tom should be able to do down the nearside. He could potentially have more in hand than some of these, here's hoping. Hugo Palmer's in decent form, 9/34,12p +7 in the last 14 days. There should be no excuses for this one today.

Jesuitique - one for the good Dr and 10/3 looks ok, no big prices for me today sadly. He ran well on chase debut at Bangor, generally jumping well, and staying on, but bumping into a resurgent winner who was a decent novice hurdler. He's 2/2 on proper soft and I think his chance is all about the ground. They've had rain, he would like more. Hopefully it pours down, as that would both increase his chance and dent the others. He bolted up in a Haydock C3 as a hurdler, relishing conditions, and if he ever gets back to that form over fences, he simply has to leave this mark behind. He's related to some decent chasers and no doubt he has chase wins in him. I'm hoping he may have a bit more class than these as a chaser. He should race prominently also and I think just a matter of time. He arrives in form, nearly winning over hurdles 2 starts back in heavy, trip short enough, front two miles clear of the 3rd who won NTO also. Fingers crossed.

A couple of micros... looking at him made me dive into HRB... worth noting...

Dr Newland:

Class 3 / Chase Debut / Novice Chase or Handicap Chase / Any odds

12 bets / 5 wins / 6p / 42% / +21 BFSP

Class 3 / 2nd start over fences (Jesuitique) / All Chases / Any odds

36 bets / 15 wins / 22p / 42% sr / +44 BFSP

Hopefully Jesuitique can add to the second of those angles.

Noor Bano - 11/2 looked fair for the top weight I thought, who was well enough on top at the line LTO and looks open to further improvement, as the all are I suppose. I thought that was fair form, with the 3rd (our Sandown Nap winner) and 4th both winning since. This is her 3rd start since returning from a successful campaign in Meydan and there looks to be more to come. I thought she set a standard for all these to match and while she's got a lot of weight, it's for good reason. She will need luck, hence the EW I suppose, as usually ridden a biot colder and coming with a late charge. This CD on this ground tends to favour more patiently ridden types and there's some pace on. Hopefully Jefferson Smith gets after her soon enough and she rattles home.

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Dancing Eyes - the fav could be hard to beat here but we hope she can be in the mix for the places. She still has plenty of strengthening up to do and in theory should be a better 3YO. We think this is her sort of trip, but whether it is at this stage of development, we will see.

There are not too many 'restricted maidens' to aim at, without wanting to bump into some 200k+ bluebloods. It's her first time on grass, which on breeding should suit (Highland Reel's do much better on turf than AW), but is an unknown from an experience point of view - it's been dry enough in Newmarket and she hasn't done any proper work on grass as yet. Tom should be able to sit handy but would want a lead and we wouldn't want to be overly aggressive on first try at the distance. They could well dawdle>dash here, which could suit us if well placed.

We'd be delighted were she in the places, up against the boys also, but another step in her development. She's been a bit green the last twice, gazing around at times, but will get better run to run. She should move well through this until 1.5f out, and then we'll see what happens! Hopefully she runs with credit.

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Have a great day,

As always, thanks for reading and GL with any bets,

Josh