Advised Friday Night 04th January
Racecourse & Time
Wincanton – 14:40
Stake & Bet Type
1/2 Point Each Way
Name of Horse to Back
Wallace Spirit
Current Odds:
7/1 William Hill paying 5 places else 7/1 generally look for 4 places, use BOG bookies
Compare odds at http://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing
Selection Reasoning:
Wallace Spirit is a quirky horse who doesn’t like being out on his own in front as he proved when drifting alarmingly to his left at Kempton approaching the final flight. He very nearly unseated his jockey Jeremiah McGrath but then picked up again easily once the other runners passed him by. Jeremiah McGrath is booked to ride again and will surely aim to deliver him as late as possible in his first handicap hurdle. A bigger field and truer pace will suit his horse much better than small field Novice Hurdle races. Nicky Henderson has gone for pieces which should help him concentrate on the job at hand. A mark of 119 looks lenient relative to his untapped potential and with a clear and straight run Wallace Spirit is taken to finally get his head in front.
Racecourse & Time
Sandown – 15:00
Stake & Bet Type
1/2 Point Each Way
Name of Horse to Back
Cultram Abbey
Current Odds:
9/1 Skybet 6 places else 9/1 Coral, William Hill, Ladbrokes & Unibet all 5 places, use BOG bookies
Compare odds at http://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing
Selection Reasoning:
Cultram Abbey caught the eye when winning at Kelso over 2m6f. That was his first start of the season and this galloper did well considering the well travelling Upsilon Bleu set a strong gallop before fading a furlong out. Cultram Abbey was doing his best work nearing the finish line and will appreciate stepping back up in trip on this stiffer course. He should progress from his first run and did well hunter chasing last season wining once and placing on a few other runs. Nicky Richards will have had this valuable prize in mind and travels south with a live winning chance with this lightly raced 12 year old on a good mark and carrying a tidy weight of 10-13.
Racecourse & Time
Sandown – 15:00
Stake & Bet Type
1/2 Point Each Way
Name of Horse to Back
Rathlin Rose
Current Odds:
10/1 William Hill, Coral, Ladbrokes & Unibet all 5 places, use BOG bookies
Compare odds at http://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing
Selection Reasoning:
Rathlin Rose has a very good chance off a mark of 130 with Tom Scudamore taking over riding duties. The good to soft ground rather than heavy is great news for his connections and he ran a nice race in the qualifier over course and distance in November. The main piece of form I like is when he won at Ascot beating No Duffer in March of last season. Rathlin Rose was impeded on the landing side of the first fence that day losing some ground when shifted to the rear of the field.
Nevertheless he cruised through the race and looked the winner rounding into the finishing straight. His jumping was good that day and he quickened well up the straight to win easier than the official winning distance of just over two lengths suggests. That Ascot win was from a 2lb lower mark of 128 so he is handicapped to run a big race and has 10-12 on his back. Another major positive is his course record standing at 3 wins and a runner up place from six runs.
**Next Update Friday Night 11th January ~19:00
**Next Update Sunday Morning 6th January ~10:00
As per usual you will be emailed as soon as new selections are updated online