Day 2 of Kempton’s King George meeting
may not have the drama afforded by the finish of yesterday’s big race, but it
does have its share of betting opportunities. Messrs Henderson and Nicholls
look set to trade blows throughout the day, but one race in which their
contenders look opposable is the concluding handicap hurdle. My initial
reaction to this race was that the Paul Nicholls-trained Dildar looked something of a standout, given how unexposed he is,
allied to the high regard in which he was held as a juvenile. The trainer’s
thoughts in his Betfair column: http://betting.betfair.com/horse-racing/paul-nicholls/ are much less optimistic, however,
and Dildar has clearly not the solid option he seems at first glance.
Similarly, Nicky Henderson’s All The Aces hasn’t lived up to early
expectations, and in retrospect, and easy defeat of Destroyer Deployed at
Newbury a year ago isn’t the strong form it looked to be at the time. Others
with question marks are Scorched Son, who won a much weaker race at Ffos Las
recently, and looks to face a tough task under a penalty, and topweight Bourne,
who has apparently gone the wrong way temperamentally since an impressive win
at Ascot in February, and now has blinkers fitted for the first time.
Headgear may do the trick for Bourne,
but he was miles behind Chesil Beach Boy
at that track last time in the race won by Petit Robin. With the winner and
third-placed Dan Breen both running huge races in the Ladbroke there last
weekend, that form looks stronger than it did at the time, and John Coombe’s
lightly-raced 9-y-o shaped very well in fourth under daughter Miranda. The
Coombe/Roberts axis is not a sexy one in racing, and Miranda is not the most
stylish, which may explain the fact that Chesil
Beach Boy is trading at double figures. While the jockey is a minor
concern, it should be pointed out that the gelding’s best efforts have all come
for Roberts’ steering, and several tries for other jockeys have failed to
elicit a better response. I wouldn’t put anyone off backing him to win, but the
more solid option with this consistent performer is to back him place only.
Able Deputy looks a danger, and he was unfortunate to come down at Haydock on
Saturday when baulked by a rival after jumping the first hurdle well. Of the
others, Ivors King is better than he showed under an over-aggressive ride last
time, and that shouldn’t be taken as a sign that his good run has come to an
end. Scottish Boogie is another who’s been shaping better than results
recently, and is likely to go well for a long way, for all he looks to have
stamina limitations when the going is this testing. The combination exotics
make some appeal.
Away from the mudbath conditions on
turf, there are a couple of polytrack races which I’ve looked at. I was tempted
by Dream Risk in the 19:30 at
Wolverhampton, and she’s worth considering on her first AW run for Brian
Elliosn, having improved over hurdles since second on turf in the summer. Fit
from a run at Fakenham (poorly positioned and better than the result), she
needs to prove her ability to handle conditions, but that’s rarely an issue for
runners from this yard. In the end, though, I’ve plumped for Daffydowndilly in the 15:35 at
Lingfield. Unexposed at 1¼m, Hughie Morrison’s filly improved to win over
the trip at Kempton last time, and is taken to improve past the exposed but
consistent Sakhee’s Pearl. Saoi was inches behind the latter over C&D last
time and also has claims, but the others are all opposable on recent evidence,
and odds of 4.5 or thereabouts are very tempting.
Recommended Bets:
Back Chesil Beach Boy to be placed
in the 15:45 Kempton @ [3.3] (NAP)
Back Daffydowndilly in the 15:35 Lingfield
@ [4.5] (NB)
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