Neil Morrice walks you through the front runners for Saturday’s racing at Newbury, Doncaster, Lingfield Park, and Kelso. This will include the feature race analysis for the William Hill Greatwood Gold Cup and 888Sport Grimthorpe Handicap Chase.
William Hill Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls is the man to follow in this and if producing the promise shown as a novice earlier in the season MONT DES AVALOIRS can prove the best of his three runners. A drop in trip is the key to the 7yo who had to chase the shadows of Champ and Angel’s Breath at the start of the season and most recently put in an eye-catching display here last month when travelling smoothly but failing to get home.
Stablemate SAN BENEDETO gave Nicholls a remarkable 9th success in the race 12 months ago and he returns from a break as was the case in 2019. He’s 3lb higher and will appreciate better ground, which seems unlikely to be the case. He’s a rare visitor to the track but tries his heart out.
SECRET INVESTOR shoulders top weight and will have a plethora of followers after his cracking second to Native River in the Denman Chase here earlier in the month. That was only his third outing of the season, and he has scope for further progression at a course he is proven on.
Jumping is the strong suit of CLONDAW CASTLE who loved the fences that come quickly on the far side to power home at Warwick, earning a 6lb rise in the process. That doesn’t seem too severe, but my confidence in Tom George’s charge would be tempered if the ground is very soft or heavy.
VALDEZ finished third in this last season and indicated he was on the way back with a good effort behind Native River in the Denman Chase here when he didn’t get the three mile trip. This return to two and a half should be just what the doctor ordered.
Front runner BENNYS KING was only denied late in a Class 2 at Ascot and that very good run in heavy ground brings him right into the argument, while of the roughies BAGS GROOVE is worth more than a second look even though he’s been off for the best part of a year and could be rusty.
Prediction
1st CLONDAW CASTLE
2nd Mont Des Avaloirs
3rd Valdez
4th Secret Investor
5th San Benedeto
888Sport Grimthorpe Handicap Chase
Saint Xavier has intrepid Corinthian David Maxwell in the saddle but needs to bounce back from a defeat by I K Brunel at Musselburgh in what is a much better race.
Worthy Farm is the choice of stable jockey Harry Cobden and looks an improved performer, bidding here to clinch a hat-trick after a snug win at Wincanton when last seen in January.
DEFINITELY RED is in the veteran stage but likes this course. He’s giving away lumps of weight but his touch of class means he should have a big say in the outcome, especially after his very good run to chase home Vintage Clouds at Haydock. Furthermore he could have gone for what looked an easier assignment at Kelso.
The Caroline Bailey- trained BOLDMERE might be barely out of the novice stage but he appears to hold to best of the cards. He’s already shown a liking for these fences and would have completed a hat-trick but for falling at the last in a hot novice chase at Wetherby.
CAPTAIN CHAOS has a lovely weight considering how hard it will be to get home in the ground. Even though he hasn’t won for almost two years he signalled when second to Grand National hope Kimberlite Candy at Warwick that he’s on the way back.
1st BOLDMERE
2nd Definitely Red
3rd Captain Chaos
4th Worthy Farm
5th Saint Xavier
Newbury Undercard Best Bets
Race 3: SINGLEFARMPAYMENT (4)
Trainer: Tom George – Jockey: Jonathan Burke
If forgiven a most disappointing effort at Cheltenham last month when he went out like a light, SINGLEFARMPAYMENT has a good chance of having a big say in this veterans’ chase. The 10yo looks to have derived benefit from a wind operation and will not have the uphill finish to negotiate that has hampered his finishing effort on successive visits to Cheltenham.
Race 4: KHAGE (5)
Trainer: Harry Whittington – Jockey: Gavin Sheehan
KHAGE’s brief flirtation with fences ended without any reward but when put back over hurdles at Wetherby he regained some of his old spark, finishing third to Secrete Stream. He cuts back to two miles today but the attritional conditions will make it more like a two and a half-miler.
Race 7: MASTER TOMMYTUCKER (1)
Trainer: Paul Nicholls – Jockey: Bryony Frost
Here we have a winner without a penalty in the hugely talented MASTER TOMMYTUCKER who was set for victory at Kempton last weekend before blinking at the fourth last and suffering a heavy fall. His trainer would not bring him out so quickly unless certain he’s shown no ill effects from the spill, and if putting in a clean round of jumping he’ll be very hard to beat.
Doncaster Undercard Best Bets
Race 2: JERRYSBACK (5)
Trainer: Philip Hobbs – Jockey: Tom O’Brien
JERRYSBACK can justify his connections’ decision to tackle this Class 2 in favour of a bigger prize at Newbury. The selection’s appearances on the course have been parsimonious this season but he’s a talented unit and can start to make up for lost time. His third to Regal Encore at Ascot in December was achieved in heavy ground and when he wasn’t quite at his peak.
Race 3: CILL ANNA (4)
Trainer: Paul Nicholls – Jockey: Harry Cobden
Hat-trick seeker CILL ANNA looks a most progressive individual and rates the best bet on the card in this mares’ novices’ hurdle. She ran right away with a novice at Wincanton when last seen in January and could have a lot more to offer. She’s one to follow.
Lingfield Best Bets
Race 5: AHORSECALLEDWANDA (2)
Trainer: Amanda Perrett – Jockey: Joey Haynes
This looks quite a warm novice stakes in which AHORSECALLEDWANDA should prove hard to beat. The selection endorsed the promise of her first career start to power home by five lengths over this course and distance three weeks ago. She has the perfect draw from which to get a handy position from which to strike in the short home straight.
Kelso Best Bets
Race 3: MULTELLIE (5) (Each Way)
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: Jamie Hamilton
This step into Grade 2 will not be easy for MULTELLIE but at a big double-figure price there’s a certain attraction about her. She absolutely hacked up at Carlisle and now has her tail up as she prepares for a clash with smart performers like Calva D’Auge and she can get into the shake-up.
