We have a busy Saturday of horse racing and it’s a potentially very important one too. Former Welsh National champ Potters Corner makes a return while there are plenty who are effectively going on trial for Cheltenham at Warwick and Market Rasen.
We have selections at both National Hunt venues as well as on the level at Lingfield and Kempton as seven carry our hopes (and cash) with them.
1.25 Lingfield (Handicap) – INTUITIVE
This is a good-quality one-mile handicap, one in which plenty are in with chances at first glance. Fox Power, Corazon Espinado, Crownthorpe and Lord Rapscallion will all be supported to a degree, but all things considered the value looks to be in Simon and Ed Crisford’s Intuitive.
Given the how he performs on the surface, which some in the field aren’t at their best on, the quality of the yard and the fact they’ve booked PJ McDonald to ride Intuitive looks a safe and value proposition for our first bet of the day.
2.15 Fairyhouse (Handicap Chase) – CHATHAM STREET LAD
Runaway Caspian Caviar Gold Cup winner Chatham Street Lad returns in this handicap chase, one in which he races for the first time since being raised 10lbs by the handicapper back in Ireland.
In truth, that 10lbs probably doesn’t even account for how impressive he was at Cheltenham, let alone how much he may improve, so he looks to be well in for this race.
As well as this, and despite the competitive look that the race has at first glance, he has fully 10 of his opposition running out of the handicap and in truth he should simply outclass them all.
2.25 Warwick (Leamington Novices’ Hurdle – Grade 2) – MAKE ME A BELIEVER
David Pipe has two or three options at the Festival for his Make Me A Believer and so clearly his likes and dislikes are not all ironed out yet. That said, his form is unquestionably good and whatever happens I can only see him improving for stepping up in trip to this 2m5f event.
Most of the field are last-time-out winners, but that only strengthens belief in the form and Make Me A Believer’s is the best on offer right here.
3.10 Lingfield (Handicap) – TOTAL COMMITMENT
Hampshire’s Simon Hodgson doesn’t have a massive string, but he has a terrific opportunity to land the Class 3, six-furlong handicap on the card with his Total Commitment. PJ McDonald has been booked and flies down from Newcastle for this and three other mounts, a move that should prove to be most rewarding.
This 5yo Exceed And Excel gelding was a winner over this trip at Kempton before running close over seven at Lingfield, the combination of this track and going back in trip now looking ideal. Sun Power and Mark Johnston’s Huraiz are preferred for places.
3.15 Market Rasen (Mares’ Bumper – Listed Race) – GRANGEE
Multiple champion Willie Mullins is not exactly a regular visitor to Market Rasen, but he did send one for this very race last year en route to Cheltenham and he’s looking to repeat the trick.
This year’s entrant is Grangee and, while his overnight best price of 2/1 isn’t going to make us rich, it is certainly bigger than I’d expected owing to the presence of dual winner Eileendover.
The 4yo filly gets plenty of weight but there is a ton of improvement to come from the selection and as we all know, Mullins isn’t short of similar types to compare Grangee too so if he is confident then so too should we be.
6.20 Kempton Park (Handicap) – BABAJAN
Uncle Dick is likely to be all the rage for this small, three-year-olds only one-mile handicap but it’s more than possible that Eve Johnson Houghton’s gelding won’t have things all his own way.
True, he’s a last-time-out winner and he’s bound to improve having had only four career runs and one on the all-weather, but a closer look reveals a few negative aspects of his profile.
His win came at Wolverhampton, and the form from there doesn’t always translate well at Kempton, while he also jumps up to a Class 4 from a Class 6. He just got there against his lowly opposition last time out and is now up 3lbs so all in all he looks vulnerable at the top of the market.
Babajan on the other hand is excellent value in the circumstances. 3/1+ in a five-runner race, he looks a real improver having been 5th on his all-weather bow at Wolverhampton and then third around here last time.
Richard Hannon’s runner is getting better and has performed well over the course and distance and could well be on for a first career win. Andrew Balding’s Discomatic is next on the list.
7.20 Kempton Park (Fillies’ Handicap) – DANCING FEET
This is a decent seven-furlong handicap for the fillies and given the general form of all bar two of them, the entrants look in good shape giving us a reliable form outlook.
With that in mind the one with the most ticks in the most boxes is Archie Watson’s top weight Dancing Feet and she is backed to score.
The four-year-old daughter of Footstepsinthesand has the assistance of Hollie Doyle up top and while others may face questions regarding either the trip or Kempton’s surface, she very much has them already answered.
Dancing Feet remains in decent form after a couple of thirds at Lingfield and Wolverhampton over the winter, but in defeat the only thing she’s lost is a few pounds in the handicap which is ideal for us.
Back in October she put in her best career performance over this very course and distance and it seems these conditions are her ideal.
If that is true, then given natural improvement from then until now could mean she’s pretty well in and can land this at the expense of Broughton Sunpearl and Gold Brocade, the latter looking very good value in the market to grab a place.
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