bettrends.co.uk

ROUND UP OF LAST WEEKS RACING
What a week we had – seven runners and six winners!

Firstly VALENTINE VIC finished third at Taunton, which originally I was disappointed with, but it was later reported that he had a breathing problem, so that run is best forgotten.

COPPER BLEU got the ball rolling with an easy win at Exeter. He is getting better with experience and could be a serious contender for a decent handicap later in the season.

The three good things of the weekend all got the job done. Firstly BINOCULAR returned to winning ways at Sandown and with that confidence booster under his belt goes to Cheltenham as a live contender for the Champion Hurdle. Secondly PUNCHESTOWNS over came a bad mistake to maintain his unbeaten record over fences with an impressive victory at Sandown. He is clearly the one to beat in the RSA Chase, but is short enough in the betting at 7/2. Thirdly DUNGUIB extended his winning sequence with another impressive display. His jumping was sloppy early on, but that could have been down to the ground and slow pace and I have definitely seen him jump better. He is now odds on for the Supreme Novices Hurdle and is clearly going to be hard to beat.

The big race of the weekend was the Irish Hennessy Gold Cup and we had the winner in JONCOL who jumped and travelled well throughout, before staying on well to get the better of Cooldine close home. He is clearly a seriously good horse and improving all the time, but he is rated as just 50:50 to run at this year’s Cheltenham Festival.

Up at Musselburgh ERADICATE made his seasonal debut and rewarded us with a 9/2 victory. As mentioned at the start of the season, he is one to follow when fresh and on decent ground, which is what he had on Sunday. Depending on what the handicapper does with him, there could be a big race to be won, possibly at the Grand National meeting in April.  

WEEKEND PREVIEW
FRIDAY
We have two runners at Kempton today and I strongly fancy our good run to continue. Firstly QUANTITATIVEEASING steps up in trip to tackle the 2.35 and the track and trip should really suit. He has looked a seriously good horse so far this season and with the Henderson team in such good form I expect him to make it three from three over hurdles. He does face a very good opponent though in The Betchworth Kid who should also improve for the step up in trip and now that Alan King has his yard in good form, it will be a fascinating battle.

DUC DE REGNIERE has been declared for the Graduation Chase at 3.45 and should win. He has run four times at Kempton and won three of them and the only time he was beaten was under top weight in a competitive handicap hurdle. He reverts to fences after a spell over hurdles, but he is very versatile and that will not be a problem. He jumps well and was impressive over course and distance in November and with the Henderson team in such good, a big run is expected. Although rated inferior to Big Fella Thanks, the trip is against that opponent as he stays extremely well and I can’t see him having the pace to compete, so Duc De Regniere is a very confident selection. 

SATURDAY
There is a cracking card at Newbury and we have several runners.

The big race of the day is the Totesport Trophy (3.05 Newbury) and NUMIDE has been declared. Last year I was very confident he would win this, as he is awesome on heavy ground. Unfortunately the meeting was abandoned, but at last he gets his chance. His performances over fences have been poor, but he is still well handicapped over hurdles and his trainer Gary Moore says that he has him better than at any stage this season. It is also encouraging that he has been well supported in the market recently; coming in from 33/1 to 20/1 and given soft ground he can reward each-way punters. There are two big dangers for me, firstly Manyriverstocross who enters the race on a decent handicap mark and was classy on the flat. Although only a novice, he has run four times and with his stable in good form and the ground holding no fears, he should run very well. Secondly Spirit River who really impressed me when winning at Cheltenham, he won in the style of a horse that is ahead of the handicapper. The ground should be fine for him and as already mentioned Nicky Henderson has his string in seriously good form.

The first race on the card is at 1.30 and is the toteplacepot Novices Chase. INCHIDALY ROCK has been declared along with BENSALEM, but they both have Diamond Harry to beat. It looks a cracking little race and should prove very informative with Cheltenham just a month away. I believe Inchidaly Rock is a much under-rated horse and I expect him to run very well, but Diamond Harry was so impressive on his chase debut that I can not oppose him. It is not a betting race for me.

Please look out for ALFIE SHERRIN in the 2.00 at Newbury as I rate him as a seriously good horse. Last season he was awesome in winning his bumper and then he ran away with a novice hurdle at Fontwell. He has only run once this season and it was at a time when Paul Nicholls runners needed the run and that is exactly how he ran. He finished third though and the two horses that beat him have both gone on to win since, so the form looks good. He is rated just 132 and with the trip and ground looking fine, he has the potential to be rated much higher than that after this weekend.   

MASTER MINDED returns from injury in the Game Spirit Chase at 3.40 and if near his best, will obviously be hard to beat. He has simply been awesome over the last couple of years and it would be great to see him bounce back. His trainer is an expert at getting horses back from a layoff and although he faces a couple of decent opponents, he should win.

BELLVANO is set to tackle the 4.15 at Newbury but he faces a very stiff opponent in Tito Bustillo. Both horses have impressed this season and it is very hard to split them, but I do have a slight preference for Bellvano as he was so impressive on the track back in November and combined with the form of Nicky Henderson, I can see him coming out on top.