Tuesday 9 March
IRELAND'S EYE
There was no prizes for nominating yesterdays winning nap Black Jack Blues (4/7 morn-1/4) at Ffos Las – a record low SP for this column but a winner is a winner neverthless. In addition our saver Souter Point (11/10) did finish runner up in the opening contest at Stratford while Flexi Time (13/2-4/1) just finished out of the frame in a handicap hurdle at the Welsh track whilst our two choices in the bumper at that track Oursininlaw (8/1) and Sir Bere (7/4) both filled the frame.
Newcastle and Exeter provide the action in the jumping sphere today while Southwell on the all weather make up Tuesdays racing action. Our main fancies at the Northern fixture at Newcastle where a once raced Blueprint gelding can land the bumper while a bottom weight can put a couple of modest efforts behind to land an open handicap chase for Kate Walton.
The Devon National over 3m 6 1/2f is the feature on the Exeter card today at 3-30 and in a race where favourites don’t boast a decent record in recent years we will attempt to ‘buck the trend’ by siding with one of the market leaders here. The Simon Burrough trained Lavenoak Lad went down by less than a length to one of todays rivals Present M’Lord (identical terms today) over 4 miles here in December on heavy and though the 10yo is now 14lbs higher in the weights he does have the assistance of 7lb claimer Nathan Sweeney. He can follow up his most recent win in a Warwick 3m 5f hc chase 11 days ago here where the bottom weight Schelm could pose the main danger. The dual handicap winner may be a couple of pounds out of the handicap but the Richard Rowe trained 9yo has only had two pops over fences but there was enough promise in those placed efforts last year on differing grounds to indicate that he could be on a feasible mark over the larger obstacles.
Open De L’Isle should go off favourite in the 2m 4f hc chase at Newcastle today at 4-50 on his return to chasing having landed a brace of hurdles in recent starts and though the Ewart runner is rated 8lb lower over fences than over hurdles he could be worth opposing here in what looks a competitive event. The one that can prove the value is the Kate Walton trained veteran Jimmy Bond – a five time chase winner who boasts a placing at the track over hurdles. Though the 11yo has to put a couple of modest efforts behind he has dropped to a fair mark and with trip/ground to suit the Richie McGrath ridden gelding can account for the Lucinda Russell trained Et Maintenant who is a three time chase victor who ran well off a similar mark in a CD hc chase here last November where he went down by just over a length to Pamak D’airy on good to soft ground.
Three previous winners attempt to carry their penalties to victory in the final race on the Newcastle track at 5-20 – a 2m bumper but they could struggle to give the weight away to the once raced Blue Abbey. This Trevor Hemmings owned Blueprint gelding could only manage a fair fourth in a good ground Plumpton bumper almost a year ago but the Malcolm Jefferson trained 6yo could prove a different proposition on this occasion and under Phil Kinsella he can beat the Keith Reveley trained Kings Grey who made all to land a ‘punt’ in good style at Huntingdon over 7 weeks ago on soft. However the concession of 7lbs to the selection may jut prove beyond the six year old.
2-20 NEWCASTLE – 2m novice hurdle
Malcolm Jefferson’s grey MAC EADA has shown decent form in a couple of bumpers (won once) and the 6yo can make a winning debut over hurdles under stable jockey Phil Kinsella at the expense of the more experienced Lord Villez.
2-30 EXETER – 2m 3f mares novice hurdle
It is difficult to get away from the two penalised runners here and the selection is the Kittow trained MISS NIGHTSHADE who is taken to follow up her snug Bangor success though her price will be nothing like the 28/1 SP recorded on that occasion.
ADVICE
BET 4pt win (nap) LAVENOAK LAD 3-30 Exeter
BET 2pt win (saver) SCHELM 3-30 Exeter
BET 4pt win JIMMY BOND 4-50 Newcastle
BET 3pt win (saver) EL MAINTENANT 4-50 Newcastle
BET lay OPEL DE L’ISLE to win 5pts 4-50 Newcastle
BET 4pt win BLUE ABBEY 5-20 Newcastle
BET 2pt win (saver) KINGS GREY 5-20 Newcastle
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