Friday, October 11, 2013

Two chances at Chepstow

In the Class 2 three mile handicap chase at 5.45 I have to stick with Al Co. A fortnight ago I put this one up as an outsider in a race at Market Rasen; Peter Bowen's charge made eye-catching late headway to finish fifth, although posing no threat to easy winner Bouggler. That  was his first run since May - his short head second to Lawney Hill's I Have Dreamed in the 2012 running of the Market Rasen Summer Plate reads well. This race looks extremely competitive and I'm not sure further rain would help the cause but at 16/1 with totesport this evening he rates an each-way chance.

In the four-year-old limited handicap hurdle at 4.45 Stan James bet 16/1 about Philip Hobbs' charge Pistol while Paddy Power only offer 8s. This one likes to race from the front, a tactic suited to this particular track, prefers cut underfoot and the yard can boast four wins from 18 runs this month. Pistol is an each-way wager at 16/1 provided the eight make it to post. It's interesting to see Paul Nicholls enters For Two in this rather than Lac Fontana who came home seventh in the Triumph Hurdle last March.

The Class 2 novice chase at 4.15 should prove useful for future reference. Balder Success was last seen out in the Champion Hurdle while Easter Day came home second behind Taquin Du Seuill in the Challow at Newbury. Course and distance winner The Romford Pele is no back number and finished seventh in the 2012 Festival bumper, 11 lengths behind Champagne Fever and Double Ross, officially rated 137, brings winning chase form to the table. Let's see how they handle these larger obstacles...

7 comments:

Sandracer said...

Pistol never fired but Al Co squeezed through that gap like a bullet from a gun. Cheers GD.

GeeDee said...

Hi Sandracer,

Next winner due sometime early January... ;)

GeeDee said...

Held up at the back, Al Co (12/1) made steady headway but still had plenty to do disputing fourth at the last; a storming run on the flat saw him hit the front in the shadow of the post, beating What A Warrior (20/1) half a length.

Pistol (10/1) was handy enough if good enough but I'm afraid he wasn't; he quickly went backwards from four out, eventually finishing fourth behind Handazan (5/1).


Sandracer said...

Only backed it cos you said so. I can't read the jumps form for the very reason you probably like it - bundles and bundles of variables. The AW is much more to my liking. Cheers tho. Al Co had me jumping out of my seat after the last.. ;)

GeeDee said...

Yes, Sandracer, an exciting finish...

Trouble is I only manage to pull a stunt like that about once every ten years... ;)

AW racing on Good Friday next year - not followed it closely but there appears to have been a range of different reactions to the initiative.

Sandracer said...

My reaction is to laugh at the racing traditionalist who feel threatened and disgusted by a few extra quid going into the AW pot.

GeeDee said...

Yes, Sandracer, a strange reaction from the traditionalists.

As you say, I think the key to it is somehow they feel threatened by the initiative.