2.55 NEWCASTLE -THE BETFRED EIDER
Venetia Williams has a fine record with her chasers in testing ground and I am going to take a chance on SUMMERY JUSTICE. He has proved to be a fair handicapper over the years, winning four chases and looked good last year when winning at Newbury on heavy ground. Last time out he finished a good third at Kelso on heavy ground and off a lower mark, he could run a good race at a big price. The other to look out for at a big price is Milborough. He may only have run eight times over fences, but he is a proven stayer and capable of more improvement than others. He was not disgraced when finishing eighth in the four miler at Cheltenham last season and stayed on strongly to win at Carlisle on soft ground earlier this season. He has a useful claimer on board, who has ridden 3 winners from his last 15 rides and stays very well, so I can see him making the frame.
3.45 KEMPTON – THE BETBRIGHT CHASE
EASTER DAY remains a well handicapped horse and on his favoured soft ground must have a big chance. He was a decent hurdler and took to fences well last season, with his victories including a defeat of O’Faolain’s Boy at Ascot, conceding four pounds. That was a classy run, but he met with a setback afterwards and missed the remainder of the season. He returned in December 2014 after one year off the track and ran a fine race to finish a close third at Newbury and then last time out was travelling like a good thing when coming down at Cheltenham. He had not made a mistake, just knuckled on landing and was very unlucky. He is three from three going right-handed and off the same handicap mark, he should run a big race. The biggest danger could prove to be his stable-mate Rocky Creek who remains fairly handicapped off 154. He was a top class novice chaser and connections believed he was on the fringe of Gold Cup class. His rating for this is therefore interesting. He was never going in the Hennessy, so you have to ignore that run to have faith in backing him here, but he has the ability to win a big handicap and in a race that top weights have often done well in the past, he is worth an each-way punt.
Social Networking Bookmarks