Firstly a very Happy New Year to you all.
A couple of weeks away from the Raceweb coalface, and while you may struggle to come to grips with the concept, I have actually had a couple of half-decent days of profitable racing!. A spectacular New Year’s Day at Cheltenham, where The Pharoah of Galway had already started planning his ante-post Cheltenham campaign, by practising his winning smug-dance. As we were next to The Royal Box, I asked him to go out onto the balcony and do his jigging there, which will probably deny him any gongs for services to bookmakers charities.
The computer issues which I had previously mentioned returned before Christmas and I suspect a collapsing server drive or memory strip lies at the heart. Xmas hols for my IT support team is, however, delaying output – witness today. Anyway, here we go…
1:50 SANDOWN New Unibet Uniboost Handicap Chase C2 (5yo+ 0-145) 1m7½f
JOHNBB showed marked improvement LTO on his chasing debut at Aintree and clearly the 5yo is a natural jumper. For a horse with his relative inexperience, today will surely be part of what may well become a very distinguished career. DELIRE DESTRUVAL has got Listed form at Haydock and could be a sensible price.
2:05 WINCANTON Download The BoyleSports App Handicap Chase Cl3 (5yo+ 0-130) 1m7½f
MOLINEAUX has strong claims at a decent price as he is now 4lbs lower than when winning a chase here last year.
2:25 SANDOWN Unibet Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) Cl1 (4yo+) 2m
SILVER HALLMARK looked a top prospect LTO showing plenty of stamina and with a decent pedigree. He’s beaten G2 performers and at 12/1 is way too big. FIDDLERONTHEROOF should win.
2:40 WINCANTON BoyleSports This Is Betting Handicap Hurdle Cl3 (4yo+ 0-130) 2m5½f
HORSE FORCE ONE showed promise on both his hurdling starts, especially when third at Exeter LTO. His opening mark looks wrong by at least 5lbs and he should find things easier in this company. Removing the headgear might improve MERRY MILAN.
3:00 SANDOWN Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase (In Memory Of Houblon Des Obeaux) (Final Of 2019 Veterans’ Series) Cl2 (10yo+) 3m
Lumme – pin time. Gun to the head I’d suggest VIEUX LION ROUGE, HORATIO HORNBLOWER, DARK FLAME, and REGAL FLOW. Of those DARK FLAME is most likely. Chester Williams’ claim negates my schoolboy hero Horatio’s 4lb rise at the weights and the horse has talent.
3:15 WINCANTON BoyleSports Handicap Chase Cl2 (5yo+ 0-150) 2m4f
VALDEZ to win
3:35 SANDOWN Read Nico De Boinville’s Unibet Blog Handicap Hurdle Cl2 (4yo+ 0-145) 2m
GUNNERY was noted LTO and he looks as though he needs a flat track. RUACANA is too big at anything over 14/1