I managed to find two seconds from my two bets on Boxing Day.
Hermes Allen actually ran a good race but looks to have come up against a star in the making in the shape of
Il Est Francais who was very impressive. It was interesting to hear trainer
Noel George say
"A French Gold Cup then a King George here next year is very much what we would be thinking, but whether we go to Cheltenham we would have to see." after the race. The five-year-old heads the market for the two big Novice Chases at the Festival but I wouldn't be lumping on him just yet. Trained by Shark Hanlon and ridden by Gavin Sheehan
Hewick won the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase with my tip
Bravemansgame in second. It was all happening late as over the second-last Shishkin lost his footing a stride or two after landing unseating Nico de Boinville and bumping Bravemansgame almost knocking Harry Cobden out the saddle and bringing the horse to a dead stop; Cobden did well to stay onboard his mount. Bravemansgame and Allaho settled down to battle it out after the melee two out but having lost plenty of momentum the stage was set for Hewick to come with a late rattle from a mile off the pace to get up. Gavin Sheehan told ITV Racing:
“If it wasn’t the King George, I probably would have pulled up!" I fancy three on Wednesday and hopefully will be getting back the money lost on Boxing Day and then some.
Best bets for the horseracing at Leopardstown
The Grade One action is over the Irish Sea at Leopardstown on Wednesday. The Grade One 2m1f Paddy's Rewards Club Chase is due off at 1.10. Captain Guinness has a fair few 2’s next to his name but in fairness to him they were against some top types such as Jonbon, Energumene and Blue Lord and they aren’t here. The eight-year-old won the G.2 Bar One Racing Fortria Chase at Navan on his seasonal debut traveling strongly throughout and looking as good, if not better, than ever. I am on at 7-4 for this and for the eight-year-old to gain a breakthrough Grade One victory. Talking in the build-up regular rider Rachael Blackmore said “He has won Grade Three races and Grade Two races, and he has finished second in Grade One races three times. He is such a consistent horse, he is such a favourite in the yard, it would be brilliant if he could get his Grade One win on the board here.”
At 1.45 the Two-Mile Grade One Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle looks to be about the two least experienced runners from the two biggest yards. Trained by Gordon Elliott, Down Memory Lane was pretty short for this already before Christmas having won a Maiden Hurdle comfortably at Down Royal in November. The Willie Mullins trained Daddy Long Legs won his Maiden Hurdle at Thurles pretty easily as well and is the other to concentrate on I would suggest. I was just slightly more impressed by
Daddy Long Legs and the money has come for him. I have some of the
13-8 that is about this morning.
Best bets for the horseracing at Kempton Park
The race of interest to me at Kempton Park is the two-mile Grade Two Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices' Chase at 1.55.
Nickel Back started his campaign with two emphatic victories in handicap company but then came up against Hermes Allen at Newbury in the G.2 2m4f John Francome Novices' Chase where he led for a long way and actually did well to keep on and finish second. A little surprising he drops back in trip perhaps but he did take a keen hold at Newbury so the shorter trip here could help if he’s in a similar ‘lets go on with it’ mood. I am on at
6-5 early.
Be lucky