Monday, November 18, 2013

3 poor meetings today

a typical Monday with only 3 very poor meetings in the U.K. and no racing at all in Ireland. There are also some small fields with likely odds-on favourites, and not at all punter friendly.
Ruby Walsh was 5 from 5 yesterday at Punchestown and his friend and rival Tony McCoy can emulate him today, albeit at a much lower level, by winning on all 3 of his rides at Plimpton, all in the colours of his main employer JPMcManus. However you won´t get rich from backing Regal Encore (Tony Honeyball at 13.50 ECET, Uxizandre (Alan King) at 14.20 and VNeck (Paul Nicholls) half an hour later, as they are all expected to start at very cramped odds.
A likely hot favourite at Leicester is Dubai Prince (John Ferguson/ Denis O´ Regan) in the novice hurdle at 16.40 at Leicester. Dermot Weld trained him at 2 and thought he was a potential world beater, but he lost form after being transferred to Godolphin, but he did manage to win a decent Group Three at York´s Ebor Meeting in 2012. He has not been seen since and now reappears as a gelding and over hurdles; if he can jump, he looks almost unbeatable in this grade. Ferguson and O´Regan have another chance here with Buthelezi at14.05, but Valco de Touzaine (Nicholls/ Daryl Jacob) looks the more likely winner here.The handicap hurdle here at 15.40 looks the best betting race of the day; Tom Symonds has his string in good form and his lightly-raced Ashdown Lad (Felix de Giles), a winner on the flat here for Willie Jarvis, could be the answer.
Wolverhampton´s all-weather card is very low level. The 7 furlongs handicap at 17.30 is the best event here and Ruwaiyan (James Tate/ Luke Morris) is expected to start hot favourite after his easy CD won a month ago. However he has gone up 10 lbs and we shall take a chance on top-weight Docofthebay (Scott Dixon/Tom Eaves), whose recent form is very patchy, but he has been mainly running in better company and goes well on this surface.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Mystery Drama - Poetic Verse - Uganda Glory
2. Race: Buthelezi - Akula - Carli King
3. Race: Lac Sacre - Eyeline - I Told You So
4. Race: Nom De Guerre - Doubletoilntrouble - Thats Ben
5. Race: Zafranagar - Canadian Diamond - Ashdown Lad
6. Race: Mr Bachster - Tinelyra - Rebel High
7. Race: Catching On - Algernon Pazham - Ballygrooby Bertie