The Champion Hurdle is the feature race on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival and is the first of the four Champion Races at the meeting and this year’s race looks as competitive a renewal as there has been for a long time. Co-favourites, Go Native and Solwhit currently head the betting with Ladbrokes offering 4/1 about the pair. And with the next four all chalked up at 8/1 you begin to get an idea of just how tough finding the winner of this race may be!

2010 Champion Hurdle Odds Comparison

Last year’s Supreme Novices’ winner, Go Native, has been the biggest mover in the antepost market throughout the winter after his price has gradually been cut from the 33/1, available before his Fighting Fifth Hurdle victory at Newcastle in November, where he upset the odds to beat several well fancied types and experienced two mile hurlders. He confirmed that form by landing the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, a result which saw him become genuine contender for the Champion Hurdle, contesting favouritism ever since. However, the trend that all of the last 15 Champion Hurlde winners had run in the same calendar year of their victory does go against Noel Meade’s runner whose last run was in December.

Solwhit however has run in 2010, landing the Irish Champion Hurdle in Januray.  A repeat of that performance would surely make him very difficult to beat at Cheltenham providing he is unaffected by his first run on foreign soil since he was brought over to Ireland from France in 2007.

If you are a follower of trends, it may pay to side with one of the Irish duo at the head of the bookmakers lists given that 7 of the last 11 winners of this race were trained in Ireland. However, it is also useful to note that sixteen of the last 21 winners came from the top six in the betting, so you cannot rule out the English trained quartette who all sit as 8/1 co-second favourites with Ladbrokes.

Nicky Henderson trains two of those four in the form of Punjabi and Zaynar, with the latter being the long time favourite for the Champion Hurlde before a disappointing defeat when going  off 1/14 in his prep run at Kelso in February. That defeat saw the 2009 Triumph Hurdle winner drift in the market and bring to an end his fine run of wins. The soft ground and a slowly run race at Kelso could be the reason for Zaynar’s latest defeat and whilst he’ll have to make a return to winning ways on the biggest stage of all, he cannot be written off. Punjabi has also disappointed on a couple of occasions this season but like his stablemate, cannot be written off; especially given he won this race twleve months ago and will look to join Hardy Eustace and the great istabraq as recent back to back winners of the Champion Hurdle.

Medermit, who represents the Alan King stable, beat Punjabi on his last run and connections are hopeful that he can bring an end to three narrow defeats at Cheltenham and win the race for the second time in two years for his trainer (who won with Katchit in 2007). One horse Medermit must reverse Cheltenham form with if he is to win the Champion Hurdle is Khyber Kim, whose last two runs (and wins) have been at the Prestbury Park track. The Nigel Twiston-Davies runner hasn’t been the most consistent of horses but his two runs this season put him right in the mix and despite not being seen since early December, is sure to make his presence felt and was the antepost pick of our resident tipster, Tom Lee, back in Januray – Read why Tom thinks Khyber Kim can win the 2010 Champion Hurlde.

                          

I wouldn’t rule Zaynar out of the Festival equation just yet given that the sticky ground at the borders track wouldn’t have done him any favours, but he certainly didn’t hurdle with his usual zest despite the frantic urgings of Barry Geraghty.

The firms made their intentions clear by pushing Zaynar out to as big as 8/1 for the Champion, and that looks a fair price to me since I reckon the big one will fall to either Go Native or Khyber Kim.

That said, surely all is not lost! Henderson still has the 2009 Champion Hurdle winner up his sleeve, with Punjabi set to tackle Wincanton’s Bathwick Tyres Kingwell Hurdle at 3.50pm on Saturday afternoon.

Well, it might be actually, as the horse who hasn’t got his head in front in three attempts since his big day at Cheltenham last March might have to settle for second best once again, with Alan Fleming’s leading light Starluck lining up as a potential fly in the ointment.

This shootout may well come down to which of the pair handles the heavy underfoot conditions best, and although Punjabi took a Fighting Fifth on genuine soft ground, his two runs this season have suggested a better surface would see him to better effect.

He faded quickly on him comeback effort in the International, and then couldn’t find any answer to the challenge laid down by Medermit in Haydock’s Champion Hurdle trial at the end of last month.

With Felix de Giles riding him for only the second time (the pair were second in the 2008 Tote Gold Trophy won by Wingman) he faces no easy task in trying to concede 4lbs to a rival rated on 3lbs inferior on official figures, and who it strikes might cope equally well with really gruelling conditions.

Starluck looked better than ever when coasting to victory on his seasonal reappearance at Cheltenham in October.

He then led everywhere bar on the line when second to Mr Thriller on soft ground at Haydock, and next up posted a brilliant effort when second to Go Native in the Christmas Hurdle.

He only failed there by a short head, and a reproduction of that effort after a nice break will be enough to win this.

There are question marks about frost and waterlogging pretty much everywhere you go this weekend, and up at Haydock my good mate Lord Culcheth is keeping a 24 hour vigil on the BBC weather website hoping their top quality card is going to escape the forecast frost.

If it does you can be sure he’ll be parading up and down the champagne bar in his Tesco machine washable suit trying to impress any cougars in the vicinity, frothing at the mouth after a carefully plotted assault on an unsuspecting estate agent went west earlier in the week.

He may be able to placate himself at least partially though by backing Russian Flag in Ascot’s 4.20pm, but only if Uttoxeter is off as the seven year old is doubly declared with a preferred and tougher looking assignment at the Staffordshire track.

Only six are scheduled to go to post for the 2m 1f Ascot race, and if he does appear there I think he’ll take all the beating given his consistent recent record and the fact he gets in at the bottom of the weights.

Never out of the first two in five starts this season he can benefit from his usual hold up tactics to come fast and late and beat this inconsistent bunch in the hands of conditional Alex Merriam.

If Uttoxeter does survive then have a few quid each way on Alex Hales’s Roseneath in the three mile handicap chase at 3.30pm.

I was at Huntingdon a few weeks ago when he jumped a fence in public for the first time, winning under a canny ride from Noel Fehily.

This six year old Saddlers’ Hall gelding out of a Mandalus mare was very moderate as a hurdler, but he might have a sliver of ability over the larger obstacles, and can build on that promising beginning in a weak race.

Good luck!

Saturday’s tips:

3.30 Uttoxeter – Bet Totepool At totesport.com Handicap Chase – 9 Roseneath (each way)

3.50 Wincanton – Bathwick Tyres Kingwell Hurdle – 2 Starluck (win)

4.20 Ascot – Trisoft Handicap Chase – 6 Russian Flag (win)

                          

He won’t be a fancy price, but with glowing reports eminating from the Seven Barrows work watchers he can strike with a minimum of fuss here. The 8/11 generally available seems a realistic reflection of his chances.

Later in the day, cast your eyes towards Wolverhampton’s 20:50 where Mick Channon’s unraced Nadinska can score at the first time of asking. I expect this to go off shorter than the 15/8 currently available with Bet365 and Skybet.

The win double pays a fraction short of 4/1, a price readers would be advised to take advantage of.

Finally, for those of you looking for a winner on the weekend football coupon, you could do worse than have an interest in the following treble;

Nottingham Forest to win at Doncaster
Norwich to win at Brighton
Shrewsbury to beat Hereford

This pays around the 13/2 mark with the majority of firms.

Good Luck!

                          

The Toteswinger Challengers Novices Chase at 2:35 looks like the perfect opportunity for the Nicky Henderson trained Punchestowns to continue his preparations ahead of the Cheltenham Festival next month. Making only his second start over fences, he is likely to be a short price to follow up his impressive debut win back in November. However, readers who followed Tom’s advice and backed him for the Royal and Sun Alliance Chase at 7/1 ahead of that seven length Newbury success may wish to tune in to channel four on Saturday afternoon and hope that another win will see the current odds of 7/2 shorten further and increase the value of their antepost voucher.

In the 3:10 at Sandown, it is another Nicky Henderson runner in the form of Strawberry, who I expect to run a big race in the Totescoop6 Heroes Handicap Hurdle. This mare made an impressive return to Hurdles when landing a Grade Two at Kempton over Christmas and despite disappointing when pulled up in her latest outing at Ascot a couple of weeks ago she is worth a second chance off a mark of 140 on favoured soft going.

Up at Doncaster, the feature race of the day at Town Moor is the 3:25 Blue Square Handicap Chase in which Kalahari King can defy top weight to win this competitive looking race. The Ferdy Murphy trained nine year old looks fairly treated on what he achieved last season in events better than Saturday’s race, most notably when a short head second to Forpadydeplasterer in the Arkle at Cheltenham and a demolition job in the Grade One Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree. This will be his first run since last April and whilst there is the obvious question mark to answer regarding fitness, he is proven to go well fresh, winning three of his past five season reappearances on varying going. He is also sure to have his work cut out to concede weight to several useful rivals but eight of the past ten winners of this race have carried in excess of 11stone to victory and given his proven ability he looks like taking a chance with at 10/1 with Bet365 or Paddypower.

On Sunday, over in Ireland, there is an excellent card at Leopardstown where the feature race is the Hennessy Gold Cup. However, it is likely that most of the attention will be on 2:10, Deloitte Novice Hurdle, where the exciting Dunguib will make his final preparations before heading to Cheltenham but at odds of 1/3, he is best left but the 2:40, the Dr P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase, does present the opportunity for a bet in the form of Roberto Goldback. The Jessica Harrington trained runner has shown signs of making real progress in his last two runs and it would appear that the penny may have finally dropped following the transition from Hurdles to fences. Winning easily over Sunday’s course and distance last time out, it would be surprising not to see this lightly raced eight year old kick on once again and looks a solid option at 5/2 with Ladbrokes. He also hold an entry for the Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, for which he is currently a 33/1 with most bookmakers.

Weekend Racing Tips

3:10 Sandown, Saturday – Strawberry to win
3:25 Doncaster, Saturday – Kalahari King to win @ 10/1 with Bet365 or Paddy Power
2:40 Leopardstown, Snday – Roberto Goldback to win @ 5/2 with Ladbrokes

                          

Denman is red hot favourite for the Hennessy but I'm opposing him!

A nigh on perfect weekend of sport lies in wait for armchair punters, with two fantastic days racing at Newbury, Newcastle’s Fighting Fifth, a typically strong Hatton’s Grace card at Fairyhouse, plus a mid-table scouse derby, the pivotal top of the table Arsenal v Chelsea game and the small matter of ‘el derbi superclasico’ over in Spain.

I can just picture my great mate Lord Culcheth parked on the sofa glugging his Liebfraumilch from a pint glass, Betfair fired up on his laptop, the 42 inch stolen plasma screen belting out Sky Sports or some obscure hooky Greek satellite channel, mobile at the ready, smug grin on his face as he snuggles up to some leathery old cougar he met while prowling the coat queue or the burger van at 4am that morning, dreaming of a trip to Andalucia with the profits of his punting.

Casting that vulgar image aside time to try and solve the big puzzle of the weekend then, one that sees a mere 21 go to post for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday afternoon (2.40pm), and the big question of whether Denman is a good thing to repeat his 2007 victory or immediately opposable?

The obvious negatives are the difficulty in conceding lumps of weight to some very good horses (a better field than he beat off nearly a stone lower mark two years ago), his much publicized heart condition which god-willing he’s now clear of, the fact he ended up on the deck last time out back in April, and the fact he looked rather laboured that day.

On the best of his form it’s denitely possible, make no mistake, but on balance at a top price of 4/1 I find it hard to justify an investment despite his brave show in the Gold Cup. I expect him to put up a bold show, make the frame, and then improve for a run.

Latest Hennessy Gold Cup Odds Comparison

I’m not going to stray too far from Denman though in putting up his stablemate What A Friend at 7/1 with either Ladbrokes or Paddy Power.

This six year old Alflora gelding goes really well fresh, Nicholls finds it easy to get him fit, and I really fancy him to take this first time up on the way to a tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Denman’s presence enables him to race with just 10st 4lbs on his back, and he strikes me as exactly the right type for this race.

A tilt at the Charlie Hall was bypassed having been antepost jolly for the Wetherby race, but don’t let that put you off. Wins at Uttoxeter, Cheltenham and Stratford against good horses last season (Carruthers and Ballyfitz, both of whom run here, were among his victims) made the right impression, and although he fluffed his lines in the RSA Chase at the Festival Nicholls was quick to defend him that day.

It was heartening that he bounced back from his Festival disappointment with a win in such emphatic fashion at Stratford to sign off, and he can pick up where he left off here.

Racing also has a strange symmetry sometimes, and with Ruby Walsh opting for the mount on Denman it leaves the door open for Sam Thomas to continue his successful association with What A Friend (Sam was on board for all three wins last campaign).

Thomas has fallen down the pecking order to such an extent that he’s ended up accepting a job as first jockey to Tom George, but you’d forgive him a wry smile if he could send a timely reminder of his undouted talent to Nicholls by taking one of the major prizes of the season for him here.

I sincerely hope he does, and when the inevitable post race questions about arrive about his fall from grace a simple shrug of the shoulders and ‘such is life’ should do nicely.

You just have to wonder how What A Friend’s part owner Sir Alex Ferguson is going to pull off watching his horse and conducting a team talk at Fratton Park as Manchester United step out to play Portsmouth at 3pm!

I’ve also had a little nibble each way at the 16/1 available with Bet365 about Evan Williams’ State Of Play repeating his 2006 Hennessy win from just a 3lb higher rating of 145 (just 3lb out of the weights for this race).

The stable are in good form having captured the Charlie Hall with Deep Purple four weeks ago, and added three winners in the past fortnight to advertise their wellbeing.

Williams gave him a deliberately light campaign (just three runs) last year, winning a Charlie Hall and running a massive race to be fourth in the Grand National.

In short he stays all day, won’t mind deteriorating ground and could well make the frame at big odds on a track he’s shown he thoroughly enjoys.

Don’t forget jockey Paul Moloney has chosen to stick with State Of Play rather than ride better fancied stablemate Cappa Bleu.

Sticking with Newbury on Saturday Paul Nicholls has Big Buck’s to look forward to in the Long Distance Hurdle at 1.35pm – the overwhelming favourite for a repeat success in the World Hurdle he can get his season off to a flyer here.

To think he went off at 5/1 for last year’s Hennessy and unshipped Sam Thomas in the middle of the horrible spell which would eventually unseat him as Nicholls’ number two rider, the race prompted a change of heart with Big Buck’s and a return to the smaller obstacles, and to spectacular effect.

The price will be cramped but he’s impossible to oppose here.

Up at Newcastle the front two in the market for the Champion Hurdle clash in a mouthwatering WBX Fighting Fifth Hurdle (1.50pm), with Binocular and Solwhit locking horns over two miles at Gosforth Park, complemented by former Champion Hurdle winner Sublimity and Supreme Novices’ winner Go Native.

Nicky Henderson has taken this race twice in the last eight years (Landing Light 2001 & Punjabi ’08) and can shade it here with a horse who’s been beaten only twice since coming to this country from France – Binocular.

Only five, he’s boosted by the record of favourites in this contest, with eight of the last ten proving successful, and this heavyweight hurdler can make a winning return here. Despite the formidable opposition the vibes from Seven Barrows are strong, so back him at evens with Totesport or Boylesports.

On Friday afternoon two other Henderson inmates are worthy of closer inspection, with Punchestowns making his chasing debut at 2.40pm.

He’s long odds on to score first time up over fences, so focus instead on his long term target of the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March, for which he’s 7/1 with any of Coral, Ladbrokes or Victor Chandler.

That looks worth an interest as an impressive display is bound to lead to typical bookmaker over-reaction after a race which is an admittedly strong RSA trial.

In the last at Newbury on Friday don’t miss German import Bellvano as he jumps a hurdle in public for the first time in the hands of AP McCoy (3.45pm).

Cut from 28/1 to 16/1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle the dual bumper winner can make light work of this assignment, and should win at 10/11 with either Victor Chandler or Sportingbet.

For anyone looking for a bit of value where football is concerned this weekend cast your eyes towards France and the Ligue 1 clash betwen the awful Paris St Germain and care free over-achievers Auxerre.

The Burgundy side’s coach Jean Fernandez has master minded a series of seven straight wins for the unfashionable outfit who now top the table for the first time in seven years.

They might not stay there long term, but with an unchanged team and confidence high it’s hard to see how they’re 4/1 to beat a side who find it tough to score a goal, let alone win a game.

PSG’s poor home form frequently sees their frustrated crowd get on their backs, and I can easily see Auxerre sneaking this one 1-0 away from home, an outcome you can back at 12/1 on Betfair.

With Polish international striker Ireneusz Jelen fit and firing the 4/1 with Stan James looks extremely generous.

Good luck!

This weekend’s tips:

3.45 Newbury (Friday) – Racing UK “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle – 3 Bellvano (win) @ 10/11 (Sportingbet or Victor Chandler)

1.35 Newbury (Saturday) – sportingbet.com Long Distance Hurdle – 1 Big Buck’s (win)

1.50 Newcastle (Saturday) – wbx.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle – 2 Binocular (win) @ evens (Boylesports or Totesport)

2.40 Newbury (Saturday) – Hennessy Gold Cup Handicap Chase – 9 What A Friend (win) @ 7/1 (Paddy Power or Ladbrokes)

2.40 Newbury (Saturday) – Hennessy Gold Cup Handicap Chase – 19 State Of Play (each way) @ 16/1 (General – compare hennessy odds)

ANTEPOST – RSA Chase – Punchestowns (win) @ 7/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes or Victor Chandler)

6.00 (Saturday) – France Ligue 1 – Auxerre to beat PSG @ 4/1 (Stan James)

6.00 (Saturday) – France Ligue 1 – Auxerre to beat PSG 1-0 @ 12/1 (Betfair)

                          

Of more immediate concern is this weekend, and with plenty of important business still to be swept up over the sticks, plus increasing momentum for the Flat campaign, there are some decent opportunities.

Nicky Henderson (8 winners & a 22% strike rate over the last fortnight) has enjoyed a fantastic campaign – not least a mountain of winners plus a stellar first and third in the Champion Hurdle, and I’ll be entrusting a few quid to the talents of the master of Seven Barrows as he sends Pepsyrock north of the border to take in Ayr’s Albert Bartlett & Sons Handicap Chase at 4.35pm.

It took a couple of runs for the penny to drop for the six year old French import, but successive wins at Sandown and Newbury marked him down as horse to follow, and he looks like he could well continue his rate of improvement against some thoroughly exposed types who’ve got few secrets from the handicapper.

Fair enough he did get turned over at Kempton last time, but you can make excuses in that he was trying to give lumps of weight away, and more importantly I believe he’d have won despite the weight if the race had been at his preferred trip of two miles.

Even then a clean jump at the last would have probably been enough, and it’s interesting the handicapper responded by sticking him up a pound for being beaten.

Racing with a feather weight in a better race should see him to better effect, and dropping back in trip I expect him to win in the hands of Barry Geraghty.

I’ll be looking forward to getting involved with a couple down at Newbury, and in the absence Sir Michael Stoute’s Spanish Moon in the John Porter Stakes at 2.05pm it’s last year’s winner Royal And Regal who’ll be carrying my cash. 

The rain falling here in Newbury last night is right up his street, and having been gelded since we last saw him in action we can fully expect our selection to be well wound up for this.

Lastly, don’t miss the Newbury’s Fred Darling Stakes at 3.10pm. A few unknown quantities in here, and some tall reputations on the line in this recognised 1000 Guineas trial.

Michael Bell’s Sariska could be the one to solve the puzzle – she’s been subject to some interesting support for the Newmarket Classic, supported into a current best price of 16/1, and gave punters plenty of encouragement on her only two year old racecourse outing, winnng a Newmarket maiden which has produced a couple of subsequent winners.

Bell reckons she could be something special, so take an each way interest for tomorrow’s assignment.

Good luck

Saturday’s tips:

7 Pepsyrock 4.35 Ayr (win)

3 Royal And Regal 2.05 Newbury (win)

14 Sariska 3.10 Newbury (each way)

Check out the latest free bets that are available on all this weekend’s fantastic Racing and sporting action.

                          

The penny had clearly dropped when he was only worn down by the decent According To Dick last time, and with nothing of that calibre lurking amongst today’s opposition he can score with the better ground in his favour.

Back him to win the race at 6/5 with bet365.

                          

The injury prone 10 year old was a seriously good hurdler and could have gone right to the top had it not been for some lengthy interruptions to his career, but trainer Hughie Morrison has proved adept at bringing him back from a lay-off in the past, and this formerly useful middle distance Flat campaigner (when in the care of Paul Cole) can defy a 10 month absecce to score over fences at Newbury.

Last season’s novice chasing campaign was mighty impressive; from five starts he scored three times, twice at Wincanton and once at Ayr.

His final foray (north of the border back in April) is the one that really caught the eye, beating no less than Noland (subsequent winner of Punchestown’s Grade 1 John Durkan Chase and now rated 165) on merit in Ayr’s Ashleybank Investments Future Champion Novices’ Chase.

That was a brave display where he really had to dig in, and if you also factor in that he’s jumped really well around a test like Wincanton, beating both Possol and Duc Regniere, you have to fancy him to play a lead role in a handicap that lacks strengh in depth at Newbury.

In short I can’t resist backing Starzaan off a mark of 147 carrying 11st 5lb in his handicap debut over the larger obstacles – Tom Scudamore takes the mount and they can see off a mixed bag of opposition.

Perhaps the biggest danger is ring-rustiness after the recent weather interruptions, but he has been working on Kempton’s all-weather surface.

Of the equine opposition, Paul Nicholls has done us a favour by failing to declare Osako D’Airy, Hold Em is consistent but turns out quickly after putting in a big shift to finish fourth in last weekend’s Racing Post Chase, while Ouzbeck has to prove he bears no mental scars after he ended up on the deck in the Pendil at Kempton.

Mr Pointment needs further, while Stan (another who ran at Kempton last weekend) seems to have gone well off the boil since his win at Chelteham on New Year’s Day. Perhaps the biggest danger could be the immensely likeable Jamie Snowden’s Too Forward, who’s got a bit of class and ran really well last time when finishing third to The Sawyer at Cheltenham.

That said, he is 13 years young, and looks vulnerable to those with a better turn of foot, so take Starzaan to win the Newbury Gold Cup. �

Finally this weekend, keep an eye out for Dave’s Dream wherever he polls up. Nicky Henderson’s six year old Anshan gelding is reported to be in great nick and holds entries at Newbury (3.45pm Saturday) and Huntingdon (3.40pm Sunday).

A muscle wastage problem put him out for a whole year, but he was back in winning form in an Introductory Hurdle at Newbury in December, before a mistake put paid to his chances at Ascot last time.

I expect a much bolder showing this weekend.

Good luck!
Tom
Weekend tips:

Starzaan (win) – 3.10 Newbury, Saturday

Dave’s Dream (win) – 3.45 Newbury, Saturday or may run in the 3.40 Huntingdon, Sunday

                          

Tom

Betting Directory recommend backing Excape at 20/1 with Boylesports who are offering £200 in free bets to all new customers, an ideal opportunity for anyone looking to get the value for Cheltenham before the start of the Festival on March 10th.

                          

Bred to be a star over hurdles (he’s a half-brother to a couple of horses you’ll remember: Paul Nicholls’ very useful Albuhera, plus Irish and French Guineas winner Bachir) Nicky Henderson’s charge cost an eye-watering €825,000 when snapped up by current connections, and duly obliged at the first time of asking when readily drawing away from a good field in an above-average contest at Newbury a fortnight ago.

There’s still a bit of work to do to redeem his price tag, but Newbury was a start, and at current exchange rates there’s only about another €822,000 to go.

Tomorrow’s price won’t be anything to write home about, but he’s definite banker material for multiples fans, since soft ground holds no fears and he hurdled like a natural at Newbury.

No bigger than 33/1 for the Triumph Hurdle he can enhance his reputation with a cosy success here.�

The second race on the card should also go the way of favourite backers with 2008 Triumph Hurdle winner Celestial Halo set to advertise his Champion Hurdle claims in the Totepool Contenders Hurdle at 2.05pm.

He made a very pleasing return at Ascot last time in the re-arranged Boylesports International, running into the roadblock which is Binocular, but nonetheless performing with distinction in having to make the running, and then finishing well clear of Chomba Womba, Katchit and Crack Away Jack.�

Saturday’s opposition is nothing like as formidable, with Osana likely to need the run, and Afsoun just short of the class necessary to compete at the very highest level.�

They race for a tasty first prize of £31,310 in the Totesport.com Masters Handicap Chase at 3.45pm, and I’ll be having a couple of quid on a young horse on the upgrade in the shape of Jonjo O’Neill’s Can’t Buy Time, who’s definitely one to keep on the right side of.

Creeping up the weights after wins at Southwell, Huntingdon and Ascot, he posted a sound effort in finishing a close third in the Haydock’s Tommy Whittle Chase just before Christmas, and getting in with a handy 10st and the very capable Richie McLernon’s claim a further boost, he’ll be a danger to all on ground he’ll love.

The one to fear could be Nicky Richards’ According To John, off the track for 14 months, but third to Denman in the 2007 SunAlliance. According to connections he’ll need the run but with high-class form in the book he could be one to watch.�

Lastly I had to laugh at the tv coverage of Wigan v Liverpool on Wednesday night, and it’s hats off to whoever chooses the music at the JJB Stadium……new signing Mido slots in the penalty to make it 1-1, cue a bit of music to mark the occasion, what do they play? Walk like an Egyptian. Brilliant! Whoever is responsible deserves a pay-rise. Wigan Chairman Dave Whelan is sure to be reading this so take note. The sight of thousands of pie-eating Wiganers doing the accompanying dance moves is a sight to behold.�
�
Good luck!
Tom

Saturday’s Sandown Tips
Optimus Maximus (1:30)
Celestial Halo (2:05)
Can’t Buy me Time (3:45)