Equinties - imPRESSive

Gm Equinauts

The jumps are fully back now. We don’t even care that one of our bets at Lingfield yesterday was done by a handicap plot,

it was just so much bloody fun to watch those big beautiful fluffy animals go full send over obstacles again.

Two good jumps cards today, let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

ALLA-GO FOR RYANAIR

ALLAHO got himself back into the winners’ enclosure yesterday after a third success in the Grade 2 Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase, a performance that divided opinion on Racing X.

Did we learn much from him yesterday? Not really. He travelled like a good horse and could only beat what was in front of him and even APPRECIATE IT, who has shown himself as a very good horse when raced prominently, started five lengths off the pace yesterday and never got into it.

Furthermore, this tweet below is pretty fair as STATTLER is a good horse but wants further (we highlighted him as an outsider for this year’s National ahead of the weekend) and he was able to travel with ALLAHO for much of the contest.

But, ALLAHO is a type of horse that is different from some two-and-a-half milers. Unlike BANBRIDGE, he just gallops at a high cruising speed and doesn’t wait around – take his Ryanair victories as an example.

He did that again yesterday on fairly soft ground, but if we get to a Ryanair and something takes him on – like STAGE STAR – he could be on the back foot like he was in the King George and fail to find much.

CHELTENHAM CLUES

Over at Lingfield, there were a few Cheltenham pointers to two of the big Grade 1 races, notably from L’HOMME PRESSE who battled past PROTEKTORAT to win after a 391-day lay-off.

He is well on his way to running in a Gold Cup now, and beating an on-form PROTEKTORAT is only going to be proper form. It may not be form that is to the same level as GALOPIN DES CHAMPS, but Skelton had PROTEKTORAT ready to the minute and Venetia Williams’ nine-year-old did well to get by.

He will probably come on for the run as well and connections have given him a good deal of time on the bench, so you’d hope he’s over his setback.

As for the other pointer, JPR ONE got his day in the sun to win the Grade 2 Lightening Novices’ Chase.

The race was decimated from the first fence as MASTER CHEWY was hampered by DJELO’s fall and MATATA jumped his race away (plus the ground was against him, he’ll be tough to beat on good).

Joe Tizzard will send him to the Arkle, but there probably isn’t much to be worried about if you are a MARINE NATIONALE fan.

EYE-CATCHERS OF THE WEEK

National Hunt racing was few and far between last week, but a few horses caught the eye of our intern.

DR EGGMAN – SATURDAY 13.20 NAVAN

MY TRUMP CARD got a good deal of plaudits after his maiden hurdle success on Saturday, but the second, DR EGGMAN, just ran out of track.

He has a clever jump over his hurdles and showed character to stay on in what was tough conditions. He has some nice form in the book, and although he probably won’t be a Grade 1 horse in time, there will be a nice pot for him in the slop and over further.

SAINT SEGAL – SUNDAY 13.50 LINGFIELD

Every man and his dog were seemingly on SAINT SEGAL yesterday, and they walked away slightly hurt by his second in the Godstone Handicap Chase.

FIRST FLOW was given a bit of a freebee and probably should have been pressured at the third-last rather than waiting until after the last to get serious.

SAINT SEGAL put down on David Noonan down the home straight, in fairness, and he does tend to come on for any run after a break. A few more pounds could see him rock up in a Grand Annual.

TRIPOLI FLYER – SUNDAY LINGFIELD BUMPER

A half to ANYHARMINASKING, this lad bolted up in Lingfield all weather bumper, beating the well backed Hendo hot pot.

That bumper should prove good form in time and of Hendo’s second appears in another bumper soon, he’ll be a bet.

ANIMAL - SUNDAY 15.35 LINGFIELD

Our bet on X yesterday, he bumped into a cheater.

Bad ground and a marathon trip will be the making in this animal. Still mileage in mark despite his good season in new favoured conditions.

RISK ON

Two horses of interest today:

13.05 ORCHESTRA

Derham’s second fave can’t win on pedigree and the rest are badly bred for this race. Wouldn’t put you off a speccy forecast with McCains playing 12/1 - lunch money play there on extra risk.

13.15 VILLAINESS

Pedigree pick over the rest. The hot pot fave for James Owen has to be taken on on blood.

Two singles and a 8.7/1 double.

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