Equinties - Newbury morning

Gm Equinauts

Yesterday, Dan Skelton’s ILLICO DE COTTE came second in a photo finish yesterday and had he won, this newsletter would have landed a 9/1 treble.

Today, Dan Skelton is featured on the front page of the Racing Post commenting on his strike rate for his horses… we feel your pain, Dan although your brothers ride cooouuuulllld of been better.

Were we close to having it off yesterday…two photo finishes. Unheard of.

Track both of the photo losers, ILLICO DE COTTE and BERTIE WOOSTER, they’ll be winning VERY soon, the former looks like he’ll be a smart chaser.

Anyway, let’s dive in.

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HEADLINE ROUND UP

NEWBURY GALLOPS MORNING

Newbury opened it’s doors to members and racing journalists yesterday morning to allow them to see the stars on our phone screens work ahead of next weekend’s Coral Gold Cup Meeting. 

Racing X’s, @asymondsjourno, an account we steal content from on a daily basis, was there to do all the hard work so we can literally just copy and paste the best bits in here for you, like, for example the update on HERMES ALLEN:

HERMES ALLEN suffered a small setback when picking up a stone bruise at the start of the season, though he is set to reappear in the 2m4f Grade 2 John Francome Novices’ Chase on day one of the Coral Gold Cup meeting.

Racing legend Nicky Henderson was in attendance and he confirmed that SHISHKIN was “99.9%” likely to head to Ascot for the Grade 2 1965 Chase and may even sport some cheekpieces. 

Hendo looks likely to be represented by DUSART in the Coral Gold Cup, though he was put aside by stablemate JERIKO DU REPONET, an Irish PtP winner who Hendo holds in high regard. 

And finally, Paul Nicholls said he will be doing a rain dance all week to try and give COMPLETE UNKNOWN is best chance at the feature £250,000 event. 

RIP THYME HILL 

While the Newbury gallops morning was coming to a close, Racing X was awash with tributes to THYME HILL who sadly suffered a fatal injury at Phillip Hobbs’ yard. 

The nine-year-old was a stable star for Sandhill Racing Stables ever since his third in the 2019 Champion Bumper to ENVOI ALLEN. Since then, he collected Grade 1 success at Aintree, finished second in the 2022 Stayers’ Hurdle before a 15-length victory in the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase nine months later. 

He was a horse that gave his absolute all for the majority of his outings on course and it’s never nice when a box is left empty at the end of the day but he will always be remembered. Thoughts are with all connected. 

BORING RACING

Today, Warwick is set to have a walkover in the first as PEMBROKE is the only runner in the two-mile novice chase following MATATA’s withdrawal from the race. 

Plenty give their opinions on Racing X about the prize money being the reason behind this, but an £18,000 contest can’t be to blame here and should entice some two-mile novice handicap chasers to attend, surely?

So, where lies the problem? Perhaps it’s the ‘unimaginative’ racing calendar?

Jamie Snowden went on Sky Sports Racing yesterday to suggest that the British racing calendar is “boring and unimaginative” after he picked up a 1-2 in an intermediate handicap chase.

He suggested that both horses could have won separate races and that if there were more intermediate handicap chases rather than big-field open company handicaps, second-season chasers could have more places to kick off their season.

This sentiment could well be applied to the Warwick situation as trainer’s swerve getting best up by the likes of PEMBROKE. Trying to take on horses like this off level weights will be tough for some 125-rated chasers, so a few more novice handicap chases could well be interesting and trainers like Jamie Snowden need to be listened to.

YOUNG BLOOD

15.40 HEXHAM

WENDINGO ran an average debut but is the best bred in this race and should be able to capitalise on his experience but is priced accordingly.

Lucinda’s ST JOHNS ROAD is well bred and is carrying a stone less which might give the Snowden horse something to think about.

Menzies will find one or two too good.

CRAWFORDJOHN has a nice enough pedigree for a race of this type but the trainer is a red flag. If Lucinda trained, would be 2/1.

Verdict: The pricing suggests Snowden’s hacks up and we have no interest in taking him on.

15.50 WARWICK

EITHER OR for Hendo has been smashed up, 5’s into 9/4 and we can’t see why. Yes, she is a point winner but her pedigree is very average and you have to go back to the third dam to find anything useful. That said, Hendo’s yard is going great guns.

CHIQUE ANGEL has drifted off top spot, again like Hendo’s, a pretty average pedigree for the yard it’s from.

MUSTANG BETTY has a better pedigree than the two aforementioned. Trained by Hendo’s old pupil, Lawes, the yard like targeting bumpers.

Had SUMMER BRISE not bombed lto, this girl would be the pick. She went off fave for a good Newbury bumper but was that because she’s good or because she’s trained by Nicholls? Watch the market, currently 9’s.

AUNTY CHRISTINE is being backed, 25’s into 12’s. She is well related but needs to have improved A LOT since her debut.

Fergal’s VALENTIA is dangerous more for her trainer rather than pedigree. There should be better horses than her in this race.

APPLES MOON has a nice pedigree and could run well if wound up but yard aren’t particularly known for bumper winners.

Skelton’s mare, LINDA REILLY, looks to be out for a jog given drift.

SISTER AGATHA runs for same owners as SUMMER BRISE. A proper NH pedigree, she’s related to lots of nice winner and will love ground. Price a concern today, perhaps because yard’s bumper winners are rare but if trained but Hendo, would be fave.

Verdict: If Hendo’s gets shorter we’d be tempted to lay it but the winner could be MUSTANG BETTY 15/1 in this, based on both pricing and yard intentions. This girl is by WALK IN THE PARK (sire of the winner of this race last year) and a half to a nice type so ped is proven. SISTER AGATHA will be one to track for down the line.

16.00 FFOS LAS

Pipes PHANTOMOFTHEPOINTS is slight odds on for this but I don’t think it’ll like ground, one to take on, but, this race is so bad with so few runners, he’s not the strongest lay.

LARGY POET is second in market but again, not sure if ground will suit. Well bred though and class might prevail.

JUBY BALL has a slop loving pedigree, all French. A mix of flat and jumps on dam side, if wound up should out run odds.

SIREKOFF is an Irish raider. Perhaps come over for a weak bumper given he’s been stuffed in Ireland. Have to watch the market with this one as there really is nothing wrong with his pedigree being related to slow ground bumper winners.

The other two in market will struggle on pedigree.

Verdict: Loathe to lay Pipes even though it makes sense for the conditions. JUBY BALL 14/1 is the (not very confident) selection repping a yard who had a bumper winner at course last week.

RISK ON

After an incredibly unlucky day yesterday where the newsletter should have been about a million points up. We’ll continue to have faith in Dan Skelton despite his yard concerns with one single on:

14.05 CHERIE D’AM

Won for the newsletter lto and should be good for it again. It’s telling Sammy TD has gone to Ffos Las and deserted PUSH THE BUTTON. She should go up in grade after the W today. 6/4.

If 6/4 is too short for your chimp and you’d like more risk for bigger returns, split stake and add MUSTANG BETTY to place for a 5/1 bet.

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