Paul Ferguson has three selections for us on Saturday; Saint Are; Bishops Walk and Oscar Whisky. Compare odds.
Despite carrying a double penalty and returning from a final flight fall at Ascot last time Oscar Whisky (3:35) will be very hard to beat in the Relkeel Hurdle, which rounds off a cracking card at Cheltenham.
Last season’s Aintree Hurdle winner won over course-and-distance on New Year’s Day, when he had Any Given Day 7 lengths back in second, and he was trying to concede 8lbs to subsequent Fighting Fifth winner Overturn when upsides and crashing out last time.
If there are no ill effects, and the reports have been positive, he can return to winning ways and Boylesports were offering 4/5 first thing this morning.
If Doncaster passes a second inspection at 9:15am Saint Are (1:05) is taken to get off the mark at the third time of asking over fences.
Tim Vaughan’s Grade 1 winning hurdler made a really pleasing start to his chasing career when runner-up to Champion Court (runs today at Cheltenham) at Aintree over an inadequate 2m4f trip.
The five-year-old jumped really well that day and was in the process of running a big race at Cheltenham last time when he clouted the fence at the top of the hill. Despite getting back into it, that error surely took its toll and it wasn’t a surprise to see him drop away in the closing stages.
He can bounce back and this is his best opportunity to date to score over fences. Harry The Viking sets the market and the selection can be backed at 9/4.
Over in Ireland Bishops Walk (3:25) can land Navan’s concluding bumper for Noel Meade and JP Magnier.
Runner-up on his sole start for Tim Hyde 13 months ago, the five-year-old went down as an unlucky loser that day after finishing strongly under Katie Walsh.
The winner, Darwins Fox, went on a won a Listed novice hurdle for Henry De Bromhead, while the selection was bought by John Magnier and sent to Nicky Henderson.
The son of Flemensfirth didn’t make it to the track for Henderson and is now back in Ireland with Noel Meade. If he is fully wound up for this return, he ought to be tough to beat. Only Bet365 have priced up this race at the time of writing but the 11/8 seems fair.
Saturday’s selections:
1:05 Doncaster: Saint Are (9/4 Bet365, VC)
3:25 Navan: Bishops Walk (11/8 Bet365)
3:35 Cheltenham: Oscar Whisky (4/5 Boylesports)
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Last Year’s Tips Included 40 Leading Prospects: £499.80 profit to a level £10!
- AL FEROF won Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 10-1
- BENSALEM won Stewart Family Handicap 5-1
- BOBS WORTH won A Bartlett 15-8, 4/4 for year
- CAPTAIN CHRIS won Arkle Trophy 6-1
- FIRST LIEUTENANT won Neptune Investment 7-1
- (plus Grade 1 in Ireland 16-1)
- JAMES DE VASSY won Lanzarote Hurdle 8-1
- LONG RUN won King George 9-2, Gold Cup 7-2
- OSCAR WHISKY won Aintree Hurdle 6-1
- Peddlers Cross (Fighting Fifth Hurdle)
- Medermit (Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase)
- FINIAN’S RAINBOW (Maghull Novices’ Chase)
- WISHFULL THINKING (Manifesto Novices’ Chase)
