Paul Ferguson has two selections for us today; Petit Robin in the 16.25 (Newb) and Forward Flight in the 5.45 (Sedg); Compare odds
Despite the fact that Barry Geraghty has opted to ride Gibb River, it can pay to take a chance on Petit Robin (4:25) in Newbury’s Betfair Don’t Settle For Less Handicap Hurdle on Friday.
The high-class nine-year-old returns from a 426-day absence, having broken his pelvis in last year’s Victor Chandler Chase. This looks like a prep race ahead of a return to fences at Aintree next month, but Nicky Henderson wouldn’t be risking him if he wasn’t fit enough to do himself justice.
On his last nine starts over fences, he has run in eight Grade 1s and won the Grade 2 Desert Orchid Chase just over two years ago. Two from two at the track, he has to be worth a small each-way interest at 10/1 (Thursday evening’s best price) with Jeremiah McGrath taking 5lbs off his already tempting mark of 145.
Tony McCoy heads all the way up to Sedgefield for just one mount in the concluding bumper and Forward Flight (5:45) can make the journey north worthwhile for the champion jockey.
Runner-up to Nelson’s Bridge on debut at Bangor in December, the six-year-old has since been snapped up by J P McManus (owner of Nelson’s Bridge won on his hurdling debut before finishing midfield behind stable-mate Simonsig at Cheltenham recently).
The son of Dilshaan faces several unexposed and un-raced types here, but he has already shown enough to suggest a race of this nature should come his way and it will take a fair sort to lower his colours this afternoon.
Friday’s selections:
4:25 Newbury Petit Robin (each-way 10/1 VC / Ladbrokes)
5:45 Sedgefield Forward Flight
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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)
