Thursday, 31st December 2020
So, we lost the Welsh Grand National to the weather (race rearranged for 9th January)….
And we lost the New Year’s Day meeting at Cheltenham – thanks also to the weather….
But Sandown looks certain to go ahead on Saturday and the Veterans' Handicap Chase Final (3.00) gives us a decent betting heat to shoot at….
Hopefully, I can get the new year off to a good start….
The one I want to be on is VALTOR at 14s with bet365 and 11s and 10s generally….
On the face of it he hasn’t done a great deal to inspire confidence this term – finishing down the field in the Sodexo Gold Cup at Ascot before getting well-beaten at Warwick in his qualifier for Saturday’s race….
But he went okay for a long way at Ascot – only tiring late on. And at Warwick it was very apparent that he doesn’t really like going left-handed….
Look at his form record for last term and you’ll see that he only really got serous after two runs and I expect an improved performance tomorrow – especially going back right-handed on ground that he will relish more than plenty of others in the race….
Daryl Jacob is back onboard again. Given the horse’s connections, it is surprising Jacob hasn’t ridden the horse more often….
He rode him in the 2019 Grand National and last term he had a sit on the horse prior to what would have been a second tilt at that race and the horse’s primary target for the season. Jacob was on him at Warwick last time – so hopefully that’s a sign that Saturday’s race is high on the agenda this time around….
You might recall that Valtor exploded onto the British chasing scene back in December 2018 with a highly impressive win in the Silver Cup at Ascot. The French import took that field apart off an opening rating of 148 and was put up to 160 for his troubles….
He’s not quite lived up to that debut performance, but he’s back down to 145 now (his lowest rating since arriving on these shores) and he’s got a really good chance of capitalising on that if he turns up tomorrow….
He should do. He’s got plenty in his favour – track, trip, jockey – and if he can reproduce the level of form he showed in his last two performances of last season then he is going to be a big player….
Nick’s contrarian picks….To recap on where my idea of the value lies on Saturday afternoon…. In the Veterans' Handicap Chase Final (3.00 @ Sandown).
That is my take on where the value lies – but you will no doubt have your own ideas and that’s exactly as it should be. |
That’s all from me for today. I’ll be back in your inbox on Monday. Meanwhile….
Anything to report? Anything to say? Anything to share? Contact me at: nick.pullen@oxonpress.co.uk
Until next time. Stay tuned.
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