The pick of the Saturday prices....

Friday, 19th April 2024

The pick of the Saturday prices….

The Scottish Grand National at Ayr (3.35) is the big one tomorrow for handicap fans….

…. and Willie Mullins has three of the top five in the betting….

No doubt plenty of punters will want to lump on one or more of his….

…. but I’m going another way….

BALLYGRIFINCOTTAGE has had his problems….

…. Dan Skelton’s spoken repeatedly on the subject….

…. and whenever he’s been asked about this horse in recent months his responses have been all about ‘putting it back together’….

There were clear signs last time at Ascot that his team might have got to the bottom of that particular job….

…. the 9yo producing his best performance in some time – finishing 2nd to Rose Of Arcadia in a C3 handicap over the 3m trip….

Fair enough – that was just a £10k race and more will be required here….

…. but that performance will have told Dan Skelton where he is with this horse….

…. and now they’re aiming high….

Perhaps Skelton is simply throwing a dart – with the Trainers Championship there to be fought for….

…. but I saw earlier in the week that jockey Harry Skelton described the horse thus:

“He’s a horse who has come really back to form, to be honest....”

…. and I take that as a positive….

Ballygrifincottage will need – like plenty of others – to prove he stays the trip….

…. but he won’t mind the soft ground….

…. he’s very lightly raced for his age….

…. and – if they’ve got him back – I think he’s nicely handicapped on a mark of 138….

Bottom line: there’s enough to like to draw me in at the general 16s….

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When CRACKING RHAPSODY won the Morebattle at Kelso last time out….

…. trainer Ewan Whillans earmarked the £100k novice handicap on the final day of the season at Sandown as his next target….

…. yet here they are at Ayr tomorrow turning out for the Scottish Champion Hurdle (2.25)….

…. and the 5yo rates a cracking bet at the general 20s & 18s in my book….

Perhaps connections are just tilting at windmills….

…. but there’s no doubt that this horse is on a progressive streak right now….

…. there’s doubtless more to come yet off a mark of 129….

…. and easy conditions won’t be a bother….

The money’s there to be won….

…. he’s shown he handles a big-field….

…. and – right now – he’s in a better place than quite a few of these….

They’re not wrapping him up in cotton wool….

…. and he’s not here for a looksee or a prep….

I think this race is a case of strike while the iron is hot….

…. and he can run a big race tomorrow at a tasty e/w price….

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I’m two against the field on the level in the Spring Cup at Newbury (3.15)….

…. backing both to win and foregoing the opportunity to play for place money….

First up – NAVAGIO at the general 10s….

I backed him in the Lincoln….

…. where he did nothing wrong on his first go for trainer James Horton….

He didn’t get the clearest passage that afternoon….

…. but he finished his race off well….

…. he’ll strip that bit fitter for it….

…. he gets to run off the same mark….

…. and Richard Kingscote is back in the saddle for – maybe – a shot at redemption….

The other one I’m backing is Archie Watson’s NOBLE ORDER – with Hollie Doyle up top – at the general 12s & 10s….

He’s a recent recruit to the yard – an acquisition for Middleham Park Racing from Godolphin….

…. and he paid at least some of his carriage with a win first-time-up on the AW at Newcastle – which he’s been raised 6lb for….

…. which puts him onto a mark of 90 tomorrow….

He’s a gelding….

…. he isn’t going to pay off his debts to connections in the breeding sheds….

…. and I reckon he’s still well-handicapped heading into a turf season where he’ll be expected to land one of these valuable big-field mile handicaps….

Whether or not tomorrow is that day is up for debate….

…. but he’s reportedly pleasing in his work at home….

…. and last week Hollie Doyle saw fit to include him in her Ten to Follow for the season….

What that means is open to conjecture….

…. but it suggests she’s looking forward to him and that she thinks he can do something….

…. and that’s a positive of sorts….

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• Finally….

That’s all for today….

I’ll be back next week….

Meanwhile – Contact me direct at nick.pullen@oxonpress.co.uk  

And remember – win, lose or draw – enjoy the racing….

Stay tuned….

Against the Crowd