THE BETTING STRATEGY
Year to date: -3.36 points
Saturday 08 January 2022
We nearly had a really decent winner yesterday when Battle Of The Nile Placed 3.32 finishing 2nd going down by a head. So near!
It’s still not fantastic racing at the moment, even for a Saturday, but at least we’ve got some action.
PROFIT OF 1.27
pointS
All Selections are settled to Betfair SP
12.40 Sandown
Martello Sky 1 point win
1.30 Wincanton
The Cincinnati Kid 0.5 points ew
1.50 Sandown
Gunsight Ridge 2 points win
Monsieur Lecoq 2 points win
2.05 Wincanton
Grey Diamond 1 point win
2.33 Newcastle
Crystal Glory 1 point win
2.40 Wincanton
Ouro Branco 1 point ew
Analysis
12.40 Sandown
Lucy Wadham has a very good hurdler here in Martello Sky who shouldn’t be underestimated. Yes, she has to beat the hot favourite, Gauloise, but I believe there is every reason to believe she can. She is improving all the time and her success at Cheltenham just under a month ago was really impressive.
1.30 Wincanton
There is no doubt that Henry Oliver brings his horses on relatively slowly and the pretty useful Cincinnati Kid is a typical example. A 14f winner on Flat he posted his best effort over hurdles when fourth of 9 in 2m handicap at Market Rasen 51 days ago. A tongue strap has been applied after a wind op and eased a further 1 lb in the
weights he can make a decent go of this.
1.50 Sandown
Gunsight Ridge was unlucky to bump into a subsequent Grade 2 winner at Exeter last month so he must have a decent chance here, but I do think Monsieur Lecoq has a pretty decent chance as well, which is why I’m going double-handed in this race. The latter
has some pretty decent form and although he has disappointed in his last two runs, he could well bounce back here.
2.05 Wincanton
Dropped in class I quite fancy the chances of Grey Diamond here. He was 4th of 12 at Newbury last November and a repeat of that form should prove good enough here.
2.33 Newcastle
Crystal Glory hasn't put a foot wrong in his hurdling career so far, winning with plenty in hand at this track on his latest start, and the gelded son of Fame And Glory is selected to maintain his unbeaten record. He is clearly a hurdler with a lot of ability and I would
be disappointed if he couldn’t take this.
2.40 Wincanton
Having been pulled up in his last race in November probably explains why Ouro Branco is such a big price here. The feeling may well be that he is a chaser and it’s possible that this hurdles outing is just a confidence booster yet I feel that on all known form he could well figure in the finish here.