Pete's Paddock Picks
The service has shown promise in its first few days of testing with 5 wins from 6 selections and has been around since 2022. Brilliantly titled Petes Paddock Picks:
December 2024 ended: +£44.78
Year 2024 finished: +£364.90
Year 2023 finished: +£469.27
Results to £1 stakes
1:38pm Exeter - Pic Roc (Nap)
Ben Pauling has a strong hand in the novice chase division courtesy of Handstands and The Jukebox Man, and he has another exciting novice in
PIC ROC (Nap) even though the selection was an early casualty on his chase debut at Carlisle in November.
If you go back and watch the race you will see that he jumped all five fences perfectly – slightly out to his left at the fourth – but he pitched on landing and gave Ben Jones no chance. He finished runner up in the valuable EBF Final at Sandown back in March – to a stablemate – but has always given the impression he would make a
better chaser than hurdler.
He must give 6lbs and more to his five rivals of whom Issam and Denemethy are considered the chief threats. The latter was a fluent winner at Market Rasen last time from just a 4lbs lower mark although he does have stamina to prove.
Whisper it but Venetia Williams has gone off the boil of late and the market told us that Ostrava Du Berlais would
not be winning at Ffos Las on Saturday. When I saw Charlie Deutsch line up on the inside of that churned up ground, I knew there would be other days. This is the second time this winter that a Williams trained horse has drifted irrationally in the minutes before the off on a high-profile ITV televised event. He ran as well as the betting suggested he would.
Her Alcedo is second favourite making his belated seasonal debut and has a good record fresh.
The betting should provide valuable clues as to stable expectations.
Hills are the only firm with prices at the time of writing - I would hope their 11/10 was a bit skinny as I was hoping for circa 6/4.
Recommendation: Pic Rock (Nap) - 5/6
2:38pm Exeter - Well Dick (Each-Way)
The feature 3m handicap chase is
a belter and Livin On Luco and Ille De Cotte head the market. The former failed to cope with the good ground at Cheltenham last time and will enjoy underfoot conditions while the latter was impressive on chase debut when scoring at Carlisle and ran another career best when third in a better race last time.
The Skelton trained novice has been raised 9lbs for his two chase starts but his mark of 126 is unlikely to be the ceiling of his
ability. He looks the type to win a regional national going forward given stamina looks his forte.
WELL DICK (Each-Way) has recent raced five time over fences and has form figures of PU-PU-1-PU-PU, but he has the size and scope to make a chaser and his victory at Warwick over 3m 5f was from just a 1lbs lower mark. He left Charlie Longsdon in the summer to join Emma Lavelle and had a wind operation.
He jumped and travelled
well for much of the race before blowing up coming to four out here over 3m 5f on his reappearance and is entitled to come on for his seasonal debut/first start for his new yard.
Do note he was fitted with a tongue-tie and first time cheekpieces when scoring at Warwick back in March. Emma Lavelle has decided NOT to fit the aids this afternoon. It is possible that the eight-year-old will again need the run and she is keeping them up her sleeve, but I do think he is
potentially well treated, and he gets the nod.
Recommendation: Well Dick (Each-Way) - 7/1 (3 places)
3:08pm Exeter - Polisud
Doyouknowwhatimean disappointed at Chepstow on Welsh Grand National day although visibility was so poor that you would not know whether he made significant jumping errors. This extended 2m 1f
trip looks ideal and he could easily bounce back although he has never won going right-handed.
I am going to take a chance on POLISUD who ran a promising fourth on his first start for Daisy Hitchens at Lingfield last time over hurdles despite jumping out to his right. That was his first start since April, and he reverts to fences for the first time since June 2022 when trained and campaigned in France.
A winner of just one of
his fourteen starts over fences in France, the grey was highly tried, however, over the larger obstacles has bits of chase form that suggest he could be well treated from his current mark.
Recommendation: Polisud - 7/2
