Three bets from Andy today, including a two-point nap in Lingfield's 10f handicap at 2.15pm.
2.15 Lingfield
DUTCH UNCLE (NAP) (best price 5-4) did remarkably well to finish as close as he did last time out considering he was posted out wide early from his coffin box draw and now housed much more favourably this afternoon, Ed Dunlop’s charge is strongly fancied to make amends. Not only did he have to forfeit valuable ground throughout the first part of the race, the Dutch Art gelding also received a brutal trip rounding the home bend, so all in all, it was a fair effort from the five-year-old to get within a length of the in-form Van Huysen at the line.
2.55 Hereford
In what looks to be an above-average novice hurdle for the track, WESTENDORF (best price 10-3) is taken to get the better of several highly-talent youngsters and hopefully get his handler off the current cold list. Hugely impressive when scoring at Leicester two starts ago, Jonjo O’Neill’s inmate ran better than his finishing position suggested in a much hotter race at Newbury last time out and it’s that latest performance which gives him excellent claims here. Coming from an unpromising position exiting the back straight, the son of Coroner managed to work his way into third at the finish and given that the front two home that day, Sneaky Feeling and Bags Groove, clocked tremendous sectionals from three out, his overall effort to get within hailing distance of that smart pair deserves upgrading.
4.05 Newcastle
As we’ve witnessed time and time again, front runners are usually dead in the water at this track (even more so yesterday with the prevailing headwind) and those tactics definitely put a huge fork into the chances of DARK SIDE DREAM (best price 8-1) here last time out. Try as she might, Georgia Cox just couldn’t get Chris Dwyer’s charge to settle in the early stages 20 days ago and it was therefore pretty inevitable that he would hit the wall at the business end. That said, the son of Equiano did keep on well enough considering how much energy he expended early doors and if he can be switched off in behind the speed on this occasion, there’s every chance he will go close to repeating the form he showed over the C&D the time before when runner-up to Rural Celebration in a fast time.
