Our racing tipster has picked out three selections from two tracks today.
14:00 Carlisle
BALLINSLEA BRIDGE (best price 11-4) was beginning to cut a bit of a frustrating figure with all those gallant placed efforts, but he finally got his just rewards for his heroic labours with a deserved success at Market Rasen last time and he certainly has the capacity and qualities to go in again in a race of a similar strength.
Sometimes a little keen for his own good, Olly Murphy’s inmate settled a little better by his standards when dropped in behind the speed at the Lincolnshire venue last time out and, as a result, he was able to find plenty for pressure when joined at the last by favourite Super Sid at the last and on the run-in.
Indeed, the way he stayed on in the closing stages pointed heavily towards stamina being his key component (previously a point-to-point winner) and providing he does settle and give himself a chance in the early stages, there’s no reason why he won’t put up another bold bid.
14:30 Carlisle
Cesar Collonges and Dakota Grey have recorded C&D victories in their time so have to be respected, but they both may have their work cut out coping with COPPER WEST (best price 7-2) if he runs close to the standard of his last two races and he gets the vote.
A creditable third in a decent contest on the speed figures at Ludlow two starts ago (12th placed Billingsley won since), Tom George’s inmate backed that up with another useful performance at Doncaster last time out behind the tough and durable Slanelough.
Although he kept on well enough for pressure in the latter stages 23 days ago, he also gave the impression that a good gallop at 2m 4f is just stretching his stamina for the time being, so today’s drop back to the minimum trip will hopefully work the oracle.
16:25 Lingfield
LE MUSEE (NAP) (best price 11-10) shaped with plenty of promise behind a nice type on debut at Wincanton and with just normal improvement, he’s expected to make the necessary strides forward in order to capture a race of this nature.
Having his first run for new connections since leaving Andre Fabre, the Galileo gelding was allowed to go off an unconsidered 40/1 shot, but in defying his big market odds, he made backers of the favourite, Molineaux, have one or two anxious moments in the closing stages.
About fifteen lengths behind jumping two out, Nigel Hawke’s inmate came with a rare late rattle to erode most of that deficit in the final half mile and although he couldn’t quite peg back the eventual winner, the way he hit the line hard suggested it might have been a different story altogether if he’d had a little more knowhow.
Although Ar Mest sets a fair standard courtesy of several runs against some useful opposition, he is beginning to look a little exposed and in what effectively appears a straight match on paper, Le Musee rates the value bet of the pair.
