After landing a 6/4 and 14/1 winner in last week's column, Jake Price is back with two tips for Friday.
13:58 Exeter
SAINT ANAPOLINO - 1pt Win
I don’t mind backing a horse one run too early if a good case was made at the time and there is a clear reason to expect improvement to come. I think a horse who ticks both of those boxes following his run at Kempton last month is SAINT ANAPOLINO, and whilst this is only his Chase debut, surely there is more to come over the larger obstacles.
Last season this 6yo was extremely progressive over the winter, as on his third start of the season he finally got the job done in a Maiden Hurdle here at Exeter on the 13th January with an easy 3 length success. He then followed up in a Handicap at Taunton when running from an opening mark of 118, before he rounded out his hat-trick by winning a Class 3 Handicap Hurdle over 2m5f at Kempton off 123 – a race which contained the likes of Doyen Quest and Court In The Act.
This season he began his campaign with a promising effort at Cheltenham in October, where he finished in 6th place behind stablemate French Ship (146) in what was a very competitive race at HQ. I then thought he would come on plenty for that effort when running in a 2m5f Pertemps Qualifier at Kempton last month, but everything went wrong; a first time Hood (which has now been taken off) didn’t work, and ultimately there was no clear gameplan as to whether they should be chasing the runaway leaders or stick with the pack.
Watching that race back you could tell that this lad had been schooling over fences as he was very big at the opening couple of flights too, so I am happy to put a line through his 4th place finish which ultimately just gives connections more options for the Cheltenham Festival in March. Just like last season though, he arrives at Exeter with two runs under his belt, so hopefully a new sequence starts here. Dropped 2lbs to a mark of 127, Philip Hobbs and Johnson White have two in the race but must feel confident enough this lad is well treated considering Sean Houlihan takes the ride, rather than regular conditional pilot Callum Pritchard. Plenty of rain is due at Exeter, which should suit.
Midnite
14:55 Sandown
HIDDEN HISTORY - 2pt Win
The word from Dan Skelton before HIDDEN HISTORY made his debut over fences at Aintree last month was that he would very much need the run, and that they didn’t even think he would win the race. Those comments certainly were not in line with the market support behind him, but he was able to extend his impressive record for Dan Skelton with a gutsy victory.
Despite the fitness concerns before the off I thought it was a very nice opening effort over fences from this 7yo though, as he jumped very well for the main from a held-up position. When the taps started to turn Harry always looked confident in picking them up, and under pressure he made a sweeping move down the outside of the field to eventually get the better of Theatre Man (130) late in the day, whilst also having the re-opposing Champagne Twist (129) back in third.
As I mentioned when putting him up for that race on the 8th November however, his form really could not be any stronger since joining Dan – with a victory over subsequent Premier Handicap Hurdle winner Wellington Arch (133) followed by a neck defeat to Rambo T (143) on two starts over timber last campaign. A mark of 125 looked a gift going chasing this season, and clearly now he has been raised just 2lbs I am still very much in the camp that he is a well-treated animal. Now that fitness is guaranteed, I think he will progress plenty over the coming months.
