Newbury 1.50
PLACESPOTTER - Newbury 1.50 - Handicap Hurdle - Class 2 - 2 miles 4 1/2 furlongs - 12 run
A minefield of form and a very tricky race but i think there is value at the top and near the bottom of the market with some big yards running unexposed types.
I'll start with the dangers, Amour De Nuit won a moderate Plumpton race recently after a 2 year absence, obviously anything PFN sends out on a Saturday has to be seen as a huge danger, but I'm not sure about the price given the form prior to the lay off. Howling Milan is a Course winner, a few good runs here and will surely be right in contention.Jacamar was a nice winner at Aintree but may now be exposed off the mark and on a more galloping track like this.Colonial Dreams is definitely "one for your tracker with a note for next runs right handed"...poor recently but all best runs right handed and I can just imagine this as a pipe-opener for a race somewhere right handed over the Christmas/New Year period.
Tea Clipper looks the one they all have to beat for Tom Lacey, IF you want a win-saver at the Odds, feel free, I want to explore each way value though.
A pair from BIG yards might be worth splitting a Tracker bet for at small stakes each way with enhanced places. RATHILL for Henderson has been very highly entered in the past 12 months and struggled. However, this horse has some decent 3 mile P2P form in its locker, the step up in trip and easing in grade looks logical and this might be a chance to start to deliver on potential. Similarly PFN runs CHRISTOPHER WOOD who will have come on for seasonal debut, more of a Flat background but this trip of Flat type Going looks ideal and could outrun odds.
My selections though will be FLASH THE STEEL who fell when in midfield last Saturday, comes out quickly so clearly none the worse for it and runner up on seasonal debut and one I think will go very close. CHAMPAGNE PLATINUM from the Henderson yard is another from a P2P background, not really taken to Chasing, often ben very deliberate at its fences but a nice Hurdles mark to exploit here and clearly has "an engine" and a win / place nice confidence booster might open up countless long distance Hurdle options before trying the bigger fences again.
TIPS - Flash The Steel + Champagne Platinum - (split a Tracker stake) on Rathill + Christopher Wood to enhanced place odds)