13:30 - Balco Coastal 14/1 0.5pt ew
- Balco Coastal W/O Fav 5/1 1pt ew
Nicky Henderson has always thought a lot of BALCO COASTAL and he has started to fulfill his potential since going over fences. He was mightily impressive when stepped up in trip at Kempton at the King George meeting, when he travelled like a dream before showing an electric turn of foot to destroy his rivals. That form has worked out well too with the 2nd placed horse, Solo, winning a Grade 2 next time out.
The son of Coastal Path then went on to run a stormer in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles at Sandown, just being outstayed up the run in by Gerri Colombe. That form has already worked out well when Gerri Colombe finished 2nd to the Real Whacker yesterday in the Brown Advisory. Nicky Henderson has said he could have been sharper for Sandown and there could be improvement to come, he will have to improve again to beat Mighty Potter but he is worth a small shout against him and a more strong shout in the without the favourite market.
14:10 - Thanksforthehelp 4/1 2pt win
I think there is a strong chance that THANKSFORTHEHELP is a fair way ahead of his handicap mark of 128 and that would obviously give him a massive chance today.
There was remarkable improvement at Chepstow last time out when he won on the bridle by as far as he liked. There were clear reasons for that improvement, it was his first time trying 3 miles, off the back of a wind surgery and he had the application of first-time cheekpieces. As long as he is in similar form again today then I think he will be very hard to beat for connections who have a strong previous history in this race.
15:30 - Klassical Dream 15/2 0.5pt ew
Willie Mullins’ horse is not a frequent visitor to a racetrack but there is good reasoning for that because his record when he is off the track over 100 days he is very good. The one that sticks to my mind is his win at the Punchestown Festival 2 years ago when he tried 3 miles for the first time, that was a breathtaking performance and he has held his form very well over that trip ever since.
KLASSICAL DREAM was touched off by Teahupoo last time, he obviously has a massive chance on the ground but I am happy to take a chance on Willie Mullins mastery to get him to reverse form with that rival and at the prices he is worth a chance now he is fresh again.
16:10 - Datsalrightgino 10/1 1pt ew
- Midnight River 8/1 1pt ew
The Plate is one of my favourite races of the entire week and I am confident of a big run from a few horses who look more than backable at each way prices.
My first bullet is DATSALRIGHTGINO for Jamie Snowden, who has been running consistently this season and looks an even better horse for the step up in trip he had been crying out for. He ran a good 2nd to Stage Star on Trials Day, not jumping fluently at the last pair of fences, but the track seemed to suit him well and it was good to get some experience around here. In an ideal world he wouldn’t have run at Kempton last time as that didn’t suit but I still think he could make use of a mark of 145 and cheekpieces could prove decisive.
The other horse I am taking a chance on is MIDNIGHT RIVER for the Skelton team. This horse won on New Year’s Day over the C&D, after his good run in the Paddy Power at the track previously. He really picked up well that day after cruising through the race and the form has worked out well since. This horse will have appreciated any of the rain that has fell and he looks set to run well again at the track.
17:30 - Beauport 10/1 0.5pt ew
I have been waiting all season for Nigel Twiston Davies to step BEAUPORT up to 3 miles +, and what better time than at the Cheltenham Festival. This horse was a fairly smart hurdler who relished testing ground and a stamina test, so I was very impressed that he managed to beat Millers Bank on his first staft over fences at Carlisle.
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