Tag: alan king

Bangor-on-Dee Wednesday Preview

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It’s a very long time since I visited Bangor-on-Dee racecourse in Wales. It is not exactly regarded as a likely starting point for Cheltenham festival winners but there are some seriously good horses on show on Wednesday.

Perhaps the one most likely to be heading to Cheltenham in March is Alan King’s Chatez who is yet to jump a hurdle in public. This horse has always been a bit better than the average flat performer to emerge from King’s stables and he has been rubbing his hands for some time about his hurdling prospects. Even when winning the valuable Haydock Silver Bowl in the summer there was never any doubt that he would be hurdling this winter. He meets another useful flat performer in Top Of The Glas but there will be some long faces if he is beaten.

King could also be on the mark earlier in the day with Dundee who makes his chasing bow in the 1.30. He managed to win over hurdles on his last start, just getting the better of Askamore Darsi who re-opposes on marginally better terms. There should not be much between them but Dundee has always looked more of a chaser. Premier Portrait edged out Withoutdefavourite last time but that may have been a modest contest while the free-running Vujiyama unseated his rider at Ffos Las. He is feared most on this tighter track.

Across The Bay reappears for the first time since being carried across the course in the Grand National in April. He contests the Anne Duchess Of Westminster Memorial Handicap Chase at 2.00 along with better-fancied stable companion Operating. I am going to take a chance on the in-form Bob Ford despite a 12lbs rise in the weights. He won so easily at Chepstow that odds of around 5-1 are too tempting to ignore.

It was good to see Desert Recluse return to his best on his hurdling debut for Henry Oliver. The former Queen Mother’s Cup winner looks a natural despite not having previously jumped a hurdle in public at the age of seven. However, he must concede 7lbs to the useful bumper winner Knight Bachelor, trained by Warren Greatrex. His runners are jumping out of their skins at present so I’ll have to side with the four-year-old.

Finally, Clondaw Kaempfer won a top class handicap hurdle at Aintree in the spring and now tries to give weight all round on his seasonal debut. The favourite is Nicky Henderson’s Kentucky Hyden who was runner-up in the Triumph Hurdle. I am yet to be convinced that the Triumph was anything special this year and I think the top weight is the value here at 7-1.

Dundee 1.30 @6-1 Bet365

Bob Ford 2.00 @5-1 Paddy Power

Knight Bachelor 2.30 @2-1 Betfair

Clondaw Kaempfer 3.00 @7-1 Ladbrokes

Chatez 3.30 @5-6 Betfair

Wincanton Wednesday Preview

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The week has not exactly started with glorious spring weather and there is still a chance of soft going for the Grand National on Saturday. That will be good news for the likes of Hawkes Point and Mountainous but not so good for Triolo D’Alene and Double Seven. The big Aintree meeting opens on Thursday but there is some decent action at Wincanton tomorrow to keep punters entertained.

The one that catches my eye is Kings Bayonet, trained by Alan King. The problems in the yard at the end of last year were well documented but King’s horses are in good enough form now. Bull And Bush did us a favour last week and Kings Bayonet is another with plenty of potential.

When a yard suffers from a virus, you sometimes find that the horses have slipped down to a winning mark in the handicap and I’m expecting King to fire in a good few winners between now and the end of the season. King’s Bayonet is currently rated 117, 5lbs lower than when a beaten favourite at Wetherby in May.

His victories have come on decent ground, which may help to explain why he drifted so alarmingly in the betting at Newbury last month. He started at 16-1 in the heavy ground but looked to be travelling best of all for a long way. He emptied between the second last and the final flight to finish third to Westaway but Newbury races are generally of a decent standard.

Hopefully there should be some improvement to come and the going is currently good to soft which should suit him. He was no world-beater on the level but he did win a decent handicap at Newbury under Hayley Turner and a maiden at Wolverhampton. He looks worth a flutter at around 6-1.

The obvious danger is V Neck in the JP McManus colours. He has not been out of the first two in three races for Paul Nicholls and will almost certainly start favourite with AP McCoy in the saddle. Jonjo O’Neill’s Carlton Jack has also been consistent but was well beaten last time and has plenty of weight. Henryville looks a bigger threat after winning at Fontwell and finish a good second at Exeter last time.

Nick Gifford’s Generous Ransom won last time and Patsys Castle is in with a squeak if you ignore his last run in a hot race at Ascot. Hopefully Kings Baronet can put some money in the coffers with Aintree just around the corner!

Kings Bayonet at 6-1 Bet365, Ladbrokes

Ascot Friday Preview

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There are some very promising novices on show at Ascot on Friday on the opening day of the Ladbroke meeting. 21 runners have stood their ground for the big race on Saturday with our midweek selections of Dell Arca (10-1) and Flaxen Flare (16-1) among them.

The pick of tomorrow’s action is the Grade 2 Kennel Gate Hurdle and I believe Irving is over-priced at 11-4 in the early betting. It is true that Nicky Henderson has his usual endless supply of promising young hurdlers and Volnay De Thaix is the hot favourite here.

Whilst he could hardly have been impressive when winning at Newbury last time, it could justifiably be called an “egg and spoon” race and he hasn’t faced anything as smart as Irving. He may well prove too good for the Nicholls horse but the disparity in the odds making it a simple choice.

Irving was just as impressive at Ascot, cruising clear of A Hare Breath. That horse was only fourth subsequently but never seriously threatened to get near to Irving. Nick Scholfield is making the most of the glorious opportunity given to him at the Ditcheat yard and he rates the horse very highly.

My second selection is Raya Star in the novice chase. I must admit I am slightly worried by reports of a “mystery malaise” affecting some of Alan King’s runners but I’ve long been a supporter of this horse. He was a very good hurdler, winning the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr and the Ladbroke Hurdle over this course.

I am not convinced that Cheltenham suits him because he ran poorly there in the County Hurdle and he was well held when beaten by Dodging Bullets in November. King’s novice chasers have been slightly disappointing of late but this fellow should run well providing the going doesn’t deteriorate too much.

His best form has been on a sound surface but he handles soft ok. Fox Appeal may have been flattered by his second to Wonderful Charm and Mr Mole was not the most reliable performer over hurdles. He is one of several promising rides for Tony McCoy including Carningli who should return to winning ways in the last.

Irving 11-4 William Hill

Raya Star 7-2 Coral

Cheltenham Saturday Preview

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Balthazar King (2-1) kept our noses in front on Friday with a game display in the cross country race at Cheltenham. I was a bit concerned after an early mistake but he’s as tough as old boots and just refused to be beaten.

Our ambitious ante-post wagers on the Paddy Power Gold Cup still stand with Kumbeshwar (40-1) and Astracad (33-1) hoping to sneak some place money in a wide open race. The more I look at this race, the more confused I become! Confidence seems to have evaporated in Johns Spirit who is back out to 8-1 and I’m just wondering if he’s up to this class.

With so many good horses available at big odds, I’m going to add Battle Group to my team of long shots at a very generous 25-1 with Stan James. He has a reputation as a bit of a rogue but you cannot argue with back-to-back wins at Aintree and a win in a valuable race at Haydock. He was heavily backed in all three races and I can see him running a lot better than his odds suggest tomorrow.

Scottish National winner Godsmejudge makes his return to action on the same card and looks fair value at 15-2. Wayne Hutchinson rides him superbly and trainer Alan King reports the horse to be in fine form at home.

African Gold did well to win over hurdles, let alone chase home At Fishers Cross at the festival meeting. He’s a big strapping sort with a future over fences and he makes his chasing bow tomorrow in the 1.15. He has a certain AP McCoy to beat on Shutthefrontdoor but I can see African Gold making up into an RSA Chase candidate this season.

Timesremembered looked an above average hurdler when winning at Chepstow last time out and he can extend his winning sequence to three in the 3.35 race. This is a much tougher race but I think that he will start shorter than 11-4.

African Gold 2-1 BetVictor, Sportingbet

Godsmejudge 15-2 Stan James

Battle Group (each-way) 25-1 Stan James

Timesremembered 11-4  Stan James

Paddy Power Gold Cup Preview

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Conduct (8-1) overcame a wide draw to win the November Handicap by five lengths on Saturday, ensuring that we ended the flat turf season on a winning note. Cheltenham’s Open meeting should get the pulse racing this weekend and the Paddy Power Gold Cup has attracted a good quality entry of 28.

Not for the first time, David Pipe is deliberating long and hard before committing Dynaste to this race. It is very much a case of Grands Cru revisited. Dynaste looked the best three-mile novice in training last season but was diverted to the two and a half miler at the festival at the last moment. He was beaten there but returned to his brilliant best at Aintree. He has the potential to make up into a Gold Cup contender this year so you cannot blame Pipe for being cautious. Likewise, I wouldn’t risk a penny on him until he is declared a definite runner.

Nicky Henderson has three entries with Finian’s Rainbow, Rajdhani Express and Nadiya De La Vega. The first two look to have a tough task at the weights on their seasonal debuts but Nadiya De La Vega is actually 5lbs lower than when third here a year ago. The seven-year-olds form is a bit in and out and has not been the safest conveyance in the past.

One of the best backed horses is Jonjo O’Neill’s Johns Spirit, an easy winner here at the last meeting. Whilst he looked a good bet at 14-1, he makes less appeal at a miserly 6-1 when you consider that he has been raised 10lbs and this is a much tougher race. Martin Keighley’s Champion Court has run well here in the past, notably when second to Sir Des Champs at the festival in 2012. The trainer reports him to be in great shape and admits that he has targeted this race for some time.

There are question marks about Salut Flo, Ballynagour and Katenko. Salut Flo has not raced since winning at the festival in 2012, Ballynagour has two ways of running and Katenko would probably like it softer. The latter also has to contend with a lengthy absence. Irish raiders are rare in this race but Hidden Cyclone and Texas Jack could be interesting at long odds. Texas Jack was up with the best staying novices last season and Hidden Cyclone is reportedly on course for a big run.

One horse that looks overpriced is Alan King’s Kumbeshwar at 40-1. He was staying on strongly behind Somersby at Exeter and Wayne Hutchinson is booked for Saturday. He is a tentative each-way selection at this stage and we’ll take another look when the final declarations are made.

Kumbeshwar (each-way) 40-1 Ladbrokes, Coral