Tag: Polamco

Horse Racing Preview 31st January

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

What a fabulous weekend of sport! As well as the Australian Open tennis finals, we have the final of the Asian Cup, the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup, the Premiership clash between Chelsea and Man City and the Superbowl! Somewhere in between all of that we have to fit in some top quality Horse Racing action from Sandown and Ffos Las.

The Sandown card gets under way at 12.40 and I hope to see Pain Du Chocolat book his Triumph Hurdle ticket. The unknown quantity is The Saint James, now racing in the colours of JP McManus and ridden by AP McCoy. The champion jockey did us proud in last week’s Sky Bet Chase but I’m hoping he will settle for second here.

There could be another Triumph re-shuffle after the second race where impressive Chepstow winner Bristol De Mai takes on a couple of smarter older horses. I generally don’t like backing four-year-olds against their elders but the French imports are a different matter altogether. If this one hacks up, the owners could face a quandary with ante-post favourite Peace And Co also in their colours.

I’ll side with Ballygarry to confirm Ascot form with Ulck Du Lin in the 1.50, although I am slightly worried about the bounce factor. Ballygarry overcame a year’s absence to win last time but Philip Hobbs is a master of his trade. Irish Saint faces four useful opponents in the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at 2.25. He was very impressive at Ascot and I think he will have too much toe for Champagne West over this distance. I’m more worried about Splash Of Ginge who won a competitive handicap on New Year’s Day but he ought to be held on hurdles form.

We picked Polamco earlier in the week for the Heroes Hurdle and I see no reason to desert him but the staying chase that ends the C4 coverage looks tricky. Ardkilly Witness and Theatrical Star were second and third last year and this could be a case of horses for courses. I respect There’s No Panic, winner of the London National here, but think he probably needs further.

The highlight of the Ffos Las card is the 2.05 which goes under the grand name of Welsh Champion Hurdle. Of course it is now a handicap so is anything but a Champion Hurdle but it has produced the last two Coral Cup winners. Rebecca Curtis would love to win this for Wales and has booked Paul Townend for the novice Foryourinformation. He had a bit more in hand than it appeared last time here and may have most to fear from Doll In Milan.

I expect the well-bred Souriyan to win the opener for Jamie Snowden and I’m going to side with Global Power in the West Wales National. It would be great if he could provide Oliver Sherwood with his 1,000 winner as a trainer.

Pain Au Chocolat 12.40 Sandown @7-4 BetVictor

Bristol De Mai 1.15 Sandown @6-4 Bet365

Ballygarvey 1.50 Sandown @9-2 Totesport

Irish Saint 2.25 Sandown @9-4 Bet365

Polamco 3.0 Sandown @4-1 Ladbrokes

Ardkilly Witness 3.35 Sandown @8-1 BetVictor

Souriyan 12.55 Ffos Las @13-8 Paddy Power

Foryourinformation 2.05 Ffos Las @9-2 William Hill

Global Power 2.40 Ffos Las @6-1 Bet365

Polamco set for hat-trick bid at Sandown

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The big betting race this weekend is the Betfred Mobile Heroes Handicap Hurdle over two and three-quarter miles at Sandown.

Only 12 remain from the original 28 entries and Harry Fry’s Polamco stands out at the weights. The six-year-old gelding is by Old Vic out of Shanesia by Erins Isle and will be having only his eighth race this weekend.

He showed plenty of promise in National Hunt flat races last season, winning at Taunton on his third start. He was placed in novice hurdles at Newton Abbot and Chepstow but has really come into his own over a longer trip. Noel Fehily sent him ahead with two to jump at Wincanton and he beat Muckle Roe by a length and a quarter off a mark of 114.

The handicapper put him up 7lbs next time for a hot race at Newbury. He raced quite keenly in front and was headed at the last by Morito Du Berlais. To his credit, he battled back and regained the advantage close home to win by a neck. The runner-up has run in some top staying handicaps at Cheltenham this season while Saffron Wells finished a couple of lengths away in third.

Saffron Wells was our each-way selection for the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton earlier this month but found Tea For Two much too good at the weights. He stuck on well enough to finish third and renews rivalry here with Polamco on 3lbs better terms. I expect Polamco to confirm the form, providing that he settles better than he did at Newbury.

Junction Fourteen was all the rage for the Lanzarote Hurdle last year but was already beaten when falling at the last. He ran well to finish fourth to Batavir at Wincanton on Boxing Day and could be returning to form. Imperial Leader was second to Irish Saint in heavy ground at Ascot last year and showed that he stays when third to Fingal Bay over a longer trip at Exeter.

Tony McCoy gave us our third big Saturday handicap winner in a row last weekend on If In Doubt and partners the top weight Mijhaar here.  He was very useful on the flat but has not really shone over hurdles so far. He ran well when third to Dawalan at Aintree but could not win in much easier company at Ayr last time. Polamco gets the vote for Harry Fry to give the yard a boost ahead of Activial’s bid for the Betfair Hurdle a week on Saturday.

Polemco 3.0 Sandown Saturday @100-30 William Hill