GG tipster Andrew Mount reveals his list of eyecatchers from the past week’s racing. Find out who he will be keeping on side below, along with bet365‘s new customer offer of Bet £10 Get £50 In Free Bets.
CHERRY COLA (third, 1m6f handicap, Goodwood, Friday, April 29)
CHERRY COLA is in my tracker as one to back in Class 5 or lesser handicaps, so I was happy to leave the veteran alone when he reappeared in this Class 4 contest after an eight-month break. However, he ran a blinder to finish third of seven at 33-1 and will be winning again soon on this evidence. He might go up a couple of pounds from his current mark of 68 but that will still make him eligible for Class 5 or lower handicaps next time.
CRAZY MAISIE (fifth 1m2f handicap, Beverley, Monday, May 2)
They got racing far too soon in this 1m2f Class 6 handicap and it was set up nicely for the closers, with the first three home described by the Racing Post as ‘towards rear’, ‘midfield, good headway to lead 3f out’ and ‘midfield’. CRAZY MAISIE, well backed into 7-1, was beaten by 17 lengths into fifth but helped to force the strong early pace and can be forgiven this.
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ETON BLUE (third, 1m2f handicap, Windsor, Monday, May 2)
On paper, it didn’t look like there was going to be a strong pace in this 1m2f Class 5 handicap but Culture, who got warm beforehand, was very keen on front end and took on Golden Dove, Photograph and ETON BLUE at the head of affairs. The first three mentioned dropped away to fill the last three places whereas Eton Blue deserves credit for finishing third. George Baker’s four-year-old came late when scoring in a field of 16 over trip and track on his penultimate start and a return to more patient tactics will suit. He’s in at Nottingham this Saturday (May 7).
EYES, fourth, 7f handicap, Yarmouth, Tuesday, April 26
There was a monster draw/pace bias on the straight course at Yarmouth last Tuesday and if you weren’t prominent towards the stands’ rail, favouring high draws, then you didn’t stand much chance. The first three home in this 7f handicap came from stalls 8, 7 and 9 of 9 and they were never out of the first three throughout. EYES was the outlier, staying on from the rear to grab fourth from stall 3.
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GIBSIDE (second, 1m2f handicap, Beverley, Monday, May 2)
GIBSIDE was weak in the betting (9-1 from 6-1) in the same race as Crazy Maisie (see above) and, after a midfield early sit, he made good headway under David Allen to quicken into the lead 3f out. He got there far too soon and was swept aside by Appier, going down by just over four lengths in second. However, he pulled eight lengths clear of the third and this was a big improvement on his handicap/seasonal; debut when last of nine over the same course and distance a few weeks earlier.
NEVER NO TROUBLE (fourth, 1m2f handicap, Beverley, Monday, May 2)
NEVER NO TROUBLE was another who paid for sitting too close to the strong early gallop in this 1m2f Class 6 contest. Wearing cheekpieces for the first time, the Adrian Nicholls-trained three-year-old had nothing left at the business end and had to settle for a very modest fourth. It was still a respectable effort in the circumstances and this seven-race maiden should find a race, perhaps if dropped back in trip. He finished a close second at 25-1 in 1m Thirsk novice last summer behind a horse now rated 84, suggesting his current mark of 61 looks workable.
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READY FREDDIE GO (won, 5f handicap, Thirsk, Saturday, April 30)
READY FREDDIE GO landed the 5f Class 3 handicap by a short head from to take his record at the minimum trip on good/faster turf or an all-weather surface, excluding seasonal debuts, to 2114141151 (6-10), improving to 1111 (4-4) at Thirsk only. Bizarrely, the stewards had the trainer in over his improved performance since finishing last of 12 on his reappearance at Beverley 17 days earlier. Even more bizarre was the response – ‘trainer could offer no explanation for the gelding’s improved form’. How about, he always needs his first run, the ground was more suitable today and he has a 100% record at today’s venue!
SILVER DOLLAR (ninth, 7f handicap, Yarmouth, Tuesday, April 26)
SILVER DOLLAR had the worst of the draw (stall 1 of 9) in the same race as Eyes (see above). He raced freely without cover under a midfield sit and faded to finish last. He drifted from 9-2 to 13-2 but it was still surprising to see him go off so short given how obvious the bias was at this point. He went without cheekpieces, on for both wins, and can be supported next time.
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STATE MAN (won, 2m3.5f Grade 1 novice hurdle, Punchestown, Friday, April 29)
I’m in full Flat mode now but I have a soft spot for the Champion Novice Hurdle, having won it as an owner with Reve De Sivola back in 2010. Only five went to post this year but we had a hugely impressive winner in STATE MAN. The Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old clocked a fast time when landing the County Hurdle off a mark of 141 on his penultimate start and his record for his current yard now reads F111 (3-4).
ZIHAAM, fifth.8.5f handicap, Beverley, Monday, May 2
ZIHAAM is a cracking veteran who loves to come late off a strong pace, especially here at Beverley. He could have done with the same pace scenario that featured in the Crazy Maisie race but they didn’t go that hard and, after being switched from the inside to the middle of the track for his customary late run, he had too much ground to make up, finishing a modest fifth. He won over course and distance at this time last year when the front-runners went off too hard but his other seven wins have come over 1m1f-1m4f, most of them over 1m2f at this venue. Six of his wins have come in June/July and he should find another race or two here this summer when there looks like being a pace burn-up.
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