GG tipster Andrew Mount reveals his top 10 eyecatchers from the past week’s action, including one who caught his eye when winning at Ludlow on Monday.
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AUTHOCELTIC (third, 2m juvenile hurdle, Exeter, Sunday, November 26th)
The Jane Williams yard doesn’t do a great deal at home with their juvenile hurdlers prior to their debuts, so it was encouraging to see AUTHOCELTIC run third in the Devon Air Ambulance & Marley Communications Juvenile Hurdle at Exeter on Sunday. The son of Authorized was ridden patiently before creeping into contention out wide after the fifth flight. However, he was soon niggled along and though staying on well, he was nine lengths behind the always-prominent winner at the line. Second time out is often when to side with the yard’s runners and he can be supported next time.
BEAUTY CHOICE (fourth, 6f handicap, Wolverhampton, Thursday, November 23rd)
BEAUTY CHOICE was well backed for the 6f Build Your Acca With BetUK Handicap at Wolverhampton last week where he looked sure to appreciate the drop back down to Class 5 level for the first time since October’s Pontefract win. The 4-1 shot travelled well in midfield but stall 1 made life difficult for patient tactics and he met trouble in the home straight before staying on well. He was a length and three-quarters back in fourth at the line and deserves another chance in similar company.
FEEL THE PINCH (won, 2m handicap chase, Ludlow, 2m handicap chase, Monday, November 27th)
FEEL THE PINCH, a three-time winner for Fergal O’Brien, made it five wins from just ten starts since joining Robbie Llewellyn when landing the Flowfit Handicap Chase by six lengths from Lime Drop at Ludlow on Monday. The nine-year-old seems happiest in small fields, with this win taking his career score in single-digit line-ups to 813141F13U31111 (8-15) for a profit of £53.63 to a £1 level stake at SP. In bigger fields he’s blanked in all 12 starts.
FELTON BELLEVUE (fourth, 3m1.5f handicap chase, Warwick, Tuesday, November 7th)
I’ve gone back a few weeks to include FELTON BELLEVUE as a horse to follow because the form of his 34-length fourth in the Trusttrader Approved And Reviewed Trades People Handicap Chase has received several boosts since that Warwick contest on November 7th. Winner Percy Veering followed up at Ffos Las on November 22nd, runner-up Imperial Alex ran second by a neck at Newcastle on November 23rd, third-placed Mixedwave was a 4-1 winner at Market Rasen on the same day while Ali Star Bert, almost 54 lengths back in sixth, was a well-backed 9-2 winner at Southwell today (November 28th) when tipped in my ‘best bets’ column. The Ben Case-trained nine-year-old is down to run in Lingfield 12.35 this Thursday (November 30th).
GAME ON FOR GLORY (second, 2m4f mares’ novices’ handicap chase, Warwick, Wednesday, November 22nd)
It was the usual front-runners benefit at Warwick last Tuesday and GAME ON FOR GLORY deserves extra credit for her second place to Marsh Wren in the 2m4f Duncan Smith Over The Hill Birthday Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Chase. Lucy Wadham’s seven-year-old, settled in midfield in the early stages, jumped moderately in first-time cheekpieces before making ground into third place on the home turn. She led narrowly approaching the last but was re-passed by Marsh Wren and had to settle for second place, just under two lengths behind the winner. The cut back to 2m won’t hurt on this evidence.
INTERSKY SUNSET (fourth, 2m5.5f handicap chase, Tramore, Monday, November 28th)
It was a case of the widre the better at Tramore on Monday but INTERSKY SUNSET, the 15-8 favourite for the Ladies Cove Handicap Chase, raced in the ‘swamp’ on the inside rail and could only finish a 14-length fourth. Declan Queally’s six-year-old saw off 19 rivals in a mares’ handicap hurdle at Gowran Park on her penultimate start and is worth another chance.
SAFE DESTINATION (won, 3m handicap chase, Ludlow, Monday, November 27th)
SAFE DESTINATION appreciated the return to a right-handed track when taking the Marsh Commercial Novices’ Handicap Chase at Ludlow on Monday. Widely available at 8-1 in the early market, Nigel Twiston Davies’ five-year-old, who was pulled up at Warwick on his previous start, was backed into 100-30 favouritism. He travelled well on the inside behind a strong early gallop and was all out to win after jockey Sam Twiston-Davies dropped his whip on the run-in. The son of Pether’s Moon has won on a left-handed track but jumped out to his right and was clearly happier going this way around and there should be more to come.
SCHALKE (ninth, 3m handicap hurdle, Haydock, Saturday, November 25th)
It was a big ask for SCHALKE to win the 3m Betfair “Serial Winners” Stayers’ Handicap but the 50-1 shot acquitted himself well in ninth of 15, finishing just under 12 lengths behind the winner Slate Lane (sadly now retired after suffering a tendon injury – according to pundit Andy Holding on William Hill radio). The Rebecca Menzies-trained eight-year-old lost his first nine career starts but got off the mark on his tenth outing when stepped up beyond 2m4f for the first time, taking a 2m7f handicap hurdle at Market Rasen in February of last year. Trip and class are the key, and his hurdles record over 2m6f or further in Class 3 or lower company reads 1146218 (3-7), improving to 11621 (3-5) on good to soft or softer going and outside of his seasonal debuts (latest defeat by a head).
TWILIGHT GLORY (fifth, 3m1.5f handicap chase, Warwick, Tuesday, November 7th)
TWILIGHT GLORY finished a place and a length and a half behind Felton Bellevue (see above) in a 3m1.5f handicap chase at Warwick on November 7th, form that has received several boosts in the past week. He too is entered in the 12.35 at Lingfield on Thursday and I shall have to back the pair of them as well as doing the reversed Tote Exacta.
YOUR DARLING (won, 2m5f handicap chase, Ascot, Friday, November 24th)
YOUR DARLING took his seasonal debut record to 134111 (4-6) when justifying strong market support in the S.A.F.E. Handicap Chase at Ascot last Friday, coming home nine lengths clear of Flegmatik to repeat last year’s win in the same contest. The eight-year-old’s only non-seasonal debut win came at Huntingdon in May 2021 on the back of a 159-day break and he now looks one to avoid unless given a sufficient layoff.
10 To Follow – Andrew Mount’s Horses To Follow For The 23/24 Jumps Season
The 2023/24 Jumps Season is underway and we’ve got all our team to give their ’10 to follow’ for the NH season. GG’s chief tipster Andrew Mount is the next to give his selections, which include two runners from champion trainer Paul Nicholls yard, as well as last season’s Irish Grand National winner. BYKER (Charles…
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